Citadel Chief Economist MaartenAckerman recently spoke to Zinathi Gquma at Business Day TV about the Q2-2025 gross domestic product (GDP) release. South Africa’s economy showed welcome resilience, with GDP rising by 0.8% for the quarter and 0.6% year-on-year. This rebound signals that momentum is possible even in a difficult global environment.
Despite short-term gains though, growth continues to lag when compared to population trends. Looking forward, Maarten expects growth of around 1% for 2025 but emphasises that unlocking long-term prosperity depends on bold reforms, stronger private-sector participation and translating policy into tangible investment opportunities.