Missed opportunities and mounting pressure: Kevin Lings on SA’s economic crossroads

In this incisive interview, Kevin Lings, Chief Economist at Stanlib, unpacks South Africa’s fiscal crossroads, political uncertainty, and the looming VAT hike. He critiques the Government of National Unity’s instability, the ANC’s policy missteps, and missed opportunities for economic reform. Lings calls for urgent, credible growth strategies to restore investor confidence and tackle unemployment and inequality. With sharp insights into fiscal discipline, cabinet inefficiencies, and foreign investor sentiment, he highlights the critical need for coherent policy action. A sobering yet constructive reflection on South Africa’s economic trajectory—and what it will take to turn it around.