Global Scans · South Africa · Weekly Summary

WHAT'S NEXT?: Local elections in South Africa this year could see the ruling African National Congress lose control of key cities like Johannesburg and Pretoria for the first time. South Africa's economy is at risk of falling into recession and public confidence in the ANC is falling.

• [New] The success of Zimbabwean blueberries, Kenyan flowers and South African oranges would suggest that there is huge potential for African agriculture to play the sort of role long envisioned for manufacturing. The Week
• [New] Eskom, a South African electricity utility company, delayed its plans to retire three coal-fired power stations (Camden, Grootvlei and Hendrina) to 2030 amid borrowing restrictions under a sovereign debt relief arrangement. Nature
• [New] Depending on the severity of the El Nino, it will likely negatively affect agricultural activity in South Africa and across Southern Africa. AgriView
• [New] While there will likely be an inflationary impact, currently low food inflation, higher real interest rates and stronger South African grain inventories should help limit inflation pass-through compared with previous major drought episodes. Fitch Solutions
• The US bilateral review legislation under consideration in Congress could expand secondary sanctions applicability to South African entities. CES Intelligence
• Africa offers longer-term potential as digital infrastructure and AI adoption expand, with South Africa and other digitally advanced markets providing initial opportunities. MAXIMIZE MARKET RESEARCH
• Kenya could adopt WHO's nutrient profile model and enforce marketing bans around schools; Nigeria may introduce fiscal measures and front-of-pack labels; Ghana could strengthen structural interventions; South Africa might expand marketing restrictions and accelerate labeling reforms. Impakter
• South Africa's streamlined regulatory approval process on GM technology could explain why it was relatively quick to approve and subsequently cultivate GM cotton. World Intellectual Property Report 2026
• South Africa will emphasise the importance of regional cooperation in addressing migration challenges in a manner that promotes stability, development and respect for human rights. DIRCO
• Thousands of foreign nationals are leaving South Africa through the Musina repatriation center near the Zimbabwe border amid growing fears of xenophobic violence. DW.COM
• The biggest opportunity for South Africa is practical AI. Supply Chain News Africa
• South Africa is expected to see wheat plantings fall to their lowest level in more than a decade in 2026, as rising production costs weigh heavily on farmers. UkrAgroConsult
• ADNOC Drilling deployed its first AI-enabled island rig ahead of schedule, Borouge brought the first Borouge 4 facility into commercial operation, and Fertiglobe continued to execute its 2030 growth strategy, supported by XRG. / South Africa CB Insights
• Eskom, the state utility responsible for the bulk of generation, plans to build 32 GW of renewables by 2040 and retire 21 GW of coal-fired generation capacity, while grappling with a debt load of approximately US$ 22 billion and regulated tariffs below cost-recovery thresholds. / South Africa OBSERVER RESEARCH FOUNDATION ( ORF )
• The United Nations particularly welcomes the enduring legacy of South Africa's recent G20 leadership, which helped elevate critical issues such as inequality, sustainable development financing, debt vulnerabilities and the need for a more representative and responsive international system. South Africa
• First loan to South Africa will enhance infrastructure services The OPEC Fund has signed its first loan agreement with South Africa, which will support reforms to infrastructure services in the energy and transport sectors and advance the country's low-carbon and just transition agenda. https://opecfund.org
• Strengthening surveillance systems, diagnostic capacity, information sharing, technical expertise, and multi-stakeholder coordination will be essential to improving South Africa's preparedness for future biosecurity threats. SA Grain -
• For organizations operating in the defence and security sector, South Africa's naval alignment with China, Russia, and Iran through the Will for Peace 2026 exercises creates dual-use compliance risks. CES Intelligence
• The risk is politicization: US sanctions on Chinese mineral processors could create compliance triggers for South African operations selling to both markets, while Chinese investment in domestic processing infrastructure could create ownership configurations subject to US screening. CES Intelligence
• Thousands of foreign nationals continue to leave South Africa following threats from anti-immigrant groups. DW.COM
• Traverse South Africa's economic capital and you will come across Zimbabweans trained as doctors but driving Ubers, Ethiopians running bustling restaurants, and Congolese selling colorful wax print fabrics. NPR

Last updated: 22 September 2026