The South African National Energy Association (Sanea) has outlined its nine top energy risks for 2019 in its  South African Energy Risk Report 2019, with price volatility and uncertainty, and South Africa's fiscal crisis, among the top risks at both the country and industry level.  The issue of price volatility and uncertainty was significant as it impacted on many other sectors and on the most vulnerable in society. Sanea members prioritised 20 risks from an initial list of 50 energy risks. This was whittled down to the overall top nine risks for the country for 2019. Please click Sanea's South African Energy Risk Report 2019 to peruse.

The widely expected Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) decision to again leave interest rates unchanged reflects the MPC's majority view of the present balance of risks facing the economy, says North-West University Business School economist Prof Raymond Parsons. But on both growth and inflation grounds the case for a future interest rate cut is now strengthening. With various authoritative growth forecasts for 2019 being recently steadily revised downwards to about 1% and future inflation coming closer to the desired 4.5% midpoint of the inflation target band, the balance of risks in the months ahead may well tilt towards the prospect of lower interest rates. Press release

Terrorism remains a dynamic global risk and a serious threat for people and organisations. The evolution of terrorism risk exposes many countries to complex threats from both international and home-grown groups, as well as individuals acting on their own, known as "lone wolves." Ebbs and flows in terrorism are common, but the evolving and ever-present nature of this risk requires people and organisations to be continuously on guard. Marsh's 2019 Terrorism Risk Insurance Report explores the state of terrorism and the terrorism insurance marketplace in key regions. Please click here to peruse.

The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF)  is confident that the clinical end point of the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in Limpopo was reached on 31 January 2019 and the final report on this event was submitted to the OIE on 7 May 2019. As a result of the confidence that the FMD outbreak was successfully contained, South Africa applied to the OIE for recognition of a FMD containment zone. The remainder of South Africa's free zone without vaccination was not compromised by this outbreak. The international recognition of a containment zone will reaffirm the official recognition of the free zone status of the rest of the country. Please click here to peruse DAFF's final report on the FMD outbreak.

"Following South Africa's recent parliamentary election, President Cyril Ramaphosa has a long economic reform agenda and a public impatient for results. He will need both skill and statesmanship to overcome the corruption and bureaucratic inertia holding back the country's economy." Please click here for an opinion piece by Andrew Donaldson, a former deputy director-general of South Africa's National Treasury, and currently senior research associate at the Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit, University of Cape Town, written for and first published on Project Syndicate.

On a cool autumn evening this past Wednesday, Johan van der Schyff was recognised as the Western Cape's Young Farmer of the Year. Whilst the winner's achievements should be recognised and applauded, it was the positive attitude of all the young farmers present that impressed on the day. In the build-up to the event, Theo Boshoff from Agbiz was fortunate enough to participate in a panel discussion alongside Johann Norman, the reigning farmer of the year Pieter Graaf and Philip Oosthuizen from Sernick. The panel was tasked with exploring the role transformation will play in the sustainability of the agricultural value chain and was expertly led in its task by Johann Kotze from SAPPO. Theo Boshoff reports in the linked article.

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• Agbiz is the only organisation that serves the broader and common over-arching business interests of agribusinesses in South Africa.
• Agbiz addresses the legislative and policy environment on the many fronts that it impacts on the agribusiness environment.
• Agbiz facilitates considerable top-level networking opportunities so that South African agribusinesses can play an active and creative role within the local and international organised business environment.
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