SOUTH AFRICA ECONOMIC NEWS WEEKLY NEWSLETTER MARCH 16, 2007

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 PRETORIA 001013 SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/S/MTABLER-STONE; AF/EPS; EB/IFD/OMA USDOC FOR 4510/ITA/MAC/AME/OA/DIEMOND TREASURY FOR OAISA/RALYEA/CUSHMAN USTR FOR COLEMAN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON EFIN EINV ETRD EMIN EPET ENRG BEXP KTDB SENV PGOV, SF SUBJECT: SOUTH AFRICA ECONOMIC NEWS WEEKLY NEWSLETTER MARCH 16, 2007 ISSUE ¶1. (U) Summary. This is Volume 7, issue 11 of U.S. Embassy Pretoria's South Africa Economic News weekly newsletter. Topics of this week's newsletter are: - Manufacturing up 6.2% - Business Confidence Down - Lack of Education and Skills Inhibits Rate of Economic Growth - SAA Restructuring Prompts Route Review - SAG to Offer R1bn Lure for Call Centers - Launch of Solar Powered Geysers - Business Urges More Action Against Crime End Summary. Manufacturing up 6.2% -------------- ¶2. (U) According to Statistics South Africa (StatsSA),manufacturing output increased by 6.2% in volume terms year-on-year in January compared with 5.0% in December. Analysts said the sector's fortunes have improved considerably in recent months as the rand weakened and spending by government and the private sector increased. The rand lost nearly 10% of its value against the dollar in 2006. Analysts remain optimistic about the manufacturing sector, based on a further weakening in the currency, indications of a pick-up in business expenditure, and infrastructural work spearheaded by the government. Also, the Investec purchasing managers index (PMI),a leading indicator of activity in the manufacturing sector, increased by three index points to 78, its highest level in more than 12 years. The revival in the supply side of the economy bodes well for economic growth and the large deficit on the current account. Manufacturing is South Africa's second largest sector, accounting for nearly 17% of gross domestic product, and is key to creating much-needed jobs in a country battling with unemployment of over 25%. (I-Net Bridge March 13, 2007) Business Confidence Down -------------- ¶3. (U) According to the Business Confidence Index (BCI),business confidence declined from 83 index points in the fourth quarter of 2006 to 81 index points in the first quarter of 2007, its lowest level in two years, as higher interest rates negatively affected sectors that depend on consumer spending. Economists said business confidence has remained consistently high for a long time, indicating that the economy was structurally healthier. Retailers' �0A;confidence declined from 91 to 78, while wholesaler confidence eased further, down from 88 to 76. Conditions in the building sector remain buoyant, with building contractors' confidence remaining unchanged at 90, a level around which it has fluctuated for most of the past two years. New vehicle dealers' confidence edged up by one point to 72 in the first quarter while manufacturing sector confidence increased to 78, the highest level in 12 years. "The latest BCI results indicate that the source of growth is rotating away from the consumer sectors towards Manufacturing, and probably mining, given the expected impact of both higher interest rates and a weaker rand. The survey was conducted between February 6 and March 6, 2007. (Business Day, March 15, 2007) Lack of Education and Skills Inhibits Rate of Economic Growth -------------- ¶4. (U) According to University of Pretoria professor Charlotte du Toit, who is also economic adviser to the social development minister, an improvement of 10% in the socioeconomic environment would increase South Africa's economic growth potential to approximately 6.5%. In a study du Toit did for the Department of Social Development, she found that growth has not done much to reduce unemployment because of factors that affected insufficient access to effective education and skills development. She concluded that the economy would not be able to sustain higher growth rates as long as it has a huge "untapped resource" of people who cannot be absorbed into the economy. Du Toit has called for an integrated national strategy on social development that will improve South Africa's ability to absorb and mobilize human capital and so raise the economy's sustainable growth rate. Du Toit, who is also responsible for the econometric modeling of South Africa's growth potential for the Reserve Bank, now estimates the economy's growth potential at 4%-4.5%, given that there are structural or supply-side impediments, particularly in the labor market. Du Toit said that as PRETORIA 00001013 002 OF 003 the economy grows faster, it starts to overheat, and that is reflected in domestic inflation and balance-of-payments pressures. "Supply-side impediments inhibit people who would be willing to work from doing so, preventing them from taking part in any form of economic activity" she said. The South African economy has grown at about 5% for the past two years, and the government is targeting an average growth rate of 6% after 2010. (Business Day, March 14, 2007) SAA Restructuring Prompts Route Review -------------- ¶5. (U) South African Parastatal airline South African Airways (SAA) is conducting a comprehensive review of its routes as part of its strategic plan to restructure the company. The review is expected to take six months to complete. SAA has decided to postpone the proposed May 9 launch of a new route from Johannesburg to Chicago. Ticketed passengers are being re-routed to the existing Johannesburg-Washington (Dulles) route. SAA has suffered significant financial losses over the past year, prompting the Department of Public Enterprises to seek a government bail-out before parliament last week. (SAA press release, March 9, 2007) SAG to Offer R1bn Lure for Call Centers -------------- ¶6. (U) The South African government has earmarked R1 billion ($135 million) in investment incentives over the next five years to lure international business services to South Africa to boost job creation and increase foreign direct investment. The plan was launched by Trade and Industry Minister Mandisi Mpahlwa in Pretoria on March 15. The plan forms part of a broad industrial policy framework and is key to government's accelerated and shared growth initiative (ASGISA) which aims to boost economic growth to 6% and halve unemployment by 2014. The investment incentives are on a par with a global benchmark in providing grants equal to half of the salary of each job created and a skill-training grant. Depending on the size of the investment and the number of jobs created, companies can claim grants of up to R60, 000 ($8,100) per "seat", where a seat would provide jobs for one to three people, depending on whether the firm operates shifts. The Department of Trade and Industry estimates the plan will translate into 100,000 new jobs by 2009 and draw about $175 million in foreign direct investment, which could push the sector's contribution from 0.92% to 1.36% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2009. Call centers currently employ 54,000 call center agents and the sector has reported growth of 8% a year over the past four years. (Business Day March 16, 2007) Launch of Solar Powered Geysers -------------- ¶7. (U) CEF (Pty) Ltd, together with some partners, launched a pilot project of developing a high-quality water heating system for mid to upper-income homes in South Africa (SA) in March. The company was established to support the public Central Energy Fund's objectives of searching for appropriate energy solutions to meet South Africa's future energy needs. CEF partnered with the Department of Minerals and Energy (DME),the Department of Science and Technology (DST), the South African Bureaus of Standard (SABS),the Global Environmental Fund (GEF) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) to work on the project. The project is aimed at inspiring confidence in the use of renewable energies and to help ease the growing pressure on the local electricity supplier. A CEF official also said that the project was designed to raise awareness and to remove market barriers to solar technology. Three approved distributors would supply 200 and 300-liter solar-heated geysers to 501 private homes, and install 167 geysers in each of the provinces of Gauteng, Kwa-Zulu Natal and the Western Cape. According to CEF CEO Dominic Milazi, South Africa is one of the countries with the highest 24-hour solar radiation averages in the world, while water heating accounts for one-third or half of household energy consumption. Milazi said it made sense to take advantage of solar energy because of these reasons. Such a move has the potential to leverage electricity saving and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The SABS-approved geysers will cost between $1,400 and $2,800 and will be monitored and measured for effectiveness and compliance to the national standards. (The Star, March 7, 2007) Business Urges More Action Against Crime -------------- PRETORIA 00001013 003 OF 003 ¶8. (U) Business Against Crime called on the government to adopt new strategies to combat crime and make the police force and Department of Justice and Constitutional Development more efficient. Outrage over crime is growing as South Africa tries to show it is safe before hosting the 2010 Soccer World Cup. Corporate leaders have forged a partnership with government officials to mount a campaign against the country's rampant murder, rape and robbery rates. A joint industry-government taskforce has collected $2 million in private donations for crime-busting projects, ranging from cracking crime syndicates to addressing social problems. The projects are due to roll out by next month. The projects are also aimed at improving the under-paid police and justice system. President Thabo Mbeki, who has often been accused of downplaying crime, acknowledged in his State of the Nation address in February that many live in fear of crime and pledged to expand the police force. (Fin 24, March 13, 2007) BOST