President launches Oxford Handbook of the South African Economy

Source: Daily Maverick/Shiraaz Mohamed.

The President launched the book at a virtual event co-hosted by the Universities of the Witwatersrand and Johannesburg.

In his address, President Ramaphosa stated that the book came at a time of great upheaval in the global economy as the Covid-19 pandemic had depressed economic activity, disrupted global supply chains and deepened inequality.

“As we launch this Oxford Handbook of the South African Economy, we are reaffirming the importance of improving the quality of national dialogue on the economy," Ramaphosa said.

Leading academics, economists, anthropologists and scientists including Presidential Economic Advisory Council members collaborated to produce a voluminous study of the structure of the South African economy in its varied sectors and industries.

Printed by the Oxford University Press, the 47-chapter Handbook of the South African Economy outlines the country’s history, political economy and key challenges.

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The publication also profiles such sectors and issues as energy, the environment, trade, industry, regulation, the labour market, income distribution, social policy and the macro economy.

The Handbook of the South African Economy offers diverse analytical perspectives and debates that have implications for policymakers in the current climate of constrained economic growth in a Covid-19 pandemic era, weak economic transformation and the challenges of inequality and unemployment.

"I welcome the diverse contributions contained in this handbook. It promises to provide a holistic take on the economy, ranging from chapters examining South Africa’s economic history, its performance over time and detailed analysis on various industries,” Ramaphosa said.

“As well as the central scholarly importance of the volume for research, we hope that it will be of interest to policymakers, and more widely,

“Our socio-economic context demands that as we focus on growth and job creation, we also ensure that no-one is left behind,"