Economics

The University of Johannesburg Community Engagement and celebration of 21 years of meaningful impact in our communities.

We are proud to have launched an Economic Society within the School.

The UJ ECONOMICS SOCIETY is made up of past and present students, and they will be working together to bridge the gap between academic economics and the professional world.

This will help students gain practical skills, connect with industry professionals, participate in research, and improve career readiness. The society also promotes leadership, teamwork, networking, and departmental visibility through events, workshops, and publications.

🎉✨Congratulations Prof Abieyuwa Ohonba on your well deserved promotion.

Wishing you continued success as you take on the new exciting role and looking forward to your continued contribution to the School.

On the 10th of March Prof Talita Greyling representing the Centre for Well-being, AI and Social Impact (C.WAIS) that is in the School of Economics, at the University of Johannesburg hosted a special session at the International Society for Quality of Life Studies (ISQOLS) Regional Conference in Buenos Aires.
The session was extremely well attended and sparked lively discussion, with participants sharing novel research ideas and exploring new collaboration opportunities around innovative approaches to measuring well-being.
It was inspiring to see such strong engagement with the role of AI, big data, and interdisciplinary methods in advancing quality-of-life research.
Thank you to everyone who joined the discussion and contributed to such a dynamic exchange.

hashtag

The visit from South African Reserve Bank went well and opportunities were presented to our students and they got to engage.

The visit from SARB was to present opportunities in their organization that would be beneficial to our students.

Thank you to our students for showing up and attending the presentation.


Our Future Reimagined

We were privileged to welcome Denzel Makombe and Msindisi Msira Lizani to our Econometrics 3A lecture at UJ.

As finalists in the Nedbank & Old Mutual Budget Speech Competition, they shared their experiences, insights, and practical advice with our students. Their visit aimed to inspire greater participation in the competition and to answer questions about the preparation process, expectations, and opportunities that come with taking part.

It is always encouraging to see our students engaging beyond the classroom and representing the School of Economics with excellence.

Thank you, Denzel and Msindisi, for investing your time in motivating the next cohort of economists. 👏📊

🌟 Celebrating Excellence: Nedbank & Old Mutual Budget Speech Competition 2026! 🌟

We are thrilled to highlight the outstanding achievements of our students in this prestigious national competition:

🎓 Denzel Makombe – Postgraduate finalist
🏆 Msindisi Lizani– Winner of the Undergraduate category in the Nedbank & Old Mutual Budget Speech Competition
(Undergraduate: UFH | Honours 2026: UJ)

Your dedication, talent, and hard work are truly inspiring—you’ve made us all so proud! ✨

👏 A big congratulations to Dr. Naiefa Nolwazi Rashied, PhD Rashied, Prof Marinda Pretorius, Dr. Magda Kasyoka Wilson Wilson, Ms. Bonolo Thobejane, and the entire UJ School of Economics team for their unwavering commitment to student excellence.

📖 Learn more about the competition here: https://lnkd.in/dP2qQe5s

Sandile Mbatha is a young lecturer in the School, who is in pursuit of his PhD and was the postgraduate winner of the 2023 Nedbank and Old Mutual Budget Speech competition, wrote an article which got published in the Business Day on the 24th of February 2026.
The article is about the new South Africa–China economic partnership, signed by Parks Tau and Wang Wentao, could either deepen South Africa’s dependence on exporting raw minerals while importing Chinese manufactured goods, or become a platform for industrial upgrading. Its impact will depend on whether strong industrial policies such as localization, technology transfer, and supplier development are enforced to ensure real structural transformation.

🔗 https://lnkd.in/dxjb_VXx

LinkedIn This link will take you to a page that’s not on LinkedIn

Student Voices on the 2026 Budget Speech,
Our Economics students share their perspectives on key policy themes raised in this year’s Budget Speech.

🎓 Zamantusi Mngadi reflects on excise duties and social grants:

“Excise duties on to***co products could potentially be increased further, given the negative externalities associated with to***co consumption. Demand appears relatively inelastic, which may contribute to increased government revenue to support public spending priorities or debt stabilization.

At the same time, social grants remain an important policy tool. While there are differing views about their long-term effects, it is important to recognize the role they play in supporting households facing involuntary unemployment and rising living costs.”



🎓 Ntsika Mboxo shares a broader macroeconomic perspective:

“After paying close attention to the 2026 Budget Speech, I would describe it as cautiously optimistic, with a focus on debt stabilization and modest growth recovery. Key highlights include the tax relief measures, increased infrastructure spending, and prioritized social grants. The withdrawal of the R20 billion tax increase and inflation-linked adjustments to personal income tax brackets are welcome developments.

However, more could have been done to address structural issues such as unemployment and inequality. The projected growth rate of 1.6% for 2026 appears modest relative to the country’s potential.

Sustained reforms in energy, logistics, and strengthened public–private partnerships will be critical in achieving higher growth. If implemented effectively, these reforms could boost investor confidence and support long-term economic expansion.”

At the School of Economics, we encourage critical engagement, balanced analysis, and evidence-based discussion on real-world policy issues.



🎓 Mphotsaone Mathole highlights both the risks and strengths of the 2026 Budget:

“The fiscal framework appears increasingly dependent on factors outside the Treasury’s direct control, such as stable electricity supply, logistics performance, and monetary policy decisions. This creates vulnerability, as unexpected shocks could undermine revenue projections and debt stabilization efforts.

There is also concern that rising interest payments and relatively slow growth in capital expenditure may limit investment in future economic growth.

On the positive side, the budget prioritizes fiscal discipline, debt stabilization, and continued support for vulnerable households. The emphasis on transparency and responsible financial management is a noteworthy strength.

Overall, the 2026 Budget reads more as a risk-management framework than a strong growth strategy.”

Tsholofelo Makgalemele is a lecturer in the School and is in pursuit of her PhD in Economics shared her thoughts regarding the National Budget Speech 2026 and this is how she unpacked it:

Social Protection vs Structural Transformation

One of the notable elements in yesterday's Budget Speech was the incremental increase in key social grants, including old age and disability grants. In the current economic climate — characterized by high unemployment and cost-of-living pressures — this provides important short-term relief to vulnerable households.

From a development economics perspective, social protection plays a critical stabilizing role. It supports consumption, reduces extreme poverty, and cushions households against economic shocks.

However, the deeper question is structural.

Social spending can alleviate hardship, but it cannot substitute for employment creation and productivity growth. Sustainable poverty reduction ultimately depends on expanding the economy’s productive capacity — through infrastructure investment, skills development, innovation, and private-sector confidence.

If growth remains subdued, fiscal space will continue to shrink, and redistributive measures may become increasingly difficult to sustain.

The real test of this budget, therefore, is not only whether it protects the vulnerable today — but whether it meaningfully shifts the economy toward long-term job creation and inclusive growth.

Temporary relief stabilizes the present while structural transformation determines the future.