OPINION| Best starting point in years, with three clear priorities ahead – Mavuso

By Busi Mavuso

We start 2026 with commodity prices riding high, a strong stock market, reliable electricity, lower interest rates, stable government finances and a slowly improving criminal justice system.

These positive factors, combined with ongoing political stability within the Government of National Unity, should consolidate into improved confidence, investment and a virtuous cycle of increased economic activity.

But to truly unlock higher growth, there are three critical areas where we must see tangible progress this year: logistics infrastructure, local government service delivery and criminal justice effectiveness.

Success on these fronts would position South Africa to finally achieve sustained economic growth above 2%, something we haven’t managed for over a decade.

First, I want to see the first privately-owned rolling stock running on our rails this year. Eleven private operators have been selected to operate 41 routes across six corridors, offering a way to significantly expand the capacity and reliability of