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SA government marches towards fiscal cliff
30 January 2015 – A Fast Facts report released by the IRR found that despite taking a larger and larger chunk of the proceeds of the hard work of ordinary South Africans, the government is running out of money. Only higher levels of economic growth can save it from the approaching fiscal cliff.
IRR report into police criminality – ‘The wolf guards the sheep’
28 January 2015 – The IRR, in conjunction with Afriforum, today released results of an investigation into the extent to which police officers in South Africa plan and execute serious and violent crimes such as murder, rape, and armed robbery. The report is part of the Broken Blue Line, a research project undertaken by the IRR since 2011 to track police involvement in criminality.
South Africa must reform to retain its ‘moderately free’ ranking
27 January 2015 – South Africa has the 72nd freest economy out of 178 countries, according to the 2015 Index of Economic Freedom published today by the Washington DC-based Heritage Foundation. Hong Kong, Singapore, and New Zealand have the most free economies in the world, while Venezuela, Cuba, and North Korea have the least free.
Gauteng is the best province to live in
29 December 2014 – The key finding is that, on aggregate, Gauteng is the best province in South Africa to live in, followed, in descending order, by the Western Cape, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, the Free State, the North West and the Northern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, and the Eastern Cape.
Trade report reveals South Africa’s export and manufacturing weaknesses
27 November 2014 – The key finding is to highlight the uncompetitive nature of the South African economy, and that policy reforms to boost manufacturing and export competitiveness seem the only way to reverse significant trade deficits.
Time to consider new models of affirmative action
26 November 2014 – There is a need for a non-racial form of affirmative action in employment instead of the present race-based system.
Protecting patents protects patients and promotes prosperity
12 November 2014 – The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is busily pressing ahead with damaging changes to patent law, writes Jasson Urbach, a director of the Free Market Foundation.
Law and (dis)order
6 November 2014 – Crime in South Africa: The number of very violent robberies has increased, as has the number of arrests. However, the number of convictions is falling. Therefore, many perpetrators are arrested but not convicted
IRR backs minister on youth housing policy
30 October 2014 – The IRR supports the view of the Minister of Human Settlements, Lindiwe Sisulu, that free housing should only be directed at the elderly and the indigent and that young people should be required to work to provide their own housing.
The Patent Rights Grab
29 October 2014 - The State is seeking wide powers to take or bypass patent rights. Patents are important because they help to quicken the growth rate, generate jobs, and counter poverty.
EFF lacks understanding of economic freedom – IRR
14 October 2014 - True economic freedom stimulates investment and employment. It makes for faster economic growth and increased prosperity for all, including the poorest 10%. The EFF's call to expropriate land and nationalise mines, banks, and other businesses shows that it has no understanding of economic freedom.
BEE: Helping or Hurting?
6 October 2014 – Is black economic empowerment (BEE) achieving its goal of correcting past injustices and opening up opportunities for black South Africans?
