26 May 2016 – Neither land nor farming should be romanticised. Entrepreneurship is critical to turning an inert and often barren, dry, and rocky piece of land into a productive farm. But land itself is only the starting point: without all the other inputs – from finance for seeds and fertiliser and implements, to water rights, access to markets, and know-how – no farmer will produce very much.
24 May 2016 – Miraculously, despite the Land Acts, South Africa is in the fortunate position that demand for farm land can probably be met without the disruptions, risks, and costs of radical redistribution.
16 May 2016 – The IRR has released a comparative social and economic report of South Africa’s nine provinces.
6 April 2016 – A report published by the IRR today notes that very few South Africans benefit from current empowerment polices. Since these policies have failed to benefit the poor and disadvantaged, few people support them either.
4 April 2016 – A report released by the IRR has warned that Treasury growth forecasts to 2018 may be on the high side, and that there is a considerable degree of risk that deficit and debt targets set out in the recent budget will not be achieved.
1 April 2016 – Our considered view is that the Zuma exit is likely to be a far more orderly and less dramatic departure – staged over the next 18 months – than the sudden once off announcement some analysts anticipated for this evening.
23 March 2016 – The IRR has warned that if the Rand and oil prices remain at their current levels motorists could expect a fuel price hike of 41c/litre in April. On top of that the increase in the fuel levy announced by the finance minister in his recent budget speech could see motorists paying between 70c/litre and 80c/litre more for fuel.
22 March 2016 – The IRR has noted the raid on the offices of the Helen Suzman Foundation. The IRR said it had little doubt the raid was a covert operation by rogue State security forces.
15 March 2016 – According to the South Africa Survey 2016 published by the IRR last month, some 7 468 detainees were held in South African jails in 2015 because they could not afford to raise bail.
7 March 2016 – Children in South Africa continue to be let down by the poor quality of most public schools. This is the single biggest obstacle to creating a more prosperous and equal society.
29 February 2016 – A report released by the IRR this week has found that race relations in South Africa are in a good state.
25 February 2016 – The still birth rate in South Africa has been falling sharply according to the South Africa Survey 2016 released by the IRR this month. The IRR says this is evidence of improved mother and child health in the country and is something to be celebrated.
Bringing land reform down to earth