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The present research reexamines the validity of the EKC hypothesis in the top three polluted nations in Africa, Algeria, Egypt, and South Africa, over the period 1970-2020. The central idea of the research is to reexamine the EKC hypothesis by incorporating the ARMEY curve linking government spending and GDP into the Kuznets curve, as suggested by Işık et al. Environ Sci Pollut Res 29(11):16472-16483, (2022) and Ongan et al. Environ Sci Pollut Res 29(31):46587-46599, (2022). To this end, the ARDL equation with a Fourier function is implemented to estimate the long-run drivers of environmental deterioration. The Stochastic Impacts by Regression on Population, Affluence, and Technology (STIRPAT) model results revealed that the composite model is only valid in Algeria, and the optimal government spending that maximizes CO 2 emissions is 16.88% of gross domestic product. On the contrary, the results showed that the composite model is not valid for South Africa and Egypt due to the failure of the desired shapes for the three curves. The outcomes also confirm the role of energy consumption and population as key drivers of environmental degradation in the three countries., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

This study investigates the role of informality in the relationship among renewable and nonrenewable energy consumption, economic growth, and CO 2 emissions in a panel of 19 Eastern and South African countries. The empirical strategy exploits the panel generalized method of moments, panel fixed effects models using the Driscoll-Kraay standard errors, panel method of moments quantile regressions, and the Dumitrescu-Hurlin bootstrap panel Granger causality analysis. The results are fourfold. First, nonrenewable energy consumption is positively associated with CO 2 emissions, while renewable energy consumption is not. Second, there is a nonlinear ∩ -shaped relationship between economic growth and CO 2 emissions, consistent with the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis. Third, the results show a nonlinear ∪ -shaped relationship between informality and CO 2 emissions, suggesting that higher informality is associated with lower CO 2 emissions up to a certain critical point beyond which further increases in informality precipitate higher CO 2 emissions. Fourth, the results show unidirectional causality from CO 2 emissions to renewable energy, from CO 2 emissions to nonrenewable energy, from informality to CO 2 emissions, and feedback causality between GDP growth and CO 2 emissions., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

There has been a plethora of debate on the link between fiscal decentralization and a drop in carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions, even though the evidence supporting this assertion is relatively sparse. Although the precise nature of this relationship is still up for discussion, economic hypothesis postulates that fiscal decentralization has an impact on environmental sustainability. Some researchers claim that fiscal decentralization could potentially result in a race to the top, while some believe it would lead to a race to the bottom. This analysis intends to shed light on the precise processes by which this connection may work in South Africa between 1960 and 2020 in light of current discussions in environmental and development economics. In contrary to previous studies, this paper employs a cutting-edge dynamic autoregressive distributed lag simulations methodology to evaluate the positive and negative variations in fiscal decentralization on CO 2 emissions. Our findings demonstrate the prevalence of the race to the top strategy by illustrating how fiscal decentralization has a bearing on CO 2 emissions reduction in the short and long terms. In accordance with the findings, greater fiscal decentralization should be implemented through the transfer of more powers to regional authorities, especially in the realm of environmental legislation considerations, in a bid to preserve South Africa's environmental integrity. By establishing a lower tier of government and defining roles at the federal and provincial divisions, South Africa could adopt strategies to improve green environment in an effort to fulfill the energy-saving tasks of fiscal expenditures., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

The main objective of this paper is to look at how environmental degradation in the form of climate change and air pollution affect international tourism for five countries such as Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (BRICS) over the years 1990-2019. Other independent variables include information and communication technology (ICT) and democracy. We also look at the role of environmental regulation to see the validity of porter hypothesis in the tourism sector. To achieve this objective, we apply a novel method of moments quantile regression approach as well as a robust causality technique. The result shows that at lower and medium quantile, CO 2 emission has positive impact on tourism while at higher quantile, CO 2 emission has negative but insignificant effect on tourism in BRICS countries. The result for PM2.5 is uniform across all the quantiles, showing the negative effect on tourism. ICT and human capital positively affect the tourism while democracy has negative impact on the tourism sector of the BRICS nations. The result also validated the Porter hypothesis for tourism sector. We conclude that tourism industry stakeholders and the environmental policymakers must work together to integrate tourism policies with BRICS countries' environmental conservation policies as part of the transition to sustainable tourism industry., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

The debate over the role international trade plays in determining environmental outcomes has considerably generated more heat than light. Theoretical work has been successful in identifying a series of hypotheses linking openness to trade and environmental quality, but the empirical verification of these hypotheses has seriously lagged. This study revisits the dynamic relationship between trade openness and environmental quality in South Africa using time series data over the period 1960-2020. The recently developed novel dynamic autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) simulation framework has been used. The outcomes of the analysis indicate that (i) trade openness deteriorates environmental quality in the long run, although it is environmentally friendly in the short run; (ii) the scale effect increases CO 2 emissions, whereas the technique effect contributes to lower it, thus validating the presence of an environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis; (iii) energy consumption, foreign direct investment, and industrial value-added contribute to environmental deterioration; (iv) technological innovation improves environmental quality; (v) the pollution haven hypothesis (PHH) exists; and (vi) InSE, InTE, InOPEN, InEC, InFDI, InTECH, and InIGDP Granger-cause InCO 2 in the medium, long, and short run suggesting that these variables are important to influence CO 2 emissions. In light of our empirical evidence, this paper suggests that the international teamwork to lessen carbon emissions is immensely critical to solve the growing trans-boundary environmental decay and other associated spillover consequences., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

There are many studies on the relationship between energy consumption and various environmental indicators in Africa, and SANE countries in particular. However, there is a dearth of studies that relate external debt to CO 2 emissions, and even the ecological footprint, which is a more comprehensive environmental indicator. As such, this paper applies advanced estimation techniques to explore the role of external debt in the famous energy-growth-environmental nexus in SANE countries from 1970 to 2018. The findings from the Augmented Mean Group estimator indicate that economic growth and energy consumption increase environmental pressure in the SANE countries. On country-level results, the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis, monotonic increase, and monotonic decrease for ecological footprint holds in South Africa, Algeria, and Nigeria, respectively. Also, the results reveal that external debt increases the ecological footprint in South Africa and Algeria. Furthermore, the Kónya (2006) bootstrap country-level Granger causality test shows that ecological footprint is sensitive to economic growth and energy consumption in South Africa and Nigeria, while economic growth is sensitive to the ecological footprint in both Algeria and Nigeria. This study argues that stringent policy suggestions should be centred on reducing the overdependence on non-renewable energy sources since it underscores the major deteriorating state of environmental quality across SANE countries., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Environmental sustainability concerns are growing worldwide. Many recent studies have focused on key indicators of CO2 emissions, but less consideration has been given to human capital. This study examines the impact of human capital on CO2 emissions in Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (BRICS) economies from 1991 to 2019 using a nonlinear panel autoregressive distributed lag approach. Findings show that positive change in education has reduced CO2 emissions, while a negative change in education has increased CO2 emissions in the long run in a group of BRICS. Regarding economy-wise analysis, a positive change in education reduces CO2 emissions in Russia, China, and South Africa in the long run, but a negative change in education has an increasing impact on CO2 emissions in Brazil and China. The results of robustness are also maintained in group and economy-wise empirical analysis. Policymakers should develop the education sector infrastructure in order to support the decrease of CO2 emissions., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

With rapid economic growth, BRICS is facing enormous burdens of carbon emission and severe issues of income inequality. However, behind this economic success, the BRICS economies also face few thoughtful challenges to improve environmental quality by catching up the sustainable development goals. Consequently, the existing empirical research is concerned with the dynamic links between income inequality and CO 2 emissions by using the novel nonlinear ARDL approach, but small attention has been paid to the BRICS in literature. Therefore, we observed that a negative and positive change in income inequality has positive effect on CO 2 emissions in Russia and South Africa in the long run, although a positive change in income inequality has positive effects on CO 2 emissions in Brazil, Russia, and China, while a negative change in income inequality has negative effect on CO 2 emissions in India, Brazil, and Russia in the short run. Hence, the findings value specific attention from policymakers in BRICS economies., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Among the environmental economics research issues, the issue of convergence has received quite a lot of attention, which is also known as stationary analysis. In this research strand, whether shocks to the time series variable are permanent or temporary is tested via the unit root tests. In this study, based on the theory and empirical works of stochastic convergence, we evaluate the convergence for the BASIC member countries, including Brazil, South Africa, India, and China. We use a variety of methodologies to see whether the convergence of ecological footprint holds for these countries or not. We first use the wavelet decomposition technique to decompose the series into the short run, middle run, and long run, and then we run several unit root tests to confirm the stationarity property of the series. The methodologies implemented in this study allow us to apply econometric tests to the original series as well as to the decomposed series. The results of panel CIPS test demonstrate that the null hypothesis of unit root could be rejected for the short run but not for the middle and long run, implying that long-lasting impact might prevail due to any shocks to the ecological footprint in the middle and long run. The results for individual countries varied., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

This study draws ardent attention to the Sustainable Development Goal 13 (climate change mitigation) of the United Nations by investigating the CO 2 emissions-energy consumption-militarisation-economic growth nexus for South Africa (SA) from 1960 to 2019. The researcher applied frequency domain causality and the novel dynamic autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) simulation approaches to achieve the research objective. The main findings reflected that (i) there is a long-run equilibrium relationship between the variables; (ii) there is no causality between militarisation and energy consumption; (iii) unidirectional causality runs from militarisation to economic growth; (iv) there is no causality between militarisation and CO 2 emissions; and (v) unidirectional causality runs from energy consumption to economic growth. The dynamic ARDL simulations' main results suggest that (i) in the short-run, a positive and insignificant relationship exist between militarisation and CO 2 emissions. Conversely, a negative and significant relationship was recorded in the long-run. Thus, the treadmill theory of destruction is not valid for SA. (ii) In the short-run, economic growth has a positive and significant impact on CO 2 emissions, while in the long-run, economic growth has a negative and significant impact on CO 2 emissions. This implies the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis holds for SA. Overall, this research suggests a synergy between defence, energy, growth, and environmental policies in the short- and long-run to promote and maintain environmental quality in SA., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

This paper examines three interrelated factors outside of formal provision of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) in sub-Saharan Africa that have undermined TVET systems. The first is the process, pace, and levels of industrialisation, which has had a direct effect on TVET provision: low numbers of well-paying jobs requiring technical expertise. This has an indirect effect, which is the second crucial factor: lack of economic development and change in labour markets. There are very few jobs that would be considered 'middle class' or 'mid-level' in wealthy countries. Most people are in survivalist work. An international consensus since the 2000s on palliative approaches to development which address the effects but not the causes of the lack of economic development in Africa has resulted in mass poor quality provision of education--the third factor. Education systems are rapidly expanding and achievement levels rising, in the context of very little possibility of labour market rewards for most people, and substantial labour market rewards confined mainly to graduates. This reinforces deeply embedded cultural preferences for general education, which originate in the type of education systems established by colonial powers, as well as the relationships between educational credentials and elite jobs.

The paper examines the value of traditional leaders in the advancement and execution of Municipal Integrated Plan (IDP) in South Africa. According to literature search institution of traditional leadership have been in place for a very a long time. To examines the value of traditional leaders in the advancement and execution of Municipal Integrated Plan (IDP) in South Africa, the paper employed the Behavioural theory of leadership. This paper used secondary data (through a literature review) to collect relevant information. It was revealed that differences between the local governance, and traditional leaders are depriving community members of the services that they should be getting from their respective municipalities. Despite the enactment of numerous constitutional laws to strengthen ties between traditional leaders and the local government, it is evident in existing literature that the lack in understanding of roles between traditional leaders and municipal councils remains a challenge. Traditional leaders are not able to participate fully in the IDP policy execution. The paper concluded by arguing that overcoming the undermining and including traditional leaders in all stages of development programs by municipalities is desirable to win the fight against poverty, unemployment, and income inequality through quality service delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to examine and analyze how the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) contributes to economic growth and development in South Africa. It argues that the 4IR is a pathway to achieve economic growth and development. Although much emphasis from the literature indicates the negative impact of the 4IR on human development, this paper brings to light that the 4IR is an engine to the headway of economic development. To get the expected results, desktop research is used, covering South Africa as an area of focus. Hence, it adopted a literature-based methodology that relies on the use of existing literature to critique the role of the 4IR in enhancing economic development. It reveals that the 4IR is detrimental to human development, however, it can be used as a catalyst for economic growth and development. It thus recommends that the 4IR must be fully embraced by both government and private sector for the betterment of economic development and business growth amongst others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the extent to which apartheid has and continues to shape the agricultural sector in South Africa. The paper employed the Sustainable Livelihood Approach (SLA) as a theoretical lens. This approach helped to understand the long-lasting legacies (and their subsequent effects) of apartheid in the agricultural sector and how the government has, since post-1994, approached the process and need for land redistribution in South Africa. This paper relied on secondary data to gather the relevant literature that speaks to what the paper aims to achieve. Findings revealed that apartheid introduced systemic policies to segregate and deprive black South Africans of owning land and restricted their participation in the agricultural sector. While the South African government post-1994 has undertaken an array of steps to address the need for land reform, these approaches have yet to achieve their desired results, albeit never-ending challenges have characterized them. Moreover, there needs to be a consensus from a political perspective to reflect how land reform should be undertaken while at the same time protecting proprietary rights and the economic development of the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concerted efforts have been geared towards development in the South African Post-apartheid era at local level. Studies have shown that local governments have recognized local economic development as a crucial tool for addressing development-related challenges. The extent to which the municipalities have ingrained the local economic development goal, however, has received little to no attention. Hence, this paper intends to fill the missing gap and answers the following questions: what are the key components of economic development at the local level in the post-apartheid era? To what extent has the local economic development stimulated growth and development with particular reference to small and medium scale enterprise? What are the donors’ approaches to local development and their critical challenges? Using the secondary sources of data collection, this paper reviews current level of economic development at local municipalities in South Africa. Thereafter, it examines the impact of the municipal government strategies designed to stimulate political and socio-economic development agenda at the local level in South Africa. This paper identifies strategic planning and local resources needed to address the local economic development in South Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The land question is an emotive issue across the world. At independence, erstwhile colonies adopted land reforms to address colonial imbalances in landholding. South Africa is one such country that has embarked on land reforms with the view to correcting economic imbalances created by the apartheid past. However, land reform in South Africa has not only been slow but has failed to deal with the twin challenges of poverty and inequality. Using qualitative research design and neoclassical theory, this paper investigates South Africa's land reforms under the auspices of radical economic transformation. The paper argues that the wholesale expropriation of land without compensation does not fit into the obtaining (neoliberal) economic blueprint that has dominated the country over the years. The call for a radical transformation of landholding rights in the country without structural changes in macroeconomic management remains political rhetoric. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of any country hinges significantly on the availability of good governance and a well-functioning public sector. In the post-apartheid era, South Africa had to ensure that the public sector responded to the needs of the people through effective and efficient service delivery. However, several governance and corruption-related issues engulfed the public sector right after apartheid, severely damaging its reputation in the eyes of the general public. This paper examines the governance and corruption dilemma in South Africa's public sector. It employs a narrative literature review and conceptualizes the origin and concept of good governance to answer the underlying question of this paper. The paper found that South Africa suffers from years of corruption, which has wasted billions of taxpayers' money through irregular expenditure. The lack of transparency and accountability within the governance process in the public sector has consolidated corruption and impunity. Consequently, the implication is that the government will struggle to address the triple bottom issues of poverty, inequality, and unemployment. In the future, this will affect South Africa's quest for inclusive socioeconomic development unless urgent policy interventions are implemented to address these challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Policymakers and scholars universally accept and recognize the influence of small, micro, and medium enterprises (SMMEs) on stimulating economic growth and job creation. To succeed and prosper, SMMEs need to establish a sound financial management function. Therefore, it is vital to investigate the financial challenges these firms are experiencing. The objective of this paper was to investigate possible challenges that SMMEs experience when applying for credit from banks. The study sought to answer the main research question - 'What challenges are encountered by SMMEs when applying for credit from banks?' The study adopted a qualitative research methodology. The population used in this research was derived from SMMEs and banking officials in the Vhembe District Municipality area. Stratified random sampling was used to select a sample of 10 research participants. An interview guide was used to gather data from the participants. Data was analyzed using Atlas.ti. The results indicated that most SMMEs in the Vhembe district are not adequately supported, especially in the areas of financial resources, as well as in financial literacy skills and expertise. Specifically, this study identified that the credit application challenges faced by SMMEs are related to - lack of collateral security, lack of financial application education, complex bank credit access regulations, non-satisfaction of banks' qualifying criteria, as well as stringent credit system, and documentation requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper seeks to evaluate proficient perceptions within business assessments in South Africa, where such perceptions play a significant role in the evaluation process, encompassing the selection of standards and the establishment of evaluation frameworks. The evolving economy of South Africa is marked by fluctuating economic circumstances and potential growth, compounded by inadequate benchmarks and a scarcity of relevant market information. Forecasting growth rates are further complicated by macroeconomic uncertainties, leading to a reliance on proficient perceptions when industry-specific guidelines and easily comprehensible alternatives to the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) are lacking. A mixed-methods strategy is employed in this study, combining quantitative and qualitative data, along with surveys set benchmarks for business assessments. The outcomes reveal that modifications based on judgment are necessary for variables like organizational size due to the absence of CAPM alternatives. This study stresses the importance of translating scholarly discoveries into practical applications, emphasizing the challenges and uncertainties that call for proficient perceptions in business evaluations. It advances the comprehension of these obstacles and proposes that further exploring macroeconomic variables and industry-specific guidelines could offer valuable insights. The study suggests that biases in evaluations, influenced by client interests, present a promising area for future inquiry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under the leadership of the African National Congress (ANC), the South African Government has long mooted the notion of becoming a developmental state in response to rising unemployment, inequality and poverty. This idea was moulded along the folds of the rise of economic growth and industrialisation, as experienced by East Asian developmental states such as Taiwan, Singapore, South Korea and Hong Kong. There would be an attempt to channel the state's administrative capacities, policies and resources towards attaining national development goals. A developmental state plays an active role in guiding economic development and using the country's resources to meet the needs of the people. State-owned enterprises (SOEs) such as the Electricity Supply Commission (Eskom) were meant to be the catalyst in the National Development Plan's (NDP) bid to reignite the country's stagnant economy. However, the country's state institutions, administrative capacities and resources have been challenged by the state capture debacle that shed light on the corrupt relationship between the political and business elite. As a lack of effective leadership, mismanagement and a complex regulatory framework appear to be at the core of the crisis at Eskom in particular, the main objective of this paper was to determine to what extent the aforementioned constructs perpetuated the energy crisis at Eskom and in turn, negatively impacted the socio-economic aims of the NDP and South Africa's endeavour to become a developmental state. To achieve this objective, the paper pursued a qualitative research approach where secondary information about the crisis at Eskom, and South Africa's goal to become a developmental state, were perused. One of the article's recommendations was that Eskom's grip on the regional power economy must end and that independent power plants must be enabled. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Extant literature has emphasised the significance of economic development at provincial and national levels in South Africa. However, there is less emphasis placed on economic development at the local level. Hence, this paper aims to fill the gap by discussing the Local Economic Development (LED) as a concept vis-à-vis its prospects and challenges. It relies heavily on secondary sources of data. This paper explicates the knowledge and understanding of integrated as well as coherent purpose of LED in the South African municipalities. On the one hand, it analyses the institutional need and relevance of LED with a view to understanding how LED has promoted and stimulated economic growth and development at the local level in South Africa. On the other hand, it identifies the contribution of LED to municipal system, and reflects on the challenges facing LED in SA. This paper concludes by providing consistent recommendations on measures addressing LED challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to assess the development pattern of resource-rich countries like Norway, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and the Republic of South Africa by analyzing their stock markets. As resource-rich countries have profound implications for the world's sustainable development, it is essential to investigate whether they transform natural resource wealth into sustained growth by reorientation from related to raw material industries to modern ones based on information and technologies. The analysis of resource-rich countries' stock markets allowed us to conclude that partially these countries are on the way to an economy dominated by intangible assets. Nevertheless, despite the declared intentions, some traditional attachments to raw materials are still present. At the same time, most companies in the optimal portfolios of these markets have a long-term nonlinear strategy. The impact of the pandemic COVID-19 turned out to be significant, but short-lived. The research was carried out based on R and Python packages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The year 2022 marks the sixth democratic local municipal demarcation process in South Africa. The Municipal Demarcation Board has invited the public to put forward their suggestions for the revision of local municipal boundaries based on the Municipal Demarcation Act (27 of 1998) by the end of March. However, the legislative criterion that guides the process remains as complex as it was in 1998 and the public still questions how and why municipal boundaries are demarcated in South Africa. A direct product of the complexity is that many voices remain muffled and their frustrations are displayed in public protests. These protests are to an extent due to municipalities being too large, lacking economic bases, and having poor governance structures to administer efficiently, resulting in many struggling to provide basic services and remain financially viable and sustainable. This article unpacks the application process that needs to be followed by the Municipal Demarcation Board (MDB), the Member of Executive Council (MEC), and the public to motivate for the re-demarcation of local boundaries. The paper argues that the process is complicated and calls for its revision. Furthermore, the paper suggests that smaller and more compact municipalities, at scale and proportional to economic base, might be the solution to the on-going crises of South African Municipalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ambitious in seeking to transform ownership, control, and management of the economy's productive assets and resources. While BEE policy has been applied as the African National Congress government's primary strategy for bringing about transformation in the ownership and control of productive assets in the economy, the outcomes in key sectors of the economy have been poor in terms of inclusion. This paper considers the interrelations between the black empowerment programme and industrial policies in South Africa, with specific reference to transformation in the manufacturing sector. The paper examines the extent of transformation in the manufacturing sector in South Africa. The paper seeks to understand why South Africa has not seen the emergence of a large, economically significant black industrialist class that owns and controls economic assets and resources that are competitive at different levels in the manufacturing sector. The paper further explores the extent to which South Africa's industrial policy strategies have contributed to or undermined deep transformation in the manufacturing sector. The paper identifies key limitations of BEE and South Africa's industrial policy framework, and the gaps between these policies in terms of addressing the factors that restrict the inclusion of black-owned firms in manufacturing. It further considers how industrial transformation could be accelerated in South Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An enormous amount of time and energy has been spent assessing the extent of transformation of ownership of the South African private sector. To date, the exercise has not moved much beyond squabbling over numbers. In doing so, the debate has ignored an estimated two thirds of the private sector. Business and government have talked past each other about the same set of regulatory compliance targets -- the former focused on arguments for maintaining or reducing the targets; the latter on reasons to extend them. One point of consensus is that in the 25 years since South Africa achieved democracy, the pace and extent of transformation of private sector ownership has been wholly inadequate. This paper seeks to examine how we should be thinking about listed equity, which has had more focus as a result of clearer metrics being available; the transformation of unlisted business sector; the impact on private sector ownership of government's range of goals since 1994; and proposed policy amendments intended to develop a view on equity ownership in South Africa shared by government, business, organised labour and other key stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the level of unemployment rate in South African among the young, the paper seeks to assess the adoption of entrepreneurship education as a strategic approach to curb youth unemployment within a District Municipality public high schools in KwaZulu-Natal South Afrrica. The target population was 489 principals from high schools within the within the District Municipality. A mixed methods approach was used and a questionnaire was constructed and administered to participants via online platform. Also, an online one on one interviews were conducted with principals. All data was analysed using SPSS version 25 that generate data into table and bar graphs. The paper revealed that they are many challenges with the adoption of entrepreneurship and these challenges include financial challenge, lack of entrepreneurship education in public schools and lack of support. Small Enterprise Finance Agency (SEFA), National Youth Development Agency (NYDA), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA) and National Empowerment Fund (NEF) should run more awareness campaigns on media platforms used by students and the youth to promote entrepreneurship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The religious sector is another sector of tourism, and so this study aimed at establishing whether the pilgrimage destinations would be perceived as a socio-economic enhancer or contributor for the country. African religious pilgrimages can play an integral part of pilgrimage destinations of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). The African religious pilgrimages can contribute to tourism development and subsequently to the general local socio-economic development of KZN as there are various significant pilgrimages. The emergence of African religious pilgrimages can create opportunities for people and stakeholders in the tourism sector to understand that it can contribute to tourism development and subsequently to the general local economic development of KZN which has several important pilgrimages. The purpose of this paper is to explore the emergence of African religious pilgrimages as a local economic development tool. The paper uses both the theory and document analysis to look at this phenomenon. Moreover, the paper uses Local economic development (LED) and Tourism value chains (TVCs) theories in guiding the lensing and framing of the questions and objective for this paper. The study adopted a mixed method research design; and applied a convenience sampling method of a non-probability sampling technique for primary data collection. IBM's SPSS version 27 software and content analysis were used for data analysis. The findings showed that while African religious pilgrimages have the potential to make socio-economy contributions, it is not yet perceived in that manner by local stakeholders (including municipalities) and religious leaders. The findings further suggest that the African religious pilgrimages can be used as a tool for local economic development. The study recommends that stakeholders to enhance the socio-economic potential of religious pilgrimages such that they promote them as tourism and/or socio-economic development stimuli within the study areas and elsewhere in South Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cultural tourism has become an important research topic. In particular, authenticity issues and the commodification of local cultures have seen significant research attention. Despite this type of research’s growth, many locations in the Global South require investigation. This paper attempts to address this dearth by investigating the experiences of people employed at the Matsamo Cultural Village in the Mpumalanga Province of South Africa. Data was collected through a survey questionnaire and qualitative interviews. Participants were selected using purposive sampling, and collected data were analysed using content analysis. Major themes that emerged from the content analysis are the growth of tourist visitation at Matsamo Cultural Village and the motivation of employees to promote cultural tourism. While the Matsamo Cultural Village arguably authentically represents the local people and their Swati culture, it is contended that as the sector grows, employees will perceive cultural tourism as an economic means to an end rather than a cultural exposé celebrating Swati culture. These issues are untangled in the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aims to assess the issues and challenges hampering policy implementation in the Southern African region for economic growth. Qualitatively, this paper collected data and analysed them based on content, using secondary sources from different domains, including Google Scholar, and Scorpius repositories. Findings demonstrate that the design and structure of the African regional development within the integration schemes is around inward-looking industrialization intended to facilitate economic participation costs for member states. This often remains unevenly distributed among member states. Most countries in Africa linger highly reliant on agriculture and yet suffer from high levels of unemployment and food insecurity on the continent. The study contributes to the existing debate on regional and economic integration in the Southern African sub-regional for social-economic development with the adoption of ethical value leadership and accountability. In these situations, it is logical to expect the "African regional integration in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) sub-regional schemes to be most focused on developing synergies that may exist to promote both socio-economic development and regional security across borders. This may hamper policy implementation through good governance and an ethically valued approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In most nations, small businesses are viewed as vital to economic advancement. These smaller businesses can take advantage of environmental opportunities more effectively than huge corporations since they are more adaptable. Nevertheless, in the course of their activity, they also face numerous challenges. The study aimed to look at the challenges faced by Small businesses in South Africa and the consequences of small business failure within the country. The study also made recommendations on how to sustain these small businesses. This paper was written by employing a descriptive literature review. The descriptive literature review approach is an organised process that seeks out, collects, and evaluates published works in a specific area to identify any discernible patterns or trends. Every SME failure situation ought to be reviewed as a unique case and treated on its merit. Consequently, the success of small businesses would be found in the reverse of these elements, namely, entrepreneur capacity, enterprise competitiveness, and environmental conduciveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper investigates the (a)symmetric effects of financial development in the presence of economic growth, energy consumption, urbanization and foreign direct investment on environmental quality of South Africa between 1980 and 2017. Design/methodology/approach: A robust measure of financial development is generated using banking institutions and non-banking institutions market-based financial development indicators, while environmental quality is measured using carbon footprint, non-carbon footprint and ecological footprint. The objectives of the study are captured using linear and non-linear autoregressive distributed lag. Findings: The result from the symmetric analysis suggests that financial development stimulates carbon footprint and ecological footprint in the short run; however, financial development abates non-carbon footprint. In the long run, financial development has a significant negative effect on carbon footprint and ecological footprint. However, the asymmetric analysis established strong asymmetric effect in the short run, while no asymmetric effect is found in the long run. The short run asymmetric analysis reveals that positive shock in financial development increases carbon footprint and ecological footprint; however, positive changes in financial development reduce non-carbon footprint. Negative shocks in financial development, on the other hand, have a positive impact carbon footprint, non-carbon footprint and ecological footprint. Practical implications: The study's outcome implies that the concept of "more finance, more growth" could also be applied to "more finance, better environment" in South Africa. The study offers vital policy suggestions for the realization of sustainable development in South Africa. Originality/value: This empiric adds to the body of knowledge on the influence of financial development on various components of environmental quality (carbon footprint, non-carbon footprint and ecological footprint) in South Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the introduction of democracy in 1994, South Africa was faced with significant issues that necessitated action to improve the levels of domestic and foreign direct investments required to accelerate economic growth. Moreover, the South African economy comprised a narrow range of exports and an over-dependence on primary production. These challenges hindered the growth within the country as well as the continent. The emergence of Special economic zones (SEZs) internationally as a policy to support industrial development targeted at incentivising economic and infrastructure development based on specific geographical areas and responding to the needs of a particular local area. This is especially useful when the government wants to extend incentives for particular activities outside designated zones. This paper is conceptual and seeks to make a critical analysis of the contribution of SEZ to the country's economy through the use of a literature review. The article further points out the extent to which jobs, foreign direct investments, and employment were triggered by SEZ use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Malaysia's experience in economically empowering the Bumiputeras, the country's ethnic majority, provides useful reference points for South Africa's BEE. Important systemic elements must be noted, particularly Malaysia's executive-driven, centralised, discretionary and quota-based administration, which contrasts with South Africa's more legislative, decentralised, codified and target-based interventions. Nonetheless, commonalities have surfaced between the two countries in the past decade, with Malaysia increasingly focused on active ownership and dynamic SME development, after decades of myriad interventions and under-performance in these policy spheres. This paper proposes four main applications for South Africa. First, in view of considerable incoherencies in contemporary policy discourses in Malaysia, it is imperative to clearly and systematically formulate an empowerment framework that subsumes education, employment and enterprise and that reinforces grouptargeted empowerment by focusing on upward mobility and capability development. Second, higher education must be accorded priority to ensure availability of skill and talent. Third, SME development and entrepreneurship should emphasise broad-based ownership, effective control and productive outcomes. Fourth, the experiences of Malaysia's government-linked companies hold out lessons for South Africa's state-owned companies, given the significant parallels in structure and strategic importance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

South Africa, one of the emerging markets and fast-developing economies in Sub-Saharan Africa recognised for varying world's natural assets on the international market, has recorded significant economic growth in the previous several years. However, aside from the ecological repercussions of energy generation, how economic uncertainties moderate the effects of energy intensity, renewable and non-renewable energy usage, and economic complexity on the environment has largely gone unnoticed. As a result, this paper addresses an important empirical vacuum by exploring the moderating influence of economic policy uncertainty in the environmental Kuznets curve for South Africa from 1960 to 2020. Results from the novel dynamic autoregressive distributed lag simulations framework reveal the following key findings: (i) economic policy uncertainty accelerates environmental degradation in both the short and long run; (ii) economic growth (as measured by the scale effect) increases environmental degradation, whereas the square of economic growth (as measured by the technique effect) slows it down, confirming the presence of the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis; (iii) environmental quality is deteriorated by energy intensity, economic complexity, non-renewable energy usage, and trade openness; (iv) the use of renewable energy and technological innovation increase environmental quality; (v) whereas the moderating effects of economic policy uncertainty on the environmental impacts of energy intensity, renewable and non-renewable energy consumption result in an increase in environmental destruction, its moderating effect on environmental implication of economic complexity plays an important role in improving environmental quality. These findings permit us to draw important policy recommendations for South Africa for improving environmental quality., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

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This paper examines the nexus amid renewable energy, non-renewable energy consumption, CO2 emissions and economic growth in South Africa. VECM and Granger causality approach were employed in the paper. Empirical result suggested that carbon emissions granger cause GDPC uni-directionally. Essentially, From the various empirical estimation, it is discovered that CO2 has a positive impact on GDPC in the study. This shows that disregarding the ecological contamination cause by CO2 that animate the GDPC, which make it challenging for severe measure by government to control fossil fuel byproduct cause by non-environmentally friendly power in the framework. REN shows causality with GDPC in one direction, and that implies REN accessibility move with growth in GDPC. Since the review assessment results likewise exhibit that CO2 has a causality with economic growth in SA. The public authority needs to intiate severe guideline with respect to weighty fossil fuel byproduct innovation this would empower the turn of events and execution of more powerful and low-carbon innovation across all enterprises, eventually advancing economic growth in SA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-risk municipalities in South Africa are identified by their inability to render public goods and services owing to their almost dysfunctional operating systems and structures. Such municipalities are in financial distress and struggle to ensure inclusivity in implementing Local Economic Development (LED) projects that target poverty alleviation in impoverished communities. To understand how high-risk municipalities, expose citizens to dire poverty and inequalities, the study draws from an interpretive paradigm that allows for the use of a qualitative approach. A critical discourse analysis (CDA) was adopted to examine the implementation of various LED programmes in South African high-risk municipalities to alleviate poverty and promote socio-economic development. Peer-reviewed journal articles were used to validate the discussions emanating from the extensive document review. Findings derived from the study have shown that LED strategies as poverty alleviation techniques in high-risk municipalities have been met with several challenges. These include coalition politics, skills shortage, poor financial accountability, lack of compliance with legislation, weak oversight structures, poor strategic planning and budgeting skills including lack of monitoring and evaluation of the LED programmes. Derived from this study is that in high-risk municipalities, dedicated budgets are required to support municipal officials' training and development, which is critical for driving inclusive LED and poverty reduction programmes. Inclusive citizen participation in LED projects is fundamental for creating the citizen's sense of gain while triggering innovative capacities that lead to employment regeneration. Conclusions drawn for this paper indicate that regular monitoring and evaluation are key to ensuring that systems and structures of high-risk municipalities become responsive to the needs of citizens while accelerating developmental local government in South Africa. The study recommends co-production in the form of active stakeholder networking of public officials since fostering close ties with the mutually beneficial private sector through Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) can help enhance public service delivery in high-risk municipalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two decades have passed since the acronym BRIC was coined in 2001. The cooperation within the BRIC was formalized in 2009, and the BRIC expanded into BRICS after South Africa joined in 2010. To deepen economic cooperation within the BRICS, the progress of regional economic integration will affect the degree of business cycle synchronization within the region, which in turn will have an impact on the direction and magnitude of macroeconomic interdependence and growth spillovers among the regional partners. In this paper, we find inconclusive evidence of cross-country business cycle synchronization and trade integration in the BRICS. To investigate their potential for further multilateral trade integration, we combine data on international trade linkages with network methods to examine the multilateral trade system in the BRICS as an interdependent complex network. We map the topology of the BRICS multilateral trade network, and assess the extent of their multilateral trade integration. The policy implication is that to promote BRICS regional economic integration, there are two possible paths forward: the formation of regional trade agreement (RTA), and the adoption of central bank digital currency (CBDC). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reducing inequality and promoting sustainable economic development have become two of the most pressing concerns for global economies. Since economic and tourism development cannot occur without involving issues surrounding natural resources, perceptions and opinions regarding sustainability cannot be excluded from deliberations when it comes to economic development. However, coordination between local governments, business stakeholders, and other community members of a local economy is imperative in order to effectively promote the development of sustainable tourism. Therefore, this paper aims to further explore the idea of developing sustainable tourism and local economic development (LED) by determining whether there are any differences between the local government, business stakeholders, and the community regarding their perceptions of the importance of tourism sustainability in a local economy. This study follows a quantitative approach using primary data collected via a questionnaire distributed to the three groups. SPSS was used to conduct data analysis, with the results indicating a statistically significant difference concerning the natural and cultural sustainability of the Vaal Triangle region, South Africa. For example, business stakeholders believed that natural and cultural sustainability presented a major challenge to regional development. However, the local government did not recognise these factors as significant or challenging to regional development. This study contributes to the research gap on tourism sustainability and its critical role in influencing the local economies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This editorial introduces and frames the six papers of this special section. It begins by proposing that youth unemployment needs to be understood in relation to a range of patterns of "getting by" in the global south. We suggest that the many practices of work, including informal ones, discussed in the collection do not attest to a society in "need of development" but rather point towards the future of work, here and elsewhere. While taking transformations in capitalism seriously, we argue that renewed pressures on secure wage work may not lead to a precarity in quite the same way that it has been theorised in the global north. Instead, especially through a focus on youth and generation, we point to multiple experiential circumstances in which work and its futures are enacted. These pertain to time and value and to the importance of space in positioning actors in enabling or foreclosing opportunities for earning income. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1994, South Africa was detached from the brutal apartheid regime which forcefully removed and dispossessed majority blacks from their arable land and allotted them non-arable and unproductive land. Post 1994, South Africa introduced various transformative interventions to redress the past apartheid land removal and injustices to give back and redistribute land back to the black majority. Against the backdrop of this, South Africa has continuously been using the freedom gained to join and belong to various international and regional financial institutions to seek financial assistance to work the resituated and redistributed land for development, economic growth and poverty alleviation. International institutions are known for supporting countries in their quest for development in order to enhance their economic growth, improved standard of living and eradication of hunger and starvation. To this end, this paper looks at the significant roles of these institutions in providing needed assistant to South Africa to ensure that redistributed land is developed and used for broad productive and beneficial purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Youth entrepreneurship is considered an important factor in economic growth, job creation, and poverty alleviation. Although youth entrepreneurship is considered a key to addressing unemployment, the youth unemployment rate remains worrisome in developing countries. This paper assessed the entrepreneurship training in universities as a means of reducing youth unemployment. Youth unemployment is an impediment to inclusive economic development, limits the earning potential and future prospects of a new generation of South Africans, stymies business growth, threatens social cohesion, and puts pressure on government resources. Data was collected from the Durban University of Technology students in Durban. A qualitative approach was adopted in which semi structured interviews were used to obtain an understanding of the importance of universities in reducing the rate of unemployment in South Africa. In addition, nonprobability sampling, specifically purposive was used in the study to select the Durban University of Technology's benefiting students from the Durban Entrepreneurship Centre. The data collected was coded and analysed using thematic analysis. The findings revealed that universities play a crucial role in supporting youth entrepreneurship in South Africa, which has led to a reduction in the rate of unemployment in South Africa. Findings were categorised into themes. Universities' effort to reduce unemployment has yielded positive results, however, both the students and the universities are faced with a number of challenges. It is recommended that universities work together with the government to design strategies that help to reduce unemployment in South Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The informal business sector in many developing economies is often seen as a driver of economic growth due to the role that this sector plays in the creation of employment opportunities, increasing the social activities of its communities, and providing business opportunities for rural entrepreneurs. The informal economy has been known to be insulated from macro-economic volatility in the global markets, but this could be an oversight on the part of the national government as they have not taken this sector into account when determining GDP or strategic imperatives to bolster the economy. The COVID-19 pandemic showcased how unprepared many economies were in the face of harsh government-imposed lockdowns and the resultant job losses that occurred due to individuals being unable to go to work. The South African government, whilst acknowledging the informal sector and the subsequent economic and social role it plays, lacks the necessary policy framework and enablement of this sector, as well as a platform that enables the continuation of business practices for informal traders that will protect them from the daunting impacts of a pandemic or another global catastrophe. The purpose of this study is to comprehend and analyse the socio-economic ramifications of the COVID-19 epidemic and its impact on the informal economy in South Africa. To do so, the study utilises discourse analysis and which is carried out using a secondary data collection approach. Theses for master's and doctoral degrees, papers presented at conferences, policy documents, government gazettes, statistical data from governments, and reports from international organizations are all taken into consideration. Articles published in scientific journals that have been subject to the process of peer review are also taken into account. According to the findings of the study, in order to protect the informal sector from unforeseen disasters in the future, it is recommended that policies and protection mechanisms be put into place. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Bantustans were created during the apartheid period of South Africa's history and represented one of the key pillars of planning for 'grand apartheid'. A major challenge was the promotion of economic development in these territories in order to give them a facade of economic legitimacy. Four of the ten Bantustan ethno-states eventually acceded to the grant of 'independence' which created a changed environment for territorial economic development. The article explores a transition in economic development planning by the apartheid state from Bantustan industrialization to a focus on tourism and casino resort developments as a potential driver of Bantustan economic progress. In terms of methods and sources the paper applies an historical approach that blends secondary sources with primary documentary material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public protected areas are set aside to legally protect the country's biological and culturally diverse resources. In South Africa, the protected areas have sustainably conserved some of the country's most biologically rich areas and endangered species; these areas also provide the main way in which people can visit relatively undisturbed areas of high natural and cultural value. Considering sustainability while managing protected areas raises new challenges such as how to reach a balance between economic development and conservation. Public-private partnerships (PPPs) serve as an important framework to develop protected areas that will bring along benefits such as: financial benefits for conservation, community empowerment through economic development, and tourist satisfaction. Public and private sector partnership is the best of both systems: as the private sector brings along the management expertise, knowledge, and resources, the public sector formulates policy and protects the interest of the public. The study aimed at examining the practical importance of managing eco-tourism development through PPP by collecting pre-existing textual data. A content analysis of published academic and industry papers that focused on the management of eco-tourism development by means of PPP, within a global and local context was analysed and thematically coded. The stakeholder theory in eco-tourism development highlights the importance of identifying stakeholder interests and influence to assist with the facilitation efforts toward sustainable eco-tourism development and alignment of functional activities in PPA. The results reveal definitive and practical policy response is needed on how best to apply these regulations to optimise PPP transactions to the benefit of all stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]