Editor's Thoughts.

The Q1 GDP numbers were presented yesterday by the Statistician General. I can’t sum it up better than Maarten Ackerman (Citadel) and the Momentum Investments team (Sanisha Packirisamy and Tshiamo Masike) in their articles: the scoreboard isn’t a true reflection of the current state of play. Growth is still stuck close to 1%, consumers are under pressure, and investment remains a structural weak spot. The message: don’t bust out the vuvuzelas for one decent data point; stay diversified and realistic about what SA can deliver over the next few years.

Zooming in on households, Enrico Louw (Old Mutual) and the youth-focused piece from Lungile Macuacua (1nvest) and Glenn Grimley (Liberty Group) both hit the back of the net on the same theme: time and timing. Small, early decisions – your first paycheque, your first debit order into an ETF, your first chat with a financial planner – quietly shape whether your forties and fifties feel secure or stressful.

That links neatly to my interview with Corinne da Silva from Jigsaw Financial Services, where we unpacked group risk benefits. I’ve seen it too often where the insurance t’s and c’s don’t match the benefits promised to employees. This gap in defence is a big risk not only for the employer, but for the advisor and the employee too. Corinne’s take was clear: in a high‑uncertainty world, offering well designed group risk benefits – and helping employees understand how those benefits fit into their broader financial lives – is one of the simplest, most tangible ways to protect your people and their families.

And speaking of protecting the most vulnerable, why have you not yet registered for next week's webinar with Fairheads Benefit Services on Beneficiary Funds? Get on the pitch by clicking here now.

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