Editor's Thoughts.

A little breathing room at the pumps? Petrol prices are expected to drop overnight, largely thanks to temporary fuel tax relief not cheaper global oil. After October’s steep increases, households and businesses could certainly use it. More good news: special voting in the municipal elections is off to a good start and SA is set to host the WEF Special Meetings in Cape Town in March 2028. But of course it’s 2026, so it can’t only be good news. And the bad news is not surprisingly courtesy of the Donald: SA will be removed from the duty free benefits of the AGOA agreement from next year.

The ups and downs of it all, means making money work purposefully is top of mind and runs through today’s edition.

Simeka’s quarterly review makes the case for diversification. Local equities and bonds slipped during Q3, while cash and global equities delivered positive returns. Higher bond yields and selective equity valuations offer opportunities, but inflation, geopolitics and weak domestic growth still demand care.

Buhle Nxumalo (Alexforbes) brings this back to purpose. Next year’s school fees and retirement savings shouldn’t necessarily share an investment strategy. Time horizons, liquidity needs and the ability, and willingness, to withstand losses matter. Even in retirement, protecting capital must be balanced against growth and inflation.

For employers, Zandile Monnakgotla (Essential Employee Benefits) asks whether benefits spending solves employee problems. Before adding another offering, examine utilisation, access barriers and outcomes. Better value may mean clearer communication or redirecting existing spend.

And the latest issue of What the Hack? has been dropped on our Publications Podium,  reinforcing today’s idea of practical and deliberate action: demand independent evidence that cyber controls work, set enforceable incident notification deadlines and rehearse your response.  (Or like I used to tell my kids when dropping them at school: drop, tuck & roll.)

Upcoming Events.

Most Recent Reads.

Quick Links.