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Portia M Dhlamini, Johannesburg (2026)

13/08/2026

If you have felt that money feels tighter and growth takes more effort lately, you are not imagining it. Several stories in the news this week point to the same underlying trend, and it is worth unpacking what each one means for your business and your household.

Small business owners are increasingly finding that the challenge is not attracting customers but managing the cash that comes in and goes out. A sale on paper does not put money in your account. Invoices take time to be paid, and that gap can put real pressure on a business even when demand is healthy. If this sounds familiar, the lesson is to plan around your cash flow timeline, not just your sales figures.

The Reserve Bank has proposed phasing out the prime interest rate as the standard reference point for loans. In future, loans may be quoted as the repo rate plus a set margin instead. This is designed to make the true cost of borrowing clearer to consumers and businesses. In practical terms, it should become easier to compare loan offers and understand exactly what you are paying for.

New investment project announcements have dropped by 81% compared with last year. Renewable energy and infrastructure are still drawing interest, but overall, both government and private investors are moving more cautiously. This kind of hesitation tends to filter through the wider economy, so it is a trend worth watching rather than reacting to.

New legislation is being proposed that would change how municipal and ward boundaries are decided, replacing the current framework. The proposal also aims to give residents more say in how those decisions are made. This could affect service delivery and local planning in the years ahead.

What ties these developments together is a tightening environment where money moves more cautiously, borrowing is being re-priced, and investment decisions are taking longer to materialise. In this kind of economy, the advantage shifts to those who can adapt quickly, manage uncertainty with discipline, and stay alert to where real value is still being created rather than assumed.

01/08/2026

ELECTIONS, TAX SCRUTINY AND DIGITAL RECORDS

The IEC has opened its final voter registration weekend for 1-2 August, giving people one last opportunity to register, update their address details, or verify their voting station before the upcoming elections. More than 23K voting stations will be operating across the country, while online registration continues to gain traction, particularly among young people and women. Away from the election headlines, Treasury quietly released a proposal that could have significant implications for certain high net worth families with cross border assets. The draft amendment would limit the donations tax exemption between spouses where the receiving spouse is no longer an SA tax resident. Although the proposal is still open for public comment, it highlights the increasing scrutiny of cross border tax planning and offshore wealth transfers linked to tax emigration strategies.

Housing finance also came under the spotlight. There is growing debate around whether our traditional risk-based mortgage pricing model does enough to support financial inclusion and middle class growth. The discussion is not about abandoning prudent lending, but about whether borrowers who have rebuilt their financial position after retrenchment, illness, divorce, or temporary hardship should receive greater recognition for improved financial behaviour rather than being judged only on historical credit scores. SARS tax season brought another important warning: Fraud prevention authorities are seeing a rise in phishing emails, fake refund notifications, impersonation calls, and attempts to hijack taxpayers’ eFiling profiles. As more tax admin moves online, cybercriminals are becoming increasingly sophisticated in mimicking legitimate SARS communication, making verification through official SARS channels more important than ever.

One of the more unusual stories this week involved a pension death benefit dispute worth R8.33mil. A recent pension adjudication ruling confirmed that WhatsApp messages and photographs alone are not enough to prove the existence of a permanent life partnership when pension benefits are contested. Trustees are required to consider the full picture, including financial support, shared living arrangements, public recognition of the relationship, and evidence of a mutual commitment to a shared life.

Taken together, these stories point to a country that is becoming more digital, regulated and dependent on accurate records, verified information, and properly documented financial affairs. Whether it is voting, tax planning, home ownership, estate administration, or online security, assumptions are becoming increasingly expensive. Perhaps the clearest takeaway from this week’s headlines is that financial security is no longer determined only by what you earn or invest. Increasingly, it is shaped by how well your affairs are organised, documented, verified, and protected before they are ever tested.

22/07/2026

SALARIES, INFLATION AND BUSINESS PRESSURE

This week's headlines reinforced a reality that many South Africans are already experiencing firsthand: earning more no longer necessarily means having more.

Although the latest salary data showed a modest increase in take home pay during June, inflation continues to outpace wage growth, leaving many households with less purchasing power than they had a year ago. Rising fuel prices, electricity tariffs, municipal charges, transport costs, and other administered prices continue to absorb a larger share of monthly income, placing sustained pressure on household budgets. June's inflation rate also accelerated to 5%, driven largely by transport, fuel, housing, and utilities, reminding consumers that the cost of living remains one of the country's biggest economic challenges. Businesses are facing similar pressures. StatsSA reported that more than 750 businesses have entered insolvency during 2026. While insolvencies remain lower than last year, the figures illustrate that many businesses continue operating in an environment characterised by subdued economic growth, rising operating costs, and cautious consumer spending. For many companies, protecting cash flow and maintaining financial stability remain key priorities.

Taken together, these stories highlight the same reality. Household finances are under increasing pressure, businesses continue to navigate a challenging operating environment, and inflation remains one of the biggest forces shaping financial decisions across South Africa's economy. Against this backdrop, one reality becomes increasingly clear: Perhaps the biggest financial risk is not always making the wrong decision, but delaying the right one. In an environment where costs continue to rise faster than incomes, standing still has become a financial decision in itself. Having the right financial conversations early can make all the difference over the long term. If you'd like to have that conversation, you're welcome to book a time with me using the link below.
🔗 https://bookings.cloud.microsoft/bookwithme/user/0c36c03d95dd45aa8d9c53b6624a29c6%40liblink.co.za?anonymous&ismsaljsauthenabled

04/07/2026

Your finances aren’t a one-man show; they are more like the Avengers. 🦸🏽‍♀️ Different powers, different responsibilities. One mission: putting you in a stronger financial position.

Who’s on your team?

30/06/2026

While a cancer diagnosis is beyond your control, how prepared you are for its financial impact isn't.

10/06/2026

From digital IDs to tax season and rising living costs, this week’s headlines highlighted several issues worth paying attention to.

Government confirmed that the green barcoded ID book is being phased out in favour of a fully integrated biometric identity system. The move forms part of a wider effort to reduce fraud, improve the integrity of population records, and modernise the way citizens interact with government services. While the transition will take time, it represents one of the most significant changes to the country's identity systems in decades.

For businesses, intellectual property remains an area that often receives less attention than it deserves. As more value is created through technology, software, brands, data, and innovation, disputes involving trademarks, patents, and other intellectual property rights are becoming increasingly costly. For many companies, these assets now hold more value than physical infrastructure or equipment. SARS also released the key dates for the 2026 tax season. Auto assessments begin on 1 July, followed by the opening of filing season on 13 July. The continued expansion of automated assessments and third party data collection reflects SARS' ongoing focus on improving compliance and reducing administrative friction for taxpayers.

Perhaps the most relatable story this week was the discussion around the real cost of living in South Africa. While income tax remains highly visible, households also contend with VAT, fuel levies, municipal charges, healthcare expenses, school fees, security costs, and rising utility bills. Collectively, these costs have a significant impact on disposable income and help explain why many people feel under increasing financial pressure despite receiving annual salary increases.

Taken together, these stories reflect a country that is becoming more digitised, more regulated, and more expensive to navigate. Whether through identity systems, tax administration, business regulation, or household expenses, the financial implications of everyday decisions continue to become more significant.

26/05/2026

HEALTHCARE AFFORDABILITY AND THE FUTURE OF MEDICAL COVER IN SOUTH AFRICA

One of the biggest financial pressures facing South Africans right now is healthcare affordability. Medical aid contributions have continued to rise well above inflation for years, while salary growth and employment levels have not kept pace. As a result, many younger South Africans are delaying joining medical aid schemes or dropping cover entirely because it has become too expensive to maintain. This creates a long-term sustainability problem for private healthcare, particularly as SA simultaneously moves deeper into discussions around the National Health Insurance system (NHI Bill). Medical aid schemes rely heavily on younger and healthier members to subsidise the claims costs of older and higher risk members, but as that younger base continues to shrink due to affordability pressures and unemployment, premiums keep rising and place even more strain on middle income households. Currently, only around 16% of the population have medical aid cover, while roughly 84% relies on the public healthcare system. Despite serving the smaller portion of the population, the private healthcare sector still accounts for a significant share of healthcare spending and infrastructure in the country. We also face major healthcare capacity challenges: The country averages approximately 2.1 hospital beds per 1000 people, well below the WHO benchmark of 5 beds per 1000, highlighting the infrastructure imbalance that continues to exist across the system.

This is where the NHI debate becomes increasingly relevant. While the NHI aims to improve healthcare access and equality, there are still significant concerns around funding, implementation, infrastructure capacity, governance, and whether the public healthcare system is currently equipped to manage that level of responsibility effectively. The reality is, many South Africans still need practical healthcare solutions regardless of what happens with the NHI over the long term. Whether one supports or opposes the NHI, the broader issue remains the same - healthcare affordability is becoming one of the biggest financial planning challenges facing households across the country. Healthcare today is about far more than simply choosing a medical aid option. As costs continue to rise, it has become increasingly important to regularly review cover, understand what you are paying for, and ensure your healthcare solutions remain affordable and effective. Depending on individual needs and budgets, there are also alternative and supplementary solutions available, including health insurance products, gap cover, dental cover, hospital plans, and risk solutions. In many cases, reviewing existing healthcare cover can uncover opportunities for more competitive pricing, better structuring, or additional protection that may currently be missing.

These are conversations we assist clients with regularly because healthcare costs are no longer just a medical issue, they are a long term financial planning consideration. If you would like to review your current medical aid, healthcare cover, or explore more cost effective alternatives, you’re welcome to DM me your details or book a conversation with me directly by following the link below.
�🔗 https://bookings.cloud.microsoft/bookwithme/user/0c36c03d95dd45aa8d9c53b6624a29c6%40liblink.co.za?anonymous&ismsaljsauthenabled

13/05/2026

MARKETS, MONEY AND PRESSURE POINTS

Our headlines this week reflect a growing reality in South Africa’s economy, where rising costs, governance pressure, and smarter financial structuring are all becoming impossible to ignore.

Electricity pricing remained a major concern after it was revealed that electricity costs in South Africa increased by close to 987% between 2007 and 2023. That increase has far exceeded inflation, and the pressure is now being felt across households, small businesses, and industry alike. Government is currently finalising a revised electricity pricing policy, but the bigger concern remains the impact that escalating administered costs are having on consumer spending, business competitiveness, and overall economic growth.

At the same time, debates around the National Treasury audit framework highlighted an issue far deeper inside the public sector. Questions are increasingly being raised around whether South Africa’s compliance and audit systems have become too administrative and process driven, particularly within already strained public institutions. However, the broader concern is that reducing oversight or weakening accountability mechanisms does not address the root causes of governance failures. The real challenge is creating systems that maintain transparency, strengthen accountability, and still allow capable institutions to deliver effectively, efficiently, and at scale.

For investors, offshore structuring also came into focus this week, particularly around tax efficiency and estate planning. More investors are recognising that where you invest matters, but how those investments are structured can have an equally significant impact over time. Tax treatment, estate costs, and long term flexibility all become increasingly important as portfolios grow.

The common thread across all of these stories is that pressure is building on both institutions and individuals to make better long term decisions in a more demanding environment. If these shifts are making you think differently about your financial position, investment strategy, or long term planning, now is a good time to have the right conversations.

🔗 To connect, you're welcome to book a time that suits you directly on my Outlook calendar. https://bookings.cloud.microsoft/bookwithme/user/0c36c03d95dd45aa8d9c53b6624a29c6%40liblink.co.za?anonymous&ismsaljsauthenabled

Portia M Dhlamini

13/08/2026

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22/07/2026

04/07/2026

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