28/10/2025
5 Important Things in South Africa Today
High-speed train: The Department of Transport (DoT) has proposed a new 300 km/h high-speed railway between Johannesburg and Durban, aiming to enhance long-distance regional transit in South Africa. Transport Minister Barbara Creecy initiated a request for information (RFI) to seek insights from private partners on innovative investment ideas for faster and safer regional trains, along with four other potential passenger rail projects. [Moneyweb]
Chinese TV giant opening first South African store: Chinese consumer electronics giant Hisense is set to open its first physical store in South Africa next month at Canal Walk Shopping Centre in Cape Town. This flagship store will mark the company’s standalone debut in the country. [News24]
South Africa is under cyber attack: South Africa has experienced 110 cybercrime incidents involving extortion, ransomware, and state hacking in the past five years, according to Orange Cyberdefense’s inaugural Security Navigator Africa report. This is the highest number in Africa and more than double Egypt’s, which ranked second with 46 incidents between 2020 and September 2025. [MyBroadband]
EU doubles down on commitment to South Africa: While South Africa struggles with tariffs from the United States, its relationship with the European Union has strengthened. At the SA-EU summit in March, the EU announced a €4.7-billion Global Gateway investment package aimed at enhancing connectivity, local vaccine production, biomanufacturing, and clean energy. EU chief Ursula von der Leyen assured President Cyril Ramaphosa, “We know that others are withdrawing. We are here to stay.” [Daily Maverick]
Interest rate expectations split: South Africans may see another interest rate cut in 2025, as recent inflation data has created differing opinions on the future actions of the South African Reserve Bank (SARB). According to Bank of America, after a potential 25 basis point cut in November, the SARB is unlikely to make further cuts until the second ha
