REALS Research Institute

1. SA Manufacturing Production Falls for 4th Month, Down 2.8% Year-on-Year Recent data updated in late April confirms that South Africa’s manufacturing production slipped by -2.8% year-on-year, marking the fourth consecutive month of downturn. Significant declines were noted in food & beverages (-4.5%) and metal products (-3.6%). Combined with a PMI of 49, the statistics reflect the negative pre..

1. IMF Releases April 2026 Regional Economic Outlook: "Shadows of the Middle East War"The IMF's April 2026 Regional Economic Outlook projects a 4.3% growth for Sub-Saharan Africa. The report warns that the ongoing Middle East conflict is clouding the region's outlook by pushing up prices for oil, fertilizers, and shipping. It advises countries like South Africa to maintain policy credibility to ..

1. IMF Management Approves Staff Monitored Program for Zimbabwe On April 16, the IMF approved a Staff Monitored Program (SMP) for Zimbabwe to consolidate recent stabilization gains. Supported by high gold prices and tight monetary policy, Zimbabwe's economy showed resilience in 2025. The SMP aims to deepen confidence in the new ZiG currency and support the authorities' efforts to re-engage with ..

1.Protestants and Pentecostals to Represent Half of Global Christians by 2050 as Africa Leads GrowthAs of April 14, reports highlight that Pentecostal and Evangelical movements are rapidly reshaping the religious landscape in South Africa and across the continent. From just 5% of the population in 1970, Pentecostals now exceed 12%, driving projections that Protestant and independent denomination..

1. African Nations Scramble to Tackle 'Oil Shock' from Ongoing Iran War According to an Al Jazeera report on April 11, the prolonged Iran war in the Middle East has caused Southern African nations to face severe energy import disruptions and rising costs. Countries in the region, including SA, are establishing emergency economic measures to diversify import sources and secure non-traditional ene..

1. Zimbabwe Authorities Order Churches to Halt Worship for Constitutional RallyOn April 2, reports emerged that authorities in Zimbabwe's Mudzi district ordered churches to suspend services to attend a political rally supporting constitutional changes. The Zimbabwe Council of Churches (ZCC) expressed profound dismay, noting that the disruption on Palm Sunday violates religious freedom and partis..

1.Stats SA Responds to Ransomware Breach Affecting HR DatabaseStatistics South Africa (Stats SA) confirmed on March 29 that its online HR database for job seekers was hit by a ransomware attack. Despite a $100,000 demand from the "XP95" cyber group, the agency refused to pay and is working with national security teams to secure its archives and mitigate the breach. BusinessTech / Stats SA Statem..

1.Zimbabwe Council of Churches Calls for Justice and National Engagement on Palm SundaySummary: Marking Palm Sunday on March 29, ZCC General Secretary Rev. Wilfred Dimingu urged Christians to remain active as "the salt of the earth" by engaging in national issues. He specifically called on believers to participate in public hearings for proposed constitutional amendments to ensure a future based..

1. [Southern Africa/Economy] Angola Emerges as Top Gas-to-Power Exporter in Southern AfricaSummary: Following the energy conference in Cape Town this week, data shows Angola is accelerating electricity exports to neighbors, including South Africa, through its gas-to-power strategy. The Angolan government plans to invest an additional $2 billion in regional grid interconnectors by the end of 2026..

1. [South Africa/Economy] News24 'On The Record' Summit: Goal to Create 5 Million Jobs in 10 YearsSummary: The News24 'On The Record' Summit was held at the CTICC in Cape Town from March 19–20. President Cyril Ramaphosa declared that the economy is at a "turning point" and unveiled an ambitious strategy to create 5 million new jobs over the next decade. He emphasized that the effective end of lo..