Global Scans · South Africa · Weekly Summary

WHAT'S NEXT?: Local elections in South Africa this year could see the ruling African National Congress lose control of key cities like Johannesburg and Pretoria for the first time. South Africa's economy is at risk of falling into recession and public confidence in the ANC is falling.

• [New] South Africa leads sub-Saharan Africa in using enterprise analytics in industries such as finance, telecommunications, and mining, focusing on credit risk, customer churn, and predictive maintenance. Precedence Research
• [New] Kenyan and South African officials will hold talks aimed at addressing longstanding restrictions that have affected agricultural exports and imports. The Eastleigh Voice
• [New] Rising anti-immigration mobilization in South Africa is increasing localized disruption risks in key urban centers, driven by broader economic and political pressures. On Call International Blog
• [New] As local supply weakens, South Africa is expected to rely more heavily on wheat imports in the 2026/2027 marketing season. Gulf Africa Review
• [New] South African wheat farmers are expected to plant 486,400 hectares in 2026, a 6% decline from the previous year. Gulf Africa Review
• [New] Microsoft announced plans to spend ZAR 5.4 billion ($300 million) by the end of 2027 on cloud and AI infrastructure in South Africa, building on a prior ZAR 20.4 billion investment. IEEE Spectrum
• [New] Human Rights Watch has warned of a new wave of xenophobic attacks in South Africa as anti-immigration groups intensify protests and vigilante-style actions targeting foreign nationals, including Zimbabweans. Al Jazeera
• [New] All three IBSA countries (India, Brazil, South Africa) are currently engaged in revising their mineral strategies to better capitalize on global demand shifts, creating opportunities for coordinated approaches that could strengthen each member's position in the global clean energy supply chain. BRICS Chain
• [New] Several African countries, including Kenya, Malawi, Lesotho, Zimbabwe, Ghana, and Nigeria, have urged their citizens in South Africa to stay alert or remain indoors as anti-immigrant protests and fears of attacks on foreign nationals spread. OkayAfrica
• [New] South Africa aims to attract 15 million tourists by 2030, up from about 10.5 million in 2025, while increasing tourism's contribution to 10% of GDP. Ecofin Agency
• [New] Notable production developments in 2026 include the commissioning of the Qala Shallows gold mine in South Africa in March, expected to contribute approximately 70,000 ounces per year. LinkedIn
• [New] Geopolitical concentration of materials in South Africa and Russia creates supply chain risks. Market Data Forecast
• Geopolitical Supply Risk: Over 70% of global platinum mine supply originates from South Africa and Russia. Bingx Exchange
• In stark contrast to the unipolar era of US supremacy now passing away, a multipolar world is emerging in which regional and global power will be dispersed and distributed among multiple states such as China, Russia, Brazil, India, and South Africa, among others. Counterfire

Last updated: 02 June 2026