Recent working papers
A good number of new working papers have recently been added to the Stellenbosch Working Paper Series. Here are some of the latest ones:
In "When did globalization begin in South Africa?", Willem H. Boshoff and Johan Fourie identify the period when South African prices began to move in unison with those of the country’s lead trading partner or, in other words, when South Africa globalized. They find an important role for the discovery of diamonds and gold and thereby establish the start of South Africa’s globalization in the 1870s.
Johannes Kemp and Ben Smit estimate SA’s potential output growth both before and after the global financial crisis using a multi-variate filter technique, finding that potential growth has declined to around 2.2% and that the biggest driver has been lower productivity growth, in "Estimating and explaining changes in potential growth in South Africa".
Finally, in "The long walk: Considering the enduring spatial and racial dimensions of deprivation two decades after the fall of apartheid", Ronelle Burger, Servaas van der Berg, Sarel van der Walt and Derek Yu apply the Total Fuzzy and Relative approach of Cheli and Lemmi to derive a poverty index with nine dimensions of deprivation, including education, employment, dwelling type, overcrowding, access to electricity, water, telephone, sanitation and refuse collection. They show that there has been a significant improvement in deprivation levels, but also that geography and race continue to play an important role in explaining patterns of deprivation.
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Upcoming Seminars
Monday 26 May 202512:00-13:00
Prof Simon Franklin: Queen Mary University In London
Topic: "No Place Like Home? The Causal Effect of Housing Clearances in Central Addis Ababa"
12:00-13:00
Dr Dawie van Lill: South African Reserve Bank & Stellenbosch University
Topic: "TBC"
12:00-13:00
Prof Hylton Hollander: University Of Cape Town
Topic: "TBC"
BER Weekly
16 May 2025 Trade truce lifts markets, SA braces for winter load-shedding and budget reckoningThis week, data showed that South Africa’s unemployment rate rose in 2025Q1, with net job losses compared to 2024Q4. Meanwhile, mining output improved in March but declined overall for the quarter. In the US, inflation eased to a four-year low, while Germany’s economic sentiment rebounded sharply. The UK economy posted impressive growth in Q1; however,...
Read the full issue
Upcoming Seminars
Monday 26 May 202512:00-13:00
Prof Simon Franklin: Queen Mary University In London
Topic: "No Place Like Home? The Causal Effect of Housing Clearances in Central Addis Ababa"
12:00-13:00
Dr Dawie van Lill: South African Reserve Bank & Stellenbosch University
Topic: "TBC"
12:00-13:00
Prof Hylton Hollander: University Of Cape Town
Topic: "TBC"
BER Weekly
16 May 2025 Trade truce lifts markets, SA braces for winter load-shedding and budget reckoningThis week, data showed that South Africa’s unemployment rate rose in 2025Q1, with net job losses compared to 2024Q4. Meanwhile, mining output improved in March but declined overall for the quarter. In the US, inflation eased to a four-year low, while Germany’s economic sentiment rebounded sharply. The UK economy posted impressive growth in Q1; however,...
Read the full issue