South Africans could soon experience their first-ever stage 4 load shedding, after Eskom confirmed that the stage allocation would be altered.

The government does not have an endless bounty of cash to keep investing in unsustainable small business ventures and will now be stricter when granting loans and financial support, Small Business Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu said.

Consumers should brace for a price increase on the most basic food as poor rains drag down this year’s yield on the country’s maize crop.

Private-sector companies were slightly more optimistic about operating conditions last month than they were in February, an index showed.

Economic research group Citi has said an increase in value-added tax (VAT) is on the cards in the next 18 months to help the government plug its widening budget deficit and to avoid a ratings downgrade.

Growth in the total value of outstanding credit balances in the South African household sector slowed down further to 3.3% year-on-year (y/y) at the end of in February 2015 to its lowest level since January 2010, according to Jacques du Toit, property analyst at Absa Home Loans.

Minister of Public Enterprises, Lynne Brown says that the country is facing the prospect of load shedding for the next two years.

South Africa faces double-digit electricity price hikes for the next five years as Eskom battles to keep the lights on and expand its power system, NUS Consulting SA general manager Elton Bosch said.

The number of people employed by SA’s formal sector rose modestly in the fourth quarter of last year, supported by a rise in seasonal employment.