Ramaphosa appoints cracker economic growth team ahead of G20 presidency

What about Ann Bernstein? This group urgently needs to lose the ANC war of attrition against private enterprise and find ways to minimise the state and red tape in development.

Such a cracker team, which is in stark contrast to his selection of such a cracker cadre as the minister of Justice. Her house must be special, money seems to flow out of its taps, all the while the majority of South Africans cannot even afford to feed themselves let alone pay for electricity.

Very academic heavy, less of that and more entrepreneurs, business people, and people with experience getting things done at local government, national government, and SOEs would have been useful.

I didn't know we had Crackers in SA. I wonder when the rednecks come out of the woods. Maybe this is all to please Trump.

It would have been good to see a representative from the Eastern Hemisphere.

How many of the crackers have actually successfully run a business? Stacked with many erudite paper tigers but exceptionally thin on practical experience. One would have expected the likes of Coovadia, Mavuso, Mohale, Gore, Bernstein and the like to have made the grade but alas not. Time will tell

Some seriously good anti-capitalists among the group. Aiming for a people-centred economy maybe. A brave move and power to them!

Why am I not optimistic given the rapid collapse bar the Cape, under his watch?

Illustrious it maybe but it does seem to lack depth of practical experience in running an economy. Theories are nebulous at best, on hands driving a sustainable growing economy requires depth of experience couple with knowledge. One without the other is pointless.

Who is going to implement your wishy washing agenda that these extremely highly qualified Buffon's come up with??? This circus act has no potential , stop lying to the Nation and the world. Please fix the long drop toilets at schools in the rural areas??? Oh sorry no qualified plumber in the team.

One Whitey Basson was all that he needed, not 20 or so Economic professors.

Unfortunately we have again a committee of academia! Is it not time that some business leaders are encouraged to give of their expertise? "Them as can DO, them as cant TEACH!"

More red tape and barriers to business. More labour law, less jobs. (Very clever) people with leftist woke agendas (DEI 1st) , "development/transformation/redistribution" economics. No entrepreneurs, real leaders, actual experience. ANC will thieve and pillage and screw up the policy making.

Impressive academic spectrum. Unfortunately no operational expertise to oversee implementation - our biggest disease. From the photo it seems Prof Imraan Valodia has already fallen asleep - is that a sign?

One of the biggest constraints on growth is the diminishing supply of natural capital and the loss of biodiversity. There can be no economic growth in a fast deteriorating natural environment. No specialist on this team that advises on the interface between the economy, society and nature.

Did the presidency checked all the titles - even the Ms, as well as Doctor and Professor? We are not going to be caught out with red faces with these crowd?

Johan Rupert , Adrian Gore , Sam Thsabala , Ann Bernstein , Prof Van den Heever , Neil Froneman , Willem Gumede , Matthew Parks , Busiswe Mavuso , Dr Belinda Gray , Hendrik Du Toit ,Dawie Roodt ,Lesatja Kganyago ,Edward Kieswetter , Brian Kantor , Claire Beisekker might be better candidates

Every time I see that word "professor", a cold shiver runs down my spine. Hope those who actually have business experience will be listened to for once.

Way too many academics and not enough people witha proven track record of having done useful things. I hope we do not become another lab experiement in social engineering!

In another headline today - "South Africa’s economy shrinks by 0.3% in the third quarter". I just hope this cracker team can talk truth to power. You cannot grow an economy by relying on black at all cost, sidelining the entrepreneurs and the disablement from broken SOE's and municipalities.

Even good advice is only useful if it is implimented. And any policy suggestions which emerge will have to get pasf the ANC NEC, who will not approve anything that impinges on over inflation Labour increases, perks and opportunity for corruption for Cardre Inc.,or Marxist ideology.

So what type of "crackers" are these? X-Mas crackers? Birthday crackers? Do they "pop" if you pull hard on both ends? It would make a lot more sense to get people that actually run businesses to advise our gutterment!

One cannot have a healthy society unless there is a healthy environment. Everything - especially proper economic growth, is related to the environment. I agree with the sentiments around needing 'doer's' - people that make things happen. Too much academia may lead to red tape and paralysis.

The thing with crackers is they have a nasty habit of going "BANG"

A whole lot of academics, and few actual businesspeople. I guess all the academics are not of the Austrian school, and consider Javier Milei to be a madman... Unproductive government departments, "Afuera!" Quantitative easing, "Afuera!"

How can DM sub editor choose by-line saying this is a cracker team? If you want grow the economy and create jobs choose people who have actually done this themselves - not academics. Some of these “experts” have been on CR’s panel since he began - eg Prof MM - what difference has this made?

"Cracker Team" ????? i see a group of Theorists and idols of Ramaphosa here!

The photo of Zeph Nhleko is incorrect. its the photo of Zwelibanzi Sapula (CEO of SADC-DFRC), former Head of Programme Dev at DBSA.

Congratulations to the appointees - South Africa thanks you for your service.

It's probably best to give these advisors a chance to prove themselves before shooting them down. They accepted being part of this important advisory group. Business leaders can still be co-opted. Capitalism must change to serve the new economic realities. Research provides the springboard.

Wonder if they're all flying in SA on private jets with an entourage of hangers-on , driving high end cars and then discussing how to take away our vehicles and get us to eat bugs whilst dining on lobster and steaks and drinking copious glasses of champagne....all in the name of climate change

In my opinion, a Malthusian/Ricardian 'dismal science' paradigm of 'decreasing returns' holds less and less explanatory power. There seems to be a lack of academic focus on the paradigm of 'increasing returns'. Path dependencies in econ theory and thinking creates 'lock in'. Millions suffer.

none of these people ever made any money or employed anybody get a business man in there and he will tell what you do not want to hear! SA is a horse that can win the triple crown! If you put the right jockey on top. And yes the whip will be us