It’s known as the ‘invisible economy’ that no one is really talking about, but it’s keeping a large part of South Africa afloat. And the numbers prove it. Nielsen research shows that 20% of all money spent in SA is spent in informal stores, which sell goods to the value of R46 billion per year. And most importantly it’s increasing at 7% per annum vs formal stores at 4%. While some analysts reckon it’s even larger than the country’s gold mining industry. Louis van der Merwe explores the informal economy, and for it to bring true economic transformation, says South African government must follow the examples of both Hong Kong and Singapore. It must do more, not less, to create the conditions for enterprise development to thrive. – Stuart Lowman

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World Economic Forum asked their 2015 intake of Technology Pioneers for their views on how technology will change the world. From printable organs to the “internet of everywhere”, here are their predictions for our near-term future.

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The United Nations Population Division, which tracks demographic data from around the world, has dramatically revised its projections for what will happen in the next 90 years. The new statistics, based on in-depth survey data from sub-Saharan Africa, tell the story of a world poised to change drastically over the next several decades. Most rich countries will shrink and age (with a couple of important exceptions), poorer countries will expand rapidly and, maybe most significant of all, Africa will see a population explosion nearly unprecedented in human history.

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This is a momentous time in Africa’s history. The narrative of famine, war, and disease that was its tag in the media for decades has given way to one of optimism, growth and return on investment. The continent’s middle class is increasing with more people projected to live in urban areas. Developed and emerging economies are courting the continent. There is increasing discovery of oil, gas and other important minerals in the continent. The continent boasts of a vast coastline-the Indian Ocean rim, which has become a strategic global trade gateway.

WFS - FORECASTS Special Report
20 Forecasts for 2014-2030

Trends and Breakthroughs Likely to Affect Your Work, Your Investments, and Your Family

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By Michael Lee

It is five minutes to midnight on New Year’s Eve at the end of the last day of the twenty-first century. In Dar es Salaam, one of the wealthiest cities in the United States of Southern Africa (USSA), revelers from across the region have traveled on the Trans-Africa high-speed train network to witness the arrival of the new century at a massive fireworks display and international gathering in East Africa’s “harbor of peace.”

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