The ill-timed visit to Iran by the Chief of the South African National Defence Force and the comments made by him have been widely condemned as reckless grandstanding at a time when sensitive negotiations are underway to maintain sound trade relations with the US and, very importantly, prevent job losses in key export industries.

Several high-profile executives in the public sector have recently been suspended or placed on cautionary leave, whilst lifestyle audits have been ordered for many of the employees of the Independent Development Trust.

Statistics SA published South Africa’s GDP dataset for the first quarter of 2025 in June. Although year-on-year economic growth remained positive, the performance was disappointing, with a fifth successive GDP growth rate of less than one per cent being recorded.

On 21 May, millions worldwide were glued to their TV sets in anticipation of the well-publicised meeting between the president of the most powerful country in the world and the head of state of the African continent's largest and most diversified economy.