A soft budget and a hard Johannesburg mayoral race

A strong gold price, lower interest rates, stronger consumer spending and marginally higher economic growth suggest a smoother national budget, particularly compared to last year when a surprise VAT increase sparked a crisis in the government of national unity. But does that mean SA is out of the woods? Absolutely not, argues Barnes, who points to larger structural economic issues that have yet to be addressed. What is structurally sound is the SA cricket team, and South Africa’s lack of snow. It’s time to: ListenUp!This show airs every Tuesday morning wherever you get your podcasts.