Uncertainty in South Africa or global uncertainty?

Dylan Burke - IPS

21 February 2008

Uncertainty, to be precise, “the state of being uncertain; doubt; hesitancy”, can easily be a so called crutch for the “willing yet apprehensive”, the “excited yet cautious”, the “brave yet nervous” and the “determined but easily influenced”.

South Africa is passing through a period of vagueness; this period can be directly accredited to the 3 chief factors that have taken center stage, those factors being Jacob Zuma, Interest rate hikes and the electricity/power issue. Three very valid and significant points to note, but on the same token it is good to not that many other countries are experiencing the same effects as South Africa.

China has encountered its worst spell of weather in decades, weather that has left 39 cities in China without power for the last few weeks. Granted this is a force of Mother Nature, but what one must take into account is that the dependable infrastructure that was built to accommodate the power for the country was not sufficient to endure mother natures natural forces, something that should be taken into account for when possible invest in the country is being contemplated.

East Timor, the country positioned in South East Asia, a country that was originally under Indonesian rule until the year of 1999 when they declared Sovereignty, now with the one simple act of violence, all the good that has been made so far, has been set back years, something it has been trying to achieve. President Jose Ramos Horta, the Nobel Peace laurite was assassinated. This swift move has off set many violent outbursts, with the political uncertainty being that much more uncertain.

Interest rate hikes, the uncertainty that evolved into actual fear, have always played an integral factor of any property or fixed asset purchase. What many have overlooked is that many countries are experiencing many of the same issues as is South Africa. Egypt has raised its interest for the first time in a year, Australia is in the process of raising there interest rates again, UK’s analysts have cited that they foresee the interest rate to breach the 6% mark.

“I think the majority of the population is so focused on the negativity and bad publicity the country is emitting that they are becoming blinded to the world around them, as has been mentioned before, the world is undergoing a large and prominent change, political changes, financial changes, power changes, and yet the world continues to grow and evolve. You need to have adverse times in order to be prosperous” says Heath Adamson, MD of International Property Solutions.

As we all realise, it is going to be a difficult and challenging year ahead, but what we all come to agree is that South Africa started off being our home, it will continue being our home, and when all have come gone and issues have been presented and laid don in front of them, it will always be our home. Whether you are working in the United Kingdom or you have ventured across the Indian Ocean and set foot on the Australian continent, one thing is for sure, South Africa will always be home and no matter the changes and issues, it will always be home.

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