National Treasury has revised downwards South Africa’s economic growth to 1.5%.

According to Rode & Associates, over the past few decades the tertiary services sector of the SA economy has been growing in relative importance as has been the case in the developed world.

The South African economy needs to undergo a significant structural change if it is to create jobs and employment, Trade and Industry Minister Dr Rob Davies said on Monday.

South Africa has launched a R71-million programme that will provide work experience for unemployed graduates.

There is prevailing conventional wisdom among labour and certain parts of government and industry who believe that a weak rand will reverse South Africa's sagging industrial competitiveness, thereby lifting economic growth and redress our unemployment problem.

Statistics South Africa (StatsSA) has announced that the seasonally adjusted real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at market prices for the fourth quarter of 2013 increased at an annualised rate of 3.8 percent.

The recent recovery of the UK manufacturing industry is good news for the commercial property sector, according to property consultants D&P Holt

A Cape Town trade mission to Angola has found that there are massive opportunities for local companies in the construction and manufacturing business.

Angola's economy has been destroyed by civil war for over than two decades and now is in a re-building phase.

Chris Nissen, president of the Cape Town Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry, led the delegation of businessmen.

"The mission found that the urgent need was for houses, clinics and schools ... and this has opened up opportunities for local builders as well as suppliers of products like paint and building materials." 

Angola, which uses the US dollar in most of its business transactions, was concentrating on rebuilding the country's infrastructure, Nissen said.

"The delegates are planning more trips to forge partnerships and joint ventures with Angolan firms," he said.

Interest in Angola was confirmed by a chamber waiting list of some 20 delegates interested in follow-up trade missions. -