The maize commodity is of strategic significance to the South African economy as it is a stable commodity and therefore a key factor for food security. In recent times climate change has impacted on the productivity of this commodity and this has impacted trade negatively. This paper explores the intricate relationship between climatic factors and trade performance for the South African maize. Secondary annual time series data spanning 2001 to 2023, was sourced from an abstract from Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) and World Bank’s Climate Change Knowledge Portal. Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) cointegration technique was used as an empirical model to assess the long-term and short-term relationships between explanatory variables and the dependent variable. Results of the ARDL model show that, average annual rainfall (β = 2.184, p = 0.056), fertilizer consumption (β = 1.919, p = 0.036), gross value of production (β = 1.279 , p = 0.006) and average annual surface temperature (β = −0.650, p = 0.991) and change in temperature for previous years, (β = −0.650, p = 0.991) and the effects towards coefficient change for export volumes, (β = 0.669, p = 0.0007). In overall, as a recommendation, South African policymakers should consider these findings when developing strategies to mitigate the impacts of some of these climatic factors and implementing adaptive strategies for maize producers.

The Human Development Index, which accounts for both net foreign income and the total value of goods and services generated domestically, illustrates how income becomes less significant as Gross National Income (GNI) rises by using the logarithm of income. South Africa ranks 109th out of 189 countries in the Human Development Index (HDI) within the Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) economic bloc, raising long-term sustainability concerns. The study explores the relationship between economic, demography, policy indicators and human development in South Africa. South Africa’s unique status as a developing country within the BRICS economic group, alongside its lengthy history of racial discrimination, calls for a sophisticated approach to understanding Human Development. Existing research considered economic, demography, policy indicators independently; the gap of understanding their interconnection and long-term effects in the South African contexts exists. The study addresses the gap by using Autoregressive-Distributed Lag (ARDL) approach to investigate the short-term and the long-term relationship between economic, demography, policy indicators and human development in South Africa. By discovering these links, the study hopes to provide useful insights for policymakers seeking to promote sustainable human development in South Africa. The findings indicate that growth in GDP is a key factor in the HDI since it shows that there are more financial resources available for human development. By discovering these links, the study hopes to provide useful insights for policymakers seeking to promote sustainable human development in South Africa.

Goat farming plays an important economic role in numerous developing countries, with Africa being a home to a considerable portion of the global goat population. This study examined the socioeconomic determinants affecting goat herd size among smallholder farmers in Lephalale Local Municipality of the Limpopo Province in South Africa. A simple random sampling technique was used to select 61 participants. The socioeconomic characteristics of smallholder goat farmers in Lephalale Local Municipality were identified and described using descriptive statistics on one hand. On the other hand, a Multiple linear regression model was employed to analyse the socioeconomic determinants affecting smallholder goat farmers’ herd sizes. Findings from the Multiple linear regression model highlighted several key determinants, including the age of the farmer, gender of the farmer, education level, and marital status of farmers, along with determinants like distance to the markets, provision of feed supplements, and access to veterinary services. Understanding these determinants is crucial for policymakers and practitioners to develop targeted strategies aimed at promoting sustainable goat farming practices and improving the livelihoods of smallholder farmers in the region.

This paper explores the interconnected dynamics between governance, public debt, and domestic investment (also known as gross fixed capital formation (GFCF) in South Africa). It also highlights domestic investment as a key driver of economic growth, noting a consistent decline in investment since the country’s democratic transition in 1994. Moreover, this downward trend is exacerbated by excessive public debt, poor governance, and increased economic risks, discouraging domestic and foreign investments. The analysis incorporates two theoretical perspectives: endogenous growth theory, which stresses the significance of local capital investment and innovation, and institutional governance theory, which focuses on the role of governance in promoting economic development. The study reveals that poor governance, rising debt, and high economic risks have impeded GFCF and economic stability. By utilizing quantitative data from 1995 to 2023, the research concludes that reducing public debt, improving governance, and minimizing economic risk are critical to revitalizing domestic investment in South Africa. These findings suggest that policy reforms centered on good governance, effective debt management, and economic stabilization can stimulate investment, promote growth, and address the country’s economic challenges. This study offers insights into how governance and fiscal policies shape investment and capital formation in a developing nation, providing valuable guidance for policymakers and stakeholders working towards sustainable economic growth in South Africa.

The success of a city’s entrepreneurial ecosystem (EE) depends on a combination of interconnected factors that foster innovation, collaboration and growth. Urban planning, infrastructure management and an entrepreneurial culture are essential factors for the success of cities’ Entrepreneurial Ecosystems (EEs). Land use and infrastructure management create opportunities for growth and industry expansion. EEs are local, social, business, institutional and cultural stakeholders that encourage and enhance the formation and growth of new businesses, which are supported by enabling infrastructure. The objective of this study was to investigate how urban planning affects EEs in the metropolitan region, Nelson Mandela Bay (NMB), South Africa. NMB is known for poor land use management, which hinders the management of diverse spatial needs, as well as bureaucratic processes for land rezoning for commercial activity. In order to better understand the fundamental issues, a qualitative case study was conducted. The data were collected from fifteen economic development role players from NMB using semi-structured interviews combined with secondary data from the NMB Integrated Development Plan (IDP). The data analysis included thematic analysis using Atlas.ti and Claude 2.0. In order to validate the findings, qualitative data were cross-referenced with secondary sources from the NMB IDP. The key themes that emerged effect the NMB metropole’s management of infrastructure to support the EE. These include, Land use issues, Poor oversight by metropolitan leadership, Lack of infrastructure maintenance and pushing out potential investment and economic growth. The results highlight that the NMB metropole fails to prioritise land use and infrastructure challenges, impacting the NMB metropolitan area’s economic development and worsening inequality among different groups. The findings from this study add to the current research on cities’ EEs and The Right to the City Theory, which supports the UN Sustainable Development Goals 8, 9 and 11.