Events Email Briefings
rotating globe
Privacy© 2026 Semafor Inc.
  • D.C.
  • BXL
  • Lagos
  • Riyadh
  • Beijing
  • SG
Events Email Briefings

Intelligence for the New World Economy

  • D.C.
  • BXL
  • Lagos
Semafor Logo
  • Riyadh
  • Beijing
  • SG
rotating globe
Intelligence for the New World Economy
Semafor World Economy
Tiisetso Motsoeneng

Tiisetso Motsoeneng

Email Tiisetso

Tiisetso Motsoeneng has spent more than a decade reporting on South Africa’s political economy. At Business Day, he oversaw coverage of the post–state capture politics. Before that, he served as Reuters’ head of corporate news for Southern Africa.

Sasol pollution linked to premature deaths, study suggests

Emissions from Sasol’s flagship Secunda plant are linked to about 1,000 premature deaths annually, a study by a Finland-based nonprofit suggests.
A man walks past Sasol’s synthetic fuel plant in Secunda.
Siphiwe Sibeko/Reuters

Valterra bets on China platinum demand surge

China’s push into hydrogen-powered freight trucks could deliver a fresh wave of demand for the metals.
Valterra Platinum’s North Concentrator facility at the Mogalakwena platinum mine in Limpopo province, South Africa.
Nqobile Dludla/Reuters

Zambia charges opposition leader with treason

The case that threatens to taint Lusaka’s image as a relatively stable southern African democracy.
Zambian opposition leader Brian Mundubile.
Zambian opposition leader Brian Mundubile. Moses Mwape/File Photo/Reuters.

Economic ‘doom loop’ threatens Johannesburg, report says

The city is “living off a fiscal fiction,” said the Centre for Development and Enterprise think tank.
A view of flats in Hillbrow, in a dilapidated block where people struggle with basic services.
Shafiek Tassiem/Reuters

Zambia detains main opposition leader following election

The detention risks clouding Lusaka’s credentials as a relatively stable southern African democracy.
Zambian opposition leader Brian Mundubile votes in the most recent elections.
Zambian opposition leader Brian Mundubile votes in the most recent elections. Moses Mwape/Reuters.

South African platinum miner Northam courts bidders

A takeover of the company would mark a major shake-up in the country’s mining sector.
A hauling truck transports blasted ore at the Mogalakwena open-pit platinum mine.
Nqobile Dludla/Reuters

Unmanaged coal plant shutdown could wipe $550M off South Africa’s GDP

The Secuda coal-to-liquids plant is woven into the nation’s fabric as both an economic powerhouse and environmental headache.

Nigeria’s regulator calls for domestic stake in MTN-IHS deal

The ruling underscores Abuja’s push to deepen local ownership of pillars of Nigeria’s digital economy.

South Africa’s fiscal fairy tale

The African National Congress’ 2026 local government elections manifesto pledges free basic services to nearly 30 million people.

South Africa’s Absa eyes fintech partnerships

South Africa’s Absa Group is seeking partnerships with fintechs in a strategy aimed at reaching new customers.

Namibia’s oil boom draws global energy giant Equinor

Norway’s Equinor was bought into Chevron’s deepwater block off the coast of Namibia.

Zambia’s pro-business president wins second term in controversial election

Hichilema has overseen a massive influx in foreign direct investment since taking office in 2021.

Fresh scandal hits South Africa’s Democratic Alliance

South Africa’s central bank is investigating a fintech firm co-founded and chaired by the DA’s head of finance.

Zambia’s president pulls ahead in reelection bid

The lead puts Hichilema on course to secure a second term at the helm of Africa’s second-biggest copper producer.

South Africa’s unemployment rate hits four-year high

More than 340,000 people joined the ranks of the unemployed between April and June, pushing the total number of jobless to 8.5 million.

Ramaphosa, Eskom spar over power grid access

The fallout pits the government’s flagship energy plan against warnings of bondholder shock.

South Africa’s DA sets sights on financial capital

The Democratic Alliance party promised to end political patronage as it targets Johannesburg voters ahead of November’s local government polls.

South Africa’s cross-border crypto ban proposal sparks backlash

Pretoria’s attempt to pull borderless digital tokens into legacy exchange control risks isolating businesses and driving volume offshore.