By: Natasha Archary

Reserve Bank Governor, Lesetja Kganyago has left the repo rate unchanged at a steady 8.25%.
This as cash-strapped South Africans were hoping for a reprieve as they buckle under the strain of consumer inflation and the rising cost of living.
A day after the country voted in the 2024 National and Provincial elections, the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) said it expects inflation to now stabilize between the midpoint 3-6% range.
In March, forecasts indicated a modest growth acceleration from this year, as the supplyside constraints relaxed.
In particular, the loadshedding burden has eased somewhat, thus giving the economy a sense of stability.
While and estimated electricity shortage took 1.5 percentage points off GDP last year, SARB anticipates this will moderate to 0.6 percentage points this year and 0.2 percentage points in 2025.
Committee decisions will continue to be data dependent, and sensitive to the balance of risks to the outlook. Stabilising inflation at the mid-point of the target band will improve the economic outlook and reduce borrowing costs.
Kganyago expects the repo rate to remain at a steady 8.25% until the end of the year.
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