NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
WRITTEN REPLY
PARLIAMENTARY QUESTION NO 33
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 12 FEBRUARY 2013
Mr K S Mubu (DA) to ask the Minister of Economic Development:
What are (a) the (i) short-, (ii) medium- and (iii) long-term implications
of the recent credit rating downgrades on the economy and (b) his
departmentâs plans to increase business confidence in South Africa?
NW35E
REPLY
(1) The Department monitors business confidence levels through reviews of
published indices and engagement with investors.
I drew attention during the recent debate on the State of the Nation
Address (SONA) to a survey by a private global consultancy of foreign
investor confidence in the South African economy, conducted after the
results were released. Details of their findings are attached to
parliamentary question 229.
(2) The Departmentâs work across a wide front is addressing constraints
to increased investment. These include the work on infrastructure,
promotion of skills development, improved industrial and small business
funding and steps to address regulatory delays. Details of these are
reported regularly by the Department and Government as a whole.