Number Of The Day | 3% | 20 August 2026

3% is today’s Number of the Day. Government and business want South Africa’s economy to grow by 3% by 2030, with stronger growth expected to drive investment, business expansion and desperately needed jobs. Francis Herd explains why the target matters after years of weak economic performance and looks at the progress already made in areas such as electricity supply and freight logistics. But reaching 3% will require more than fixing Eskom and Transnet. High electricity costs, red tape, policy uncertainty and dysfunctional municipalities remain serious obstacles to investment. From Johannesburg’s electricity risks to water lost before reaching household taps, the episode asks whether reforms are finally strong enough to push South Africa onto a higher-growth path, or whether familiar structural failures will keep pulling the economy back. Catch up on all Number of the Day episodes here: ⁠https://www.enca.com/number-day-podcast Chapter List (00:00) South Africa’s New 3% Growth Target