South Africa

Finance

Analysis

The IFIs in 2013: year in review

The Bretton Woods Project review of the most important developments at the World Bank and IMF in 2013.

8 January 2014 | Review

IFI governance

News

Calls for IMF quota reform implementation

Countries, including Russia and India, have continued to express concerns over the failure to complete the 2010 IMF quota reform.

2 December 2013

Environment

Analysis

A mine of controversy: World Bank push for large scale extractives

New concerns have been raised on the World Bank’s involvement in the Simandou mine in Guinea, including on the use of biodiversity offsets, while civil society has repeated unaddressed concerns on the Mongolia Oyu Tolgoi mine. Further concerns have been raised on mines in Dominican Republic, Peru and South Africa.

3 December 2013

Environment

Analysis

Foreclosing the future

Drawing on case studies, reports and evaluations, Bruce Rich paints a picture of a Bank still inflicting suffering on vulnerable populations, and calls on Bank president Jim Yong Kim to show real leadership so that the Bank can learn from experience rather than flee from it.

3 October 2013 | At Issue

Accountability

News

World Bank fails to take action on Eskom risks

The World Bank has declined to take immediate action over identified issues on water availability, air quality and community services related to Eskom for the Medupi coal-fired power plant in South Africa.

3 July 2012

Accountability

News

South African loan to Swaziland hinges on IMF conditions

The crisis-hit government of Swaziland agreed a 2.4 billion rand ($324 million) loan from South Africa in August, which will be conditioned on the adoption of IMF-recommended fiscal reforms.

14 September 2011

IFI governance

News

South Africa gains the extra seat on World Bank board

Renosi Mokate, former deputy governor of the South African Reserve Bank, has been elected to the World Bank's board of executive directors.

29 November 2010

Environment

Commentary

Eskom loan blackens the World Bank's name

The World Bank, Business Unity South Africa and the African National Congress got their way with a major loan for Eskom, the national power authority, despite broad based opposition from local people, the poor, community organisations, the churches, unions, and environmental and social justice NGOs locally and globally.

16 April 2010 | Guest comment

Infrastructure

News

World Bank energy lending causes uproar

Debate about the World Bank energy portfolio and its impacts on climate change has reached the boiling point with hundreds of civil society organisations campaigning against the Bank's $3.75 billion loan for a new coal plant in South Africa.

15 April 2010

Environment

News

Human rights landmark in ICSID tribunal

For the first time ever, a tribunal of the World Bank's International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) will hear human rights arguments.

20 November 2009

Environment

News

Poznan and beyond

Recent UN global climate negotiations in Poland highlighted ongoing tension over whether funds will be channelled through the United Nations or the World Bank and once again shone a light on the role of the Bank as a major investor in carbon intensive projects.

13 February 2009

Land

News

Parliamentarians on World Bank

The seventh annual conference of the Parliamentary Network on the World Bank was held in Cape Town in March.

2 April 2007