The economist who thinks AI could double South Africa’s growth rate

Population growth of about 1.4% on his estimate means “we are getting poorer on a per capita basis” and that “most GDP growth comes from population growth”. Roodt reads the longer-run shortfall as a productivity failure: “Under normal circumstances, productivity growth should add approximately 1%, which means our productivity growth is dismal.” PwC much less bullishPwC’s modelling, published in its South Africa Economic Outlook in October last year, makes a very different finding. Policy changes can lift GDP growth to 3% easily. South Africa may be poorly placed to hit it.