Is America on the Brink of Another Economic Boom?

The American economy grew by 3.4% in the third quarter of 2026, beating expectations despite trade tensions, expensive energy, and geopolitical instability. With private investment accelerating and quarterly inflation moderating, the United States could be approaching another major economic boom if political developments, geopolitical settlements, and falling energy prices create more favourable conditions for growth in 2027.

BHEKI MAHLOBO

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30.10.2026

Brazil’s Election Reveals Who Really Holds the Power

SIMON LINCOLN RE...SIMON LINCOLN READER -

30.10.2026

A Common Sense Approach to Building a School (And Everything Beyond That)

THE EDITORIAL BO...THE EDITORIAL BOARD -

30.10.2026

Can the MKP Sweep KZN?

POLITICS DESKPOLITICS DESK -

30.10.2026

How to Build a Strategic Plan for Your Future in South Africa

NEWS DESKNEWS DESK -

30.10.2026

Sakeliga Heads to Apex Court to Challenge BEE Overreach in Property Sector

DAVID CHRISTIANSON

- 30.10.2026

New SRF Poll: ANC at 32%, MKP Takes Durban, Britain's 1 000 Days to War, Roelf Meyer

GABRIEL MAKIN

- 30.10.2026

Farmer Shot, Tortured, Even as Legacy Media Continues to Deny Farm Attack Crisis

POLITICS DESK

- 29.10.2026

South Africa: How a Foreign Policy Star Falls

GREG MILLS AND RAY HARTLEY

- 29.10.2026

Floyd Shivambu: The ANC is Dying a Natural Death

GABRIEL MAKIN

- 29.10.2026

THE EDITORIAL BOARD

Fixing South Africa Starts in Seventh Century China

The first and most important step towards fixing South Africa is to restore merit above all else to government appointments, promotions, and procurement policies. Fail at that, and the country's public services will continue to disappoint, regardless of how much money is spent or how many reform plans are announced.

FRANS CRONJE

The Three Events That Could Move Markets in November

Beyond the South African and American elections, November's most consequential event for global markets may be a potential summit between Trump, Xi, and Putin. The meeting could open the way to a sweeping geopolitical settlement that ends the war in Ukraine, eases tensions over Taiwan, and restores stability to the Middle East, triggering a major repricing of global financial markets and signalling a fundamental shift in the international order.

THE EDITORIAL BOARD

The Common Sense’s Diary

BHEKI MAHLOBO

Fitch Holds to its June Debt Forecasts as Low Growth Remains a Problem in SA

NICHOLAS WOODE-SMITH

Government Helped Create the Illicit Tobacco Crisis; Now it Must Fix it

PAULA SLIER

Sudan's War Doesn’t Stop at the Border. Does South Africa’s Diplomacy?

SHRTS

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PLLING

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Most Voters say China Brings More Investment and Jobs to South Africa Than The US Does

Who do voters think does more for South Africa’s economy, China or the United States?

POLLING CORRESPONDENT

Most voters want the private sector to run public hospitals

Should the government take over private hospitals, or should the private sector take over public ones? Voters were asked to choose.

POLLING CORRESPONDENT

Most Voters say South African Companies Should be Allowed to Explore for Oil and Gas

Should South African companies be allowed to look for oil and gas if it helps the country produce its own oil? What do voters think?

POLLING CORRESPONDENT

Most Likely Voters Have Given the Local Elections Real Thought

Polling day is almost here. How much thought have the voters most likely to turn out given the local elections?

POLLING CORRESPONDENT

Fewer Likely Voters Like the ANC Than at the Start of Last Year

With the local elections almost here, how do likely voters feel about the ANC, and has that changed?

POLLING CORRESPONDENT

More Voters Have No View of Herman Mashaba Than Like or Dislike him

Herman Mashaba leads ActionSA and is its candidate for mayor of Johannesburg. How many voters have formed a view of him?

POLLING CORRESPONDENT

Ramaphosa has Lost Favour with Voters Since 2022

Cyril Ramaphosa leads the ANC into next month's local elections. How do voters as a whole rate him now, compared with 2022?

POLLING CORRESPONDENT

More Voters Think South Africa is on The Right Track Than in 2022

Polling since 2022 shows how voters judge the direction the country is taking. Is the mood brighter than it was?

POLLING CORRESPONDENT

White and Coloured Voters are Far Less Gloomy About South Africa Than in 2022

The national mood is brighter than it was in 2022. Whose outlook has changed most, and how do population groups compare today?

POLLING CORRESPONDENT

Most Voters say China Brings More Investment and Jobs to South Africa Than The US Does

Who do voters think does more for South Africa’s economy, China or the United States?

POLLING CORRESPONDENT

Most voters want the private sector to run public hospitals

Should the government take over private hospitals, or should the private sector take over public ones? Voters were asked to choose.

POLLING CORRESPONDENT

Most Voters say South African Companies Should be Allowed to Explore for Oil and Gas

Should South African companies be allowed to look for oil and gas if it helps the country produce its own oil? What do voters think?

POLLING CORRESPONDENT

Most Likely Voters Have Given the Local Elections Real Thought

Polling day is almost here. How much thought have the voters most likely to turn out given the local elections?

POLLING CORRESPONDENT

Fewer Likely Voters Like the ANC Than at the Start of Last Year

With the local elections almost here, how do likely voters feel about the ANC, and has that changed?

POLLING CORRESPONDENT

More Voters Have No View of Herman Mashaba Than Like or Dislike him

Herman Mashaba leads ActionSA and is its candidate for mayor of Johannesburg. How many voters have formed a view of him?

POLLING CORRESPONDENT

Ramaphosa has Lost Favour with Voters Since 2022

Cyril Ramaphosa leads the ANC into next month's local elections. How do voters as a whole rate him now, compared with 2022?

POLLING CORRESPONDENT

More Voters Think South Africa is on The Right Track Than in 2022

Polling since 2022 shows how voters judge the direction the country is taking. Is the mood brighter than it was?

POLLING CORRESPONDENT

White and Coloured Voters are Far Less Gloomy About South Africa Than in 2022

The national mood is brighter than it was in 2022. Whose outlook has changed most, and how do population groups compare today?

POLLING CORRESPONDENT

Most Voters say China Brings More Investment and Jobs to South Africa Than The US Does

Who do voters think does more for South Africa’s economy, China or the United States?

POLLING CORRESPONDENT

Most voters want the private sector to run public hospitals

Should the government take over private hospitals, or should the private sector take over public ones? Voters were asked to choose.

POLLING CORRESPONDENT

Most Voters say South African Companies Should be Allowed to Explore for Oil and Gas

Should South African companies be allowed to look for oil and gas if it helps the country produce its own oil? What do voters think?

POLLING CORRESPONDENT

Most Likely Voters Have Given the Local Elections Real Thought

Polling day is almost here. How much thought have the voters most likely to turn out given the local elections?

POLLING CORRESPONDENT

Fewer Likely Voters Like the ANC Than at the Start of Last Year

With the local elections almost here, how do likely voters feel about the ANC, and has that changed?

POLLING CORRESPONDENT

More Voters Have No View of Herman Mashaba Than Like or Dislike him

Herman Mashaba leads ActionSA and is its candidate for mayor of Johannesburg. How many voters have formed a view of him?

POLLING CORRESPONDENT

Ramaphosa has Lost Favour with Voters Since 2022

Cyril Ramaphosa leads the ANC into next month's local elections. How do voters as a whole rate him now, compared with 2022?

POLLING CORRESPONDENT

More Voters Think South Africa is on The Right Track Than in 2022

Polling since 2022 shows how voters judge the direction the country is taking. Is the mood brighter than it was?

POLLING CORRESPONDENT

White and Coloured Voters are Far Less Gloomy About South Africa Than in 2022

The national mood is brighter than it was in 2022. Whose outlook has changed most, and how do population groups compare today?

POLLING CORRESPONDENT

Most Voters say China Brings More Investment and Jobs to South Africa Than The US Does

Who do voters think does more for South Africa’s economy, China or the United States?

POLLING CORRESPONDENT

Most voters want the private sector to run public hospitals

Should the government take over private hospitals, or should the private sector take over public ones? Voters were asked to choose.

POLLING CORRESPONDENT

Most Voters say South African Companies Should be Allowed to Explore for Oil and Gas

Should South African companies be allowed to look for oil and gas if it helps the country produce its own oil? What do voters think?

POLLING CORRESPONDENT

Most Likely Voters Have Given the Local Elections Real Thought

Polling day is almost here. How much thought have the voters most likely to turn out given the local elections?

POLLING CORRESPONDENT

Fewer Likely Voters Like the ANC Than at the Start of Last Year

With the local elections almost here, how do likely voters feel about the ANC, and has that changed?

POLLING CORRESPONDENT

More Voters Have No View of Herman Mashaba Than Like or Dislike him

Herman Mashaba leads ActionSA and is its candidate for mayor of Johannesburg. How many voters have formed a view of him?

POLLING CORRESPONDENT

Ramaphosa has Lost Favour with Voters Since 2022

Cyril Ramaphosa leads the ANC into next month's local elections. How do voters as a whole rate him now, compared with 2022?

POLLING CORRESPONDENT

More Voters Think South Africa is on The Right Track Than in 2022

Polling since 2022 shows how voters judge the direction the country is taking. Is the mood brighter than it was?

POLLING CORRESPONDENT

White and Coloured Voters are Far Less Gloomy About South Africa Than in 2022

The national mood is brighter than it was in 2022. Whose outlook has changed most, and how do population groups compare today?

POLLING CORRESPONDENT

VIDES

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Mark Oppenheimer: UCT is Trying to Remove Me for Talking On A Podcast

THE COMMON SENSE

-

28.10.2026

Frans Cronje: Godongwana's Mini-Budget is Theatre to Calm the Bond Market

THE COMMON SENSE

-

27.10.2026

Helen Zille: Johannesburg’s Drug Crisis Will Destroy the Next Generation

THE COMMON SENSE

-

25.10.2026

Wandile Sihlobo: South Africa Already Has a Plan to Grow Farming. It Was Never Implemented

THE COMMON SENSE

-

20.10.2026

Bheki Mahlobo: South Africa’s Investment Rate Has Fallen. The Consequences Have Been Dire

THE COMMON SENSE

-

15.10.2026

Mark Oppenheimer: UCT is Trying to Remove Me for Talking On A Podcast

THE COMMON SENSE

-

28.10.2026

Frans Cronje: Godongwana's Mini-Budget is Theatre to Calm the Bond Market

THE COMMON SENSE

-

27.10.2026

Helen Zille: Johannesburg’s Drug Crisis Will Destroy the Next Generation

THE COMMON SENSE

-

25.10.2026

Wandile Sihlobo: South Africa Already Has a Plan to Grow Farming. It Was Never Implemented

THE COMMON SENSE

-

20.10.2026

Bheki Mahlobo: South Africa’s Investment Rate Has Fallen. The Consequences Have Been Dire

THE COMMON SENSE

-

15.10.2026

LGE 2026: Latest Polling

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LGE 2026: Latest Polling

The latest polling from the SRF and The Common Sense reveals where South Africans stand ahead of the November 2026 local elections, from party support and presidential succession to the GNU, immigration, views on March and March and AfriForum, and whether the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal should secede.

POLITICS DESK

-

27.10.2026

DA Leads in Jo’burg, But Likely Short of a Majority

POLITICS DESK

MKP Dominates in eThekwini, ANC Support Craters

POLITICS DESK

Fewer Than a Third of South Africans Support the ANC

POLITICS DESK

Tshwane Remains on the Brink in Latest Polling

POLLING CORRESPONDENT

DA Leads in Jo’burg, But Likely Short of a Majority

POLITICS DESK

MKP Dominates in eThekwini, ANC Support Craters

POLITICS DESK

Fewer Than a Third of South Africans Support the ANC

POLITICS DESK

Tshwane Remains on the Brink in Latest Polling

POLLING CORRESPONDENT

PLITICS

VIEW ALL

Can the MKP Sweep KZN?

The MKP upended politics in KwaZulu-Natal in 2024; can it repeat this feat on Wednesday?

POLITICS DESK

How to Build a Strategic Plan for Your Future in South Africa

NEWS DESK

Sakeliga Heads to Apex Court to Challenge BEE Overreach in Property Sector

DAVID CHRISTIANSON

Farmer Shot, Tortured, Even as Legacy Media Continues to Deny Farm Attack Crisis

POLITICS DESK

AfriForum Says Tshwane Shifting Water Blame on to Residents

STAFF WRITER

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By clicking Subscribe you agree to our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

Thriving in SA’s enclaves

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The Common Sense's Latest Scenarios: Reform Now Less Likely

In this subscribers-only video Frans Cronje discusses the latest scenarios from The Common Sense and explains what has changed.

FRANS CRONJE

-

7.10.2026

This is What Families Must do to Survive a Future South Africa

FRANS CRONJE

How To Thrive In South Africa's Enclave Future: (Members Special)

FRANS CRONJE

South Africans Are Doing It for Themselves

THE EDITORIAL BOARD

Majority of South Africans Say Communities Are Taking Over Government’s Job

POLLING CORRESPONDENT

This is What Families Must do to Survive a Future South Africa

FRANS CRONJE

How To Thrive In South Africa's Enclave Future: (Members Special)

FRANS CRONJE

South Africans Are Doing It for Themselves

THE EDITORIAL BOARD

Majority of South Africans Say Communities Are Taking Over Government’s Job

POLLING CORRESPONDENT

GLBAL

VIEW ALL