Business

What a strange time to be an ex-pat in South Africa, especially one who will, in 2026, hit the thought-provoking milestone of having spent more working years here than in my country of origin. Looking at the headlines coming from my one-time home, the UK, there are few regrets.

In the last few weeks, Britain has seen a massive demonstration organised by the extreme far right, attended by the virtual avatar of Elon Musk. It has also endured a second state visit from Donald Trump, confined to the grounds of stately homes to avoid contact with legions of protestors (be careful what you wish for, G20). The government spins, directionless, trying to understand why its popularity is through the floor, but has been promised huge investments from tech companies of around $150bn (around R2.6tn).