Public Economics Conference - Institutional perspectives in the context of inequality & employment

This session has two presentations addressing critical challenges in South Africa's economy. The first presentation, "The Political Economy of Spending Choices: Institutional Perspectives in the Context of Inequality and Unemployment," offered an intricate look at how politics and institutions shape fiscal decisions, particularly in a society grappling with inequality and unemployment. This second presentation focussed on "Tackling Low Labour Utilisation in South Africa," which delved into the critical factors influencing low labour utilisation rates and evaluated the impact of current labour-market policies.
Insights from the presentations were examined in a robust panel discussion on "Policy Priorities and Budget Choices - Social and Economic Sustainability," facilitated by Velisubuhle Buti from the National Treasury. The panel featured Steven Friedman of the University of Johannesburg, who provided an academic lens on policy choices, and Andreas Wörgötter, a Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Technology, Vienna and the South African Reserve Bank, who focused on international perspectives. The panel also included Thoko Madonko from the Southern Centre for Inequality Studies and Mthokozisi Tshuma, a Policy Specialist at the United Nations Development Programme. Together, they engaged in a multifaceted discussion that captured the social and economic dimensions of fiscal policy and budgeting choices, enriching the conference's dialogue on these pivotal issues.