20 FEBRUARY 2026 - FRIDAY NEWSFLASH

Compiled By: Thabile Nkomo, Research Officer | Issue 42/2026

WORLD China’s Trade Shift: China announced full zero-tariff access for imports from 53 African countries starting 1 May 2026, aiming to institutionalise its trade dominance on the continent.

AFRICA At the 39th Ordinary Session of the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa (held around 14–15 February 2026), leaders adopted the 2026 theme: “Ensuring sustainable water availability and safe sanitation systems to achieve the goals of Agenda 2063”. This theme elevates water/sanitation to a top political priority.

SOUTH AFRICA SANRAL Toll Tariffs: The South African National Roads Agency (SANRAL) has announced that toll tariffs will increase by 3.12% , effective from 1 March 2026. This adjustment is lower than the 4.85% increase implemented in March 2025. According to SANRAL, the tariffs are adjusted annually in line with the Consumer Price Index (CPI), as published in the Government Gazette on 5 February 2026.

Employment Equity: The South African Department of Employment and Labour has introduced new, stricter transformation targets under the Employment Equity Amendment Act (EEAA), which became operational on 1 January 2025. These regulations, which include five-year sector-specific numerical targets for 18 industries, aim to ensure that the workforces of designated employers reflect the country's demographics at all levels.

South Africa’s Inflation: Although slightly higher than the 3.4% consensus estimate, South Africa’s headline inflation dropped to 3.5% y/y in January 2026 from 3.6% in December. This slight easing supports hopes for further monetary policy easing.

Vehicle Exports: South African vehicle exports reached a historic high in 2025, according to figures reported by the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (NAAMSA) on Tuesday. The data represents about a 6% increase from units exported in 2024.

Export Key Findings According to December 2025 trade data, the Unit Value Index (UVI) for exported commodities rose by 4,5% year-on-year, despite experiencing a monthly decrease of 0,3% between November and December, with, export flows negatively impacted by declines in gold and vehicles (both passenger and goods). Concurrently, the UVI for imported commodities recorded a negative annual rate of change of -2,2% and a monthly decrease of 0,8% from November to December 2025.