Jan Van Heerden

Triple dividends of water consumption charges in South Africa

The South African government is exploring ways to address water scarcity problems by introducing a water resource management charge on the quantity of water used in sectors such as irrigated agriculture, mining, and forestry. It is expected that a more efficient water allocation, lower use, and a positive impact on poverty can be achieved. This paper reports on the validity of these claims by applying a computable general equilibrium model to analyze the triple dividend of water consumption charges in South Africa: reduced water use, more rapid economic growth, and a more equal income distribution. It is shown that an appropriate budget-neutral combination of water charges, particularly on irrigated agriculture and coal mining, and reduced indirect taxes, particularly on food, would yield triple dividends, that is, less water use, more growth, and less poverty.

Predicting the economic impact of the 2010 FIFA World Cup on South Africa

The impact of the sporting industry on economic decision making has increased dramatically since the global media explosion in the 1980s. Tourism and advertising revenues generated by mega-events such as World Cups or Olympic Games have become a major boost to the economies of hosting nations. In addition, globalisation has placed great emphasis on the importance of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), especially to developing countries. This paper seeks to examine the impact of the 2010 FIFA World Cup on the South African economy. Using a 32-sector Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) model, the various shocks on the economy, such as infrastructure developments, increased tourism and financing implications, are modelled. Results are shown and carefully explained within the context of the model. It is found that in the short term, there would only be a favourable outcome in the economy should financing be shared between higher present taxes and revenue generated from future economic growth and private investment.