by AKANI CHAUKE
JOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News) – PAN Africa’s largest news agency and business-to-business (B2B) newswire, Centre for African Journalists (CAJ) News Africa, wishes its partners and businesses a joyous Christmas and a prosperous New Year.
The agency believes the stakeholders will bounce back from a challenging 2023.
CAJ News Africa Chief Executive Officer, Savious-Parker Kwinika, noted the mixed economic fortunes many businesses, including the corporate, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) experienced during the ending year.
“As we break for the festive season, allow me to wish all companies, SMEs, corporate, media partners (newspapers & online publications) and individual entrepreneurs that supported CAJ News Africa,” Kwinika said.
He said many businesses witnessed massive load shedding in South Africa, which is the news organisation’s home base.
“Sadly, the year 2023 was also dominated by military conflicts between Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Palestine, while our continent had its own share of political instability, which sent shockwaves on economies,” Kwinika said.
He emphasized resilience in the face of economic volatilities was needed to ensure SMES, corporate, media and other businesses continued to survive despite the global challenges that pushed prices up.
“We are mindful the world will always encounter socio-economic challenges, but as we fall 99 times, let us also get up 100 times with a smile for that matter,” Kwinika said.
Data from Stats South Africa shows that 140 businesses in the country were liquidated in July alone. As many as 127 closed down voluntarily and 13 closures were compulsory.
Total company closures through liquidations since the start of the year 2023 reached an alarming 942 and 128 businesses were liquidated in June.
More than 30 percent of South Africans were unemployed, from the results of the Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS).
This was an increase of 399 000 to 16,7 million in the third quarter of 2023 compared to 16,3 million in the second quarter of 2023.
“May I also take this opportunity to thank Jehovah for His unending love, for enabling us resilience in business, giving us good health, safety and protection in the midst of the world increasingly becoming hostile and wickedness,” Kwinika said.
He added: “This time of year is a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the past, cherish the present, and look forward to the future. We hope you find time to connect with loved ones, rest, and rejuvenate for the adventures that lie ahead.”
CAJ News Africa breaks for holiday on December 22 and opens on January 3.
– CAJ News