Former US president Barack Obama’s chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, famously quipped: "You never want a serious crisis to go to waste." We are still reeling from the shock of our recent credit-rating downgrade to junk status. Plus, there’s no averting the fact that a recession is looming, and that South Africans are yet to feel the pinch of this calamitous development in our economy, starting with an imminent interest rate hike. But there is hope. Economists are perplexed by the continued rallying of the rand, despite the latest political developments. And, according to Rand Merchant Bank currency strategist John Cairns, exports are increasing due to the recovery in commodity prices. This makes absolute sense. The question, though, is whether business is geared to take advantage of this opportunity. Are our businesses on top of the legal and regulatory issues that come with exporting? Do our products meet international health, safety or quality standards? Opportunities are everywhere, ...
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