{"id":855102,"date":"2026-03-27T07:55:30","date_gmt":"2026-03-27T05:55:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/?p=855102"},"modified":"2026-04-02T09:11:31","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T07:11:31","slug":"good-news-for-people-with-dstv-in-south-africa-and-end-of-an-era-for-carte-blanche","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/5-things\/855102\/good-news-for-people-with-dstv-in-south-africa-and-end-of-an-era-for-carte-blanche\/","title":{"rendered":"Good news for people with DStv in South Africa, and end of an era for Carte Blanche"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
The rand showed little movement on Thursday after the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) maintained its main lending rate at 6.75%. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The bank indicated that caution is necessary, as rising energy prices driven by the conflict in Iran could lead to higher inflation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At that time, the rand traded at 17.0025 against the dollar, remaining mostly within a narrow range.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Out of 28 economists surveyed, 21 had anticipated that the SARB would keep its main lending rate unchanged, alongside a hawkish outlook.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“We warned of elevated risks, and we have been \u200bproceeding cautiously in our rate setting,” SARB Governor Lesetja Kganyago said, reading \u200bout the decision. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Now a crisis has hit, this prudent approach is proving appropriate.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
An independent economist stated that the central bank’s position is appropriate given the uncertainty and lack of clarity surrounding the duration and impact of the conflict in the Middle East.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In February, South Africa’s annual inflation rate decreased to the central bank’s target of 3%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, analysts warned that this slowdown may be temporary, as the ripple effects of the Iran conflict are expected to be reflected in upcoming reports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“We must wait and see. Should the \u200bconflict come to \u200ban end \u2060soon and oil prices return to normal, at least in part, the possibility of an interest rate \u200bcut is likely to arise again later this \u200byear,\u201d said an analyst.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
South \u2060Africa’s producer inflation slowed to 1.8% year on year in February from 2.2% in January, statistics agency data showed on Thursday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On the Johannesburg \u2060Stock \u200bExchange, the Top-40 index was down 1.9% \u200bin early trade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As of Friday, 27 March, the rand is trading at <\/strong>R17.04 <\/strong>to the dollar, R22.74 to the pound, and R19.67 to the euro. Gold is currently valued at $4,445.9 per ounce, while oil prices have risen to $107.6 <\/strong>per barrel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
5 important things happening in South Africa today<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Good news for DStv subscribers:<\/strong> DStv subscription fees will not increase in 2026. That\u2019s the commitment from Willington Ngwepe, CEO of MultiChoice (Pty) Ltd, the pay-TV broadcaster\u2019s licensing entity in South Africa. [MyBroadband<\/a>]<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
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