Smart Money – Efficient Group chief economist Dawie Roodt

In this Smart Money with Alishia Seckam interview, Dawie Roodt discusses his expectations for South Africa’s 2025 economic growth.

Roodt is an executive director, the chief economist at Efficient Group, and the chairman of Efficient Private Clients.

He is one of South Africa’s leading financial experts and among the most referenced economists in the country.

Roodt earned a Master’s degree (cum laude) in Economics and began his career as an economist at the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) before co-founding Efficient Group with Heiko Weidhase in 2002.

Since then, Roodt has played a key role in growing Efficient Group into a diversified financial services group that offers tailor-made investment products across the value chain.

Today, the company services over 77,000 clients across South Africa and manages more than R30 billion in assets.

With over 30 years of experience in monetary and fiscal policy, Roodt is a trusted voice on how local events, including political developments, affect the South African economy.

These valuable insights have made Roodt a well-known author and a frequent guest lecturer.

He is also a popular television and radio presenter, having hosted over 1,000 television episodes and 1,500 radio programs.

Beyond his professional career, Roodt is an amateur ichthyologist and a lifetime honorary member of the Zoological Society of South Africa.

He holds national colours for powered paragliding and has completed several marathons and Ironman races across the globe.

The interview

In this Smart Money interview, Roodt shares his views on South Africa’s economic growth prospects in 2025, including how much room the Reserve Bank has to manage inflation and the rand’s volatility.

He then explains how he believes South Africa can accelerate its economic growth and what he’d focus on if he controlled the government budget for 2025.

Roodt also discusses how social safety net factors contribute to South Africa’s economic growth potential and how small businesses can be used to empower the economy.

He explains how the election of US President Donald Trump impacts South Africa. He concludes the interview by advising where South Africans should invest in 2025 to secure their wealth.

Watch the interview with Dawie Roodt below.