Ronnie Bethlehem South African economy collection

Scope and Content

Subjects include sanctions, responses to the state of emergency, monetary policy, fiscal policy, taxation policy, exchange rates; housing policy, business and a democratic South Africa; the money markets in South Africa; restructuring of the South African economy; transition to post-apartheid South Africa. Includes reports for the Johannesburg Consolidated Investment Company Ltd on financial markets and the South African economy. Also includes correspondence, papers of the Society of Investment Analysts of Southern Africa, c1968-1975; articles by Ronnie Bethlehem; notes for Thabo Mbeki on economic policy; papers of the South African Chamber of Commerce, Business South Africa, National Economic Development and Labour Council.

Administrative / Biographical History

Ronnie Bethlehem was born on 18 April 1935 in Johannesburg. He was educated at the University of the Witwatersrand and then at the University of South Africa, where he completed his Phd. He became the Group Economic Consultant at the Johannesburg Consolidated Investment Company and was the founder of The Investment Society of South Africa. He edited its journal from 1969 until his death. On his retirement Ronnie Bethlehem was appointed Visiting Professor of Business Economics at the University of the Witwatersrand. He was on the Financial Mail's board of economists and wrote regular articles and commentaries for Business Day. Ronnie Bethlehem was the author of Economics in a Revolutionary Society (1988). He met with the African National Congress (ANC) in Lusaka prior to the ANC being banned. He also advised the future president,Thabo Mbeki, on economic matters.

Access Information

Open for research although at least 48 hours notice is required (off-site storage). Access to individual files might also be restricted under the Freedom of Information Act. See archivist for details.

Archivist's Note

Description by Richard Temple.

Geographical Names