Dr Roelof Botha completed his honours- and master’s degrees in economics via evening classes (cum laude) at the University of Pretoria, secured a Doctorate at the University of Johannesburg (erstwhile RAU) and has served CAASA as our Economic Advisory, Honorary Treasurer, and Honorary Board member since 2016.
He has shared a platform with two Nobel Peace Prize winners and is a previous Finmedia Economist of the Year award winner. His eldest son (also Roelof) is the lead partner at Sequoia Venture Capital in Silicon Valley, California, where he co-founded PayPal & engineered the YouTube/Google acquisition.
Professional experience (spanning more than 45 years) includes the following: economic policy advisor at the National Treasury, financial editor of a daily newspaper, senior lecturer in economics at various universities, and chief economist of the SA Federated Chamber of Industries.
He has published more than 2,000 articles and research reports, and more than 1,000 organisations (companies, employer organisations, and public sector institutions) have used his experience to analyse key macroeconomic and socio-political trends in the Southern African region.
He is currently the economic advisor to the Optimum Investment Group and is the author of several columns in national and regional publications, including Media24, BetterBond Property Brief and The Bright Side, published by the international firm Currencies Direct.
Doc Roelof, as he is usually referred to, is well-known for his balanced perspective on South Africa’s socio-economic prospects, which have improved considerably in the post-Covid era. The damage inflicted on the country because of a decade of state capture and mismanagement of the economy is slowly but surely being repaired, primarily via a new economic policy approach emphasising public/private partnerships. The latter is expected to gain traction now that South Africa has a national unity government committed to free enterprise principles.
Recent, accurate predictions include the GDP growth rate for 2023, the strength of the US exchange rate in 2023, the sharp decline in South Africa’s inflation rate and the Springboks’ World Cup Victories in 2019 & 2023!
He has participated in various competitive sports, including soccer, cricket, and parachuting, and he is a member of the Gideons.