Announcing South Africa's 2024 Election Outlook with Special Insights from J.S. Held's Africa-focused Strategic Advisory Team

JERICHO, N.Y., May 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Global consulting firm J.S. Held, proudly celebrating 50 transformative years, announces the rebranding of Africa Matters Limited, (AML) a part of J.S. Held, to Strategic Advisory, Africa. The team, led by Managing Directors Indigo Ellis, Piers Dawson, and Senior Advisor Ross Alexander, brings extensive expertise in business intelligence, government relations advisory, and sustainability consulting to companies conducting business across and considering investment in the African continent.

To mark this milestone, the Strategic Advisory, Africa team has released a comprehensive analysis titled "South Africa's 2024 Election Outlook," authored by Connor Vasey and Anna Westwell. The paper delves into the country's most significant election since 1994 as voters prepare to elect members of the national and provincial legislature with the majority party, or coalition, going on to form a government and install a president, on May 29, 2024. The report highlights the historical significance of the election, the challenges faced by the incumbent African National Congress, and the potential for policymaking inconsistency in the aftermath of the election.

Key insights from the analysis include:

1. The incumbent African National Congress (ANC), led by President Cyril Ramaphosa, is likely to lose its parliamentary majority and be forced into a coalition government.
2. The electorate is increasingly frustrated with poor service delivery, persistent economic challenges, and violent crime, making this election historically significant.
3. Negative trends put the ANC on course to lose its majority, but the party is not out of the race entirely.
4. Intraparty, rather than interparty, jostling will fuel policy inconsistency in the aftermath of the election.

"Our team is dedicated to providing clients with the critical insights and strategic guidance needed to navigate Africa's complex political and economic landscape," said Indigo Ellis. "This election outlook is just one example of how we combine our deep understanding of the region with data-driven analysis to help organizations make informed decisions."

As the focus on innovative development continues to grow, organizations with interests across the African continent engage J.S. Held experts to address a wide range of business issues. The team of Africa-focused Strategic Advisory experts understand the evolving regional landscapes across the continent and have the experience needed to navigate its challenges. J.S. Held experts use extensive public and private sector networks to help clients successfully identify and engage with business-critical government stakeholders. To learn more about how experts across the firm are engaged to advise clients seeking to realize value and mitigate risk in Africa, please visit https://www.jsheld.com/areas-of-expertise/risk-advisory/business-intelligence/government-relations-advisory.

Global news outlets regularly call upon J.S. Held experts in the region to provide fact-based perspectives on critical issues impacting business decision-making and risk mitigation.

The Global Investigations practice at J.S. Held has grown from strategic acquisitions like AML and senior expert hires from leading consultancies. Greg Esslinger, Executive Vice President and Global Investigations Practice Lead, shares, "The team continues to work tirelessly as we thoughtfully expand our capabilities, adding unique and diverse skills to ensure seamless collaboration across the practice and J.S. Held."  Esslinger continues, "Our commitment to work as one organization, leveraging expertise across geographies, industries, and cultures, results in superior outcomes for our clients." 

Across J.S. Held, experts work for clients in 80+ countries. Among the more than 60,000 client engagements in 2023, experts advised multinational extractive companies on their exposure to political and 'above ground' risk in a range of markets in Africa, including Nigeria, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, providing multi-phase assessments of political, economic risk, regulation and government interference, security, and on-the-ground operational challenges – such as artisanal mining.

Learn more about the dedicated and entrepreneurial experts who help transform J.S. Held, explore our story, and celebrate this momentous milestone, our 50 & Forward celebration, with us at jsheld.com.

About J.S. Held

J.S. Held is a global consulting firm providing technical, scientific, financial, and strategic expertise across all assets and value at risk. Our professionals serve as trusted advisors to organizations facing high-stakes matters demanding urgent attention, staunch integrity, proven experience, clear-cut analysis, and an understanding of both tangible and intangible assets. The firm provides a comprehensive suite of services, products, and data that enable clients to navigate complex, contentious, and often catastrophic situations.

More than 1,500 professionals serve organizations across six continents, including 81% of the Global 200 Law Firms, 70% of the Forbes Top 20 Insurance Companies (85% of the NAIC Top 50 Property & Casualty Insurers), and 65% of the Fortune 100 Companies.

J.S. Held, its affiliates and subsidiaries are not certified public accounting firm(s) and do not provide audit, attest, or any other public accounting services. J.S. Held, its affiliates and subsidiaries are not law firms and do not provide legal advice. Securities offered through PM Securities, LLC, d/b/a Phoenix IB, a part of J.S. Held, member FINRA/ SIPC or Ocean Tomo Investment Group, LLC, a part of J.S. Held, member FINRA/ SIPC. All rights reserved.

Media Contact

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