What other countries can teach SA about handling a debt crisis

It's no secret that South Africa is facing a potential economic crisis. Debt has been rising unsustainably and economic growth is too low to keep up with our debt obligations. This means that the prospect of an IMF bailout is becoming ever-more likely. While South Africans are – rightly – afraid of this prospect, a debt crisis doesn't have to mean the end of the line. The experience of other indebted emerging markets around the world can offer some important lessons for SA. In this episode, featuring content from Bloomberg's Odd Lots podcast, I take a look at what we can learn from the experience of other nations that have faced economic headwinds similar to ours.  – Felicity Duncan

South Africa has a debt problem. Over the last few years, the country's debt-to-GDP ratio has risen to over 60% on the back of enormous debt piles at underperforming state-owned enterprises like Eskom and SAA. Government has been forced to borrow in international markets to finance its day-to-day spending, and interest payments now account for a sizeable chunk of the annual budget.

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