On paper, many of the 14 points outlined in Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba’s stimulus plan appear to be supportive of the ambition to lift South Africa out of its recession. However, business confidence is undoubtedly the key to any attempt at reigniting growth. Sadly, the current noxious political environment, with its associated policy uncertainty, is starving the economy of any such confidence. Until the politics is addressed, the plan looks exceedingly vulnerable.