South African freight logistics group Transnet is making strides in re-establishing South Africa as a manufacturing base of locomotives. CEO Brian Molefe and Transnet Rail Engineering CE Richard Vallihu offer some insight into developments.

It’s the end of a busy working year and as has become tradition, Creamer Media reviews a selection of the most popular Real Economy Reports of 2011.

From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, this is the Real Economy Report. For over 30 years, Ash Resources has turned a waste product of Eskom’s pulverised coal-fired power stations into an environmentally-friendly and sustainable building material. Schalk Burger finds out some alternative uses for this versatile product.

From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, this is the Real Economy Report. A British team will aim to break the landspeed record on Hakskeen Pan, in the Northern Cape, in 2013, and it is looking for South African companies and schools to become involved in the 1 600 km/h attempt.

From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, this is the Real Economy Report. Samsung has launched a new initiative for the African continent, aiming to provide the most desolate areas with solar powered Internet schools. Megan Wait reports.

Mining equipment maker Joy Global Africa will invest R70-million in a new distribution centre at its Wadeville Centre of Excellence Plant, in Germiston, east of Johannesburg. At the sod-turning event on Thursday, logistics and distribution director Annalize Engelbrecht told Engineering News Online that the facility would be a consolidation of all supply services at its sites in Steeledale, Tulisa Park and Wadeville to support its manufacturing process.

In the run-up to the African National Congress’ (ANC’s) June policy conference, the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) plans to lobby aggressively for a change to the current public service framework allowing government officials to sustain their private business interests – a situation that the union federation believes is facilitating and sustaining large-scale corruption. Speaking at the launch of Corruption Watch, a new independent anti-corruption watchdog, general-secretary Zwelinzima Vavi said Cosatu was of the firm view that individuals should be forced to “choose whether they want to pursue their business interests, or serve the public”.

Proudly South African is the “buy local” campaign launched in 2001 by government, organised business, organised labour and community organisations (the constituencies represented in the National Economic Development and Labour Council – Nedlac) to boost job creation and pride in “local” by promoting South African companies and their ‘homegrown’ products and services.

In 2010, I spent a month at the Stellenbosch Institute of Advanced Studies (STIAS) as a research fellow.

A diverse and robust energy industry can be created in South Africa through government’s deregulation of the South African energy generation market, similar to the deregulation and subsequent boom of the telecommunications industry, says electronic and electrical specialist company Jasco CEO Pete da Silva.

The global steel industry has returned to a solid growth footing in 2010; the RMB/BER Business Confidence index fell by seven points to a level of 36 in the second quarter; and Exxaro plans to develop clean energy power projects with a total capacity of 350 MW.

The new east-to-north directional flyover at the Gillooly's interchange is opened to traffic; Eskom's discussions with Anglo American regarding a price agreement for the Skorpion zinc mine are "progressing well"; and the CrossPolo becomes the second model of the refreshed Polo series to be introduced locally.

Gautrain announces costs to use the Gautrain first-phase service; Eskom is granted an urgent court interdict to prevent union members from striking from May 26 onwards; and transport workers call for possible sympathy stoppages.

SA transport unions reach a proposed wage deal with Transnet; South Africa could sell its stake in ArcelorMittal's South Arica unit if competition authorities find the company raised steel prices without good reason; and 300 000 jobs could be created in South Africa's renewable energy sector over the next ten years.

South African iron-ore miner Kumba Iron Ore (KIO) on Tuesday effectively moved its ongoing dispute with ArcelorMittal South Africa (AMSA) from the realm of a pure dispute over pricing, into one that could now also affect supply, indicating to Engineering News Online that it could as "a last resort" terminate supply to Africa's largest steel producer. In a note to shareholders, the JSE-listed miner said that, unless there was urgent resolution on an interim pricing and payment mechanism, the basis upon which it would continue to supply iron-ore the steel producer could be affected.

South Africa is set to benefit from its strong position in vanadium, which is being developed to store electricity; the US government is now offering South Africa’s free insights into the money-making shale-gas business; and South Africa’s one and only orbiting satellite has been declared dead and the space mission is now being wound up.

The government is considering the creation of a Special Economic Zone to reap maximum benefit from South Africa’s unique position in platinum; South Africans are eyeing the Republic of Congo as a major iron-ore investment destination; and South Africa is leading the way in the distribution of shareholder-type wealth to mineworkers.

The US retail giant Walmart is storming into South Africa waving a big green wand; South Africa’s Sasol has bought into the new billion-dollar climate-change technology project in Norway; and South Africa has a great opportunity to use platinum, which it has in abundance, to lower its high level of carbon emission.

Anglo American says ‘hundreds of thousands of jobs’ can be created in South Africa from developing fuel cells, Brazil and South Africa are in talks to trade with the rand and the real rather than the dollar and the euro; and the local manufacture of the minibus taxi is back, thanks to a new government incentive.

Some very interesting news coming through, good news for some 6 200 iron-ore workers; Canada prepares to take on Botswana in the new fight for world diamond dominance; and COP 17 dominating headlines this week