Thursday, February 11, 2010.

From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I'm Shannon de Ryhove.

Making headlines today:

Power costs at steel producer ArcelorMittal South Africa would surge to more than 3,3-billion-rand by 2012, from 1,3-billion-rand in 2009, should Eskom's application for tariff increases of 35% a year between 2010 and 2013 be approved.

The National Energy Regulator of South Africa was currently reviewing Eskom's application and was scheduled to make its determination known on February 24, 2010.

ArcelorMittal South Africa CEO Nonkululeko Nyembezi-Heita says that electricity supply, consumption and costs would be a major focus area for the group in the year ahead, as would its planning for the possible introduction of additional electricity-generating capacity at its mills.

Honda South Africa said on Wednesday that the recall of over 400 000 Hondas in overseas markets due to defective airbags doesn't extend to South Africa.

Joeline Dabrowski, from public relations at Honda SA, said the recall affected the US, Canada, Japan, Mexico, Taiwan and Australia, but not South Africa.

Japan's second largest car manufacturer recalled the vehicles, reportedly to fix airbags that it said could explode and spray out potentially deadly metal shards.
It followed the global recall of over eight-million cars by Japan's largest car manufacturer, Toyota.

The Toyota recall had impacted on the South African market with the local company announcing the recall of more than 52 500 cars.

Also making headlines:

ArcelorMittal SA won't bid for Anglo American's steel unit, Scaw Metals, but is interested in some of its assets.
Mobile operator Vodacom offers to buy back shares from minorities.
President Jacob Zuma will indicate a change in industrial policy in his state of the nation address, but leave an expected announcement on monetary policy to the National Treasury.
And, the Southern African Development Community's fuel demand is expected to grow by 4% a year from 2011.

That's a round up of news making headlines today. For more on these and other stories please visit engineeringnews.co.za.