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Thursday, January 15, 2009.

From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I'm Shannon O'Donnell.

Making headlines today:

On Wednesday, the Kenya Airports Authority said that it would sign a $350-million deal with an investment group from Qatar. This was for the development of a hotel and conference centre at Nairobi's international airport.

KAA said the deal would be signed this week in Nairobi with Doha-based Afro Asia Investment Corporation.

The investment would be in line with an expansion programme at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

The Eastern Cape Department of Housing is planning to build in excess of 67 500 houses in the province between 2009 and 2012. It is now starting to buy land to execute the plan.

The Department's GM of housing and asset management, Tandi Cebe, said the provincial government wanted to obtain as much land as possible so that it could assist local municipalities in executing their Breaking New Ground projects. These projects aim to provide permanent housing to all in the country.

Overall, the department had identified a need for in excess of 80 000 houses for the province.

The pieces of land had to be a minimum of 20 acres, had to be close to areas of economic activity, employment opportunities and social amenities, and had to have bulk services, such as electricity, water and sewerage available.

Also making headlines:

A new energy research organisation will be established this year.
The Competition body blocks a construction-sector merger.
Aircraft manufacturer Airbus builds a 140-million Euro energy efficient factory for its new A350 XWB aircraft.
And, a new law seeks to ensure the effective use of intellectual property.

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

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