Thursday, July seventeen, 2008.

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

Making headlines today:

Telephone penetration in South Africa was over 90%, however, internet penetration, lagging far behind at 10,6%, was where South Africa, and Africa in general, had not been successful, Vodacom CEO Alan Knott-Craig said on Wednesday.

About 14 years ago, telephones were only at about 10% penetration as well, but healthy competition in the market changed that relatively quickly.

Knott-Craig said that there was no reason, without a little bit of innovation, that companies could not get internet penetration up to 91% in 15 years.

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National carrier South African Airways has managed to achieve a 2-billion rand turnaround in its 2007/2008 financial year, delivering a net profit before restructuring costs of 123-million rand, compared with a loss of 883-million rand the year before, the airline reported on Wednesday.

SAA chairperson Professor Jakes Gerwel commented during a financial results presentation that the airline's restructuring process was "life-saving".

SAA Chief Financial Officer Kaushik Patel added that the restructuring process had changed the business to such an extent that it could deliver a net profit of 123-million rand.

The one-day strike organised by the Congress of Trade Unions of South Africa (Cosatu), was affecting mines in the Free State and Mpumalanga provinces, as workers downed tools in protest to rising food and energy prices.

The industrial action formed part of Cosatu's national campaign, which started with a one-day strike in three provinces last week.

Gold Fields spokesperson Daniel Thole said that only one of its three shafts at the Beatrix mine, in the Free State, was operational as normal. The South and North shafts both had about 10% attendance. The National Union of Mineworkers had applied for a one-day political protest, which started from eight thirty on Tuesday night.

Also making headlines:

Sasol to start Mozambique gas drilling programme in third quarter
Vehicle repossession at highest levels in recent times
Oil steady after sharp losses on slowing US demand
Trans Hex walks away from Kimberley Consolidated Mining exploration joint venture
Harmony gets ministerial approval for Papua New Guinea venture
And, Petra wraps up acquisition of iconic Cullinan mine

In political news:

Groundbreaking interfaith meeting shuns extremism
Zimbabwe trade unions condemn Robert Mugabe's re-election
The ANC is dealing with premiers issue at own pace says Gwede Mantashe
And, Sudan's Bashir could escape International Criminal Court indictment

That's a round up of news making headlines today. For more on these and other stories, visit engineeringnews.co.za, miningweekly.com and polity.org.za