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Thursday, July 23, 2009.

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

Making headlines today:

The Department of Water and Environmental Affairs will develop a framework for a Basic Refuse Removal Policy aimed at assisting communities that can't afford waste removal services.

Water and Environmental Affairs Minister Buyelwa Sonjica said that her department intended to take the policy to Cabinet for approval before the end of the year.

She said that municipalities didn't always have the necessary resources to deliver on waste removal services, acknowledging that not enough funding was directed at this function.

Sonjica further stated that the Department of Water and Environmental Affairs was currently in the process of developing a master plan, called the National Waste Management Strategy. This would act as a guideline to implement the newly established National Environmental Management Waste Act.

Diversified resources group Anglo American has sold a large portion of its shareholding in aluminium semifabricator Hulamin to Coronation Asset Management. This is in line with Anglo's plans to focus on its core mining operations.

The group sold 61-million Hulamin shares, representing about 21,5% of Hulamin's entire issued shares, to Coronation for 732-million-rand.

Anglo still held a 17% stake in the aluminium company. It said it planned to "explore options for unlocking value" from its remaining shareholding in Hulamin.

Also making headlines:

Telecommunications company Vodacom's revenue is up, but customer growth is expected to slow.
The Comores air disaster Airbus recovery operation is now in the preliminary phase.
Altech and Ellies sign a set-top-box distribution deal as South Africa migrates to digital television.
And, Zimbabwe and South Africa are set to conclude the long-awaited Bilateral Investment Protection Agreement soon.

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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