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Monday, November 24, 2008.

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

Making headlines today:

On Friday, Bombardier Transportation UK and the Strategic Partners Group officially launched its joint-venture tracklaying contracting company, Isithimela Rail Services.

The company had been subcontracted to complete the track works aspects of the rapid-rail project in a contract worth 820-million rand.

Isithimela CEO David Cottrell said that the company would be responsible for a number of aspects, including the supply of materials for the installation works and providing the plant and equipment to execute the track works.

It likely would also be appointed to conduct the track maintenance when the rapid-rail project was completed.

Meanwhile, Gautrain Management Agency CEO Jack van der Merwe said that transformation and empowerment had to leave a legacy.

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On Friday, State transport utility Transnet announced that CEO Maria Ramos would step down at the end of February after five years at the helm.

Banking group Absa announced that she would replace Steve Booysen as CEO on the first of March, 2009.

Transnet, meanwhile, did not immediately name a successor. Chairperson Fred Phaswana said only that, "in line with the board's succession plans . . . it would announce Ms Ramos' successor at the appropriate time before she leaves".

Phaswana indicated, too, that Ramos had always expressed a desire to explore challenges outside the company once the turnaround of Transnet had been completed. Ramos joined Transnet in late 2003.

Also making headlines:

Pressure is growing for the World Trade Organisation to hold a ministerial meeting on the Doha round next month.
ArcelorMittal South Africa will cut its prices again in December.
The construction of an Eastern Cape bioethanol plant is expected to start next year.
And, the office overseeing the Clean Development Mechanism registrations may be transferred to the Department of environmental affairs and tourism.

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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