From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, this is the Real Economy Report. Our top stories this week:
The Chamber of Mines skills developer Vusi Mabena voices his call for the development of more artisans,
The newly elected ANC leadership sends off positive signals on skills and affirmative action,
And, South Africa is to host it's own version of the German Automechanika show next year

SHANNON:
The South African Chamber of Mines skills developer Vusi Mabena is creating the new Employment & Skills Development Agency to skill up the jobless, as Mining Weekly editor Martin Creamer reports.

MARTIN:
Chamber of Mines president Sipho Nkosi last week hosted a vigorous debate in which speaker after speaker demanded that South Africa's skills haemorrhage be stopped. One person vocal on generating more artisans is Vusi Mabena.

SOUTH AFRICAN CHAMBER OF MINES SKILLS DEVELOPER VUSI MABENA

MARTIN: But will that be enough?

SOUTH AFRICAN CHAMBER OF MINES SKILLS DEVELOPER VUSI MABENA

MARTIN: But the world is poaching South Africa skills, left, right and centre.

SOUTH AFRICAN CHAMBER OF MINES SKILLS DEVELOPER VUSI MABENA

MARTIN: Who will fund all this?

SOUTH AFRICAN CHAMBER OF MINES SKILLS DEVELOPER VUSI MABENA

SHANNON:
We'll be back after this short commercial break.

SHANNON:
The ruling party's newly elected leadership recently sent off positive signals on skills and affirmative action, and urged the construction industry to put more pressure on government to formalise long-awaited policy changes. Matthew Hill reports.

MATTHEW:
ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe says that worries over affirmative action in South Africa will soon dissolve when the country broadens its skills base to encompass all citizens, after decades of apartheid rule denied blacks the right skilled jobs.

Mantashe says that the small skills base can no longer cope with the country's economic growth, which meant there were enough opportunities for all.

ANC SECRETARY GENERAL GWEDE MANTASHE

MATTHEW:
Speaking at a function where building and civil engineering contractor WBHO handed employees share certificates and cash grants under its Akani broad-based share scheme, Mantashe went on to urge the construction sector to put more pressure on government to push through policy changes.

This came after WBHO officials expressed concern over delays in getting the long awaited construction transformation charter gazetted.

ANC SECRETARY GENERAL GWEDE MANTASHE

SHANNON:
The local vehicle-component manufacturing industry will have a new platform to showcase their products on as from next year. Germany's well-known Automechanika show is coming to South Africa, as Irma Venter reports.

IRMA:
South Africa will host a local version of the German Automechanika show next year.

The event will be held at the Johannesburg Expo Centre from March 18 to March 21, showcasing the local and international component industry, the automotive aftermarket, workshops, the tyre and wheel industry, car wash technology, and the industries surrounding service stations.

Dogan Trading, a joint venture between the Johannesburg Expo Centre and South African Show Services, has been granted the right to host the show by event owner Messe Frankfurt.
South Africa is the thirteenth country to host an Automechanika show, says Messe Frankfurt board management member Detlef Braun, following in the footsteps of countries such as Russia, China and Thailand.

MESSE FRANKFURT BOARD MANAGEMENT MEMBER DETLEF BRAUN

IRMA:
Braun says there are a few good reasons Messe Frankfurt decided to bring Automechanika to South Africa.

MESSE FRANKFURT BOARD MANAGEMENT MEMBER DETLEF BRAUN

IRMA:
Securing the licence to host the show took 18 months of tough negotiation, says Dogan Trading chairperson Andrew Mthembu, and now the company anticipates big things to follow.

DOGAN TRADING CHAIRPERSON ANDREW MTHEMBU

IRMA:
A successful Automechanika may lead to bigger things, says Braun.

SHANNON:
And now for a sneak preview of this week's Engineering News magazine:

We report on how the electricity crisis creates a nurturing environment for the accelerated deployment of green-building techniques

About Eskom and Transnet's move to shift procurement focus from compliance to the ‘national value add' imperative

And, a report that diesel demand is nearly double that of 1994, with expectations that this will grow further.

And in Mining Weekly this week:

We report on Exxaro CEO Sipho Nkosi's declaration that the skills issue is a national crisis

How Pan African resources company Mwana Africa has decided to press ahead with its Hunter's Road nickel project in Zimbabwe s

And, AngloGold Ashanti's CEO Mark Cutifani sees an opportunity to transform what is currently a gold-focused company into a global diversified multicommodity mining major.

SHANNON:
That's Creamer Media's Real Economy Report. Join us again next week for more news and insight into South Africa's real economy.

 

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