From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, this is the Real Economy Report. Our top stories this week: the South African defence industry needs to consolidate, the Air Traffic and Navigation Services Company is installing a surface movement guidance and control system at two of South Africa's busiest airports, and, Exxaro launches the Chair in Business and Climate Change.

Shannon O'Donnell:
Consolidation is essential to ensure the future of the local defence industry. Keith Campbell has the story.

Keith Campbell:
Shaun Liebenberg stepped down as CEO of State-owned defence group Denel on May 31st. Having served in both the private and public sectors of the local defence industry, he says that, while it is highly competent technically, it has a major weakness.

Denel former-CEO Shaun Liebenberg

Shannon O'Donnell:
We'll be back after this short commercial break.

Shannon O'Donnell:
Safety in air traffic control is vital. We spoke to ATNS project manager Philip Smuts about the systems upgrade at two major airports.

Shannon O'Donnell:
The Advanced Surface Movement Guidance and Control System, being installed at the OR Tambo and Cape Town International Airports by the Air Traffic and Navigation Services company, will provide continuous detection, tracking, monitoring and display of aircraft, vehicles, people, animals and obstruction positions on and near the surface of all airport movement areas. The systems will meet operational requirements in reduced visibility.

Project manager Philip Smuts explains.

Project manager Philip Smuts

Shannon O'Donnell:
Smuts says that unidentified vehicles and objects on the airport runways and taxiways will be detected by the different types of sensors used in the system.

Project manager Philip Smuts

Shannon O'Donnell:
For Creamer Media Television, I am Shannon O'Donnell.

Shannon O'Donnell:
Exxaro is proud to sponsor a Chair that envisions a centre of excellence for research, education and support in Business and Climate Change. Chanel Pringle reports.

Chanel Pringle:
The newly launched Exxaro Chair in Business and Climate Change (ECBCC), which will research climate change developments in the South African context, is in the process of developing a corporate climate change code or 4C code for developing countries, which it believes will raise the bar in terms of climate change response in South Africa.

ECBCC programme manager Dr Hennie Stoffberg says he believes the code, which the ECBCC is developing in cooperation with Ethics SA, will raise the bar beyond ‘business as usual' practices and will transcend the global regulatory framework protocols on climate change, such as the Kyoto protocol, which does not have any legally binding emission reduction targets.

ECBCC programme manager Dr Hennie Stoffberg

Chanel Pringle:
Stoffberg explains that the 4C code is focused on developing economies and a dual economy such as South Africa's. He adds that the ECBCC hopes the code will eventually become a prototype climate change code for developing countries, but that it would first have to be successfully implemented in South Africa.

Dr Hennie Stoffberg

Shannon O'Donnell:
And now for a sneak preview of this week's Engineering News magazine:

Read a report on how Sandton, the continent's richest square mile, could double in size over the next decade

News that the Medupi turbine order may be affected by the China earthquake

And, reports that Armscor's missile acquisition programme will involve plans to boost South African industry

And in Mining Weekly this week:

Read a report on how difficult-to-find coking coal's price rockets as global steel demand orbits

The quest by International Ferro Metals' cogeneration plant to slash carbon dioxide emissions by 160 000 tons

And, about South Africa being a preferred destination for Chinese mining investments

Shannon O'Donnell:
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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