From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, this is the Real Economy Report. Our top stories this week: we ask if the election of a new ANC government will mean new economic policies for the country; an instrumentation company looks to diversify the market; and we look at the impact of the global recession on air freight in Africa.

Shannon O'Donnell:
South Africa has a new government. What will this mean for the country's economic policies? Keith Campbell reports.

Keith Campbell:
South African voters have re-elected the African National Congress to power, but now under the leadership of Jacob Zuma. Will this change in leadership lead to a change in the country's economic policies? I put this question to Tony Twine, a senior economist at consultancy Econometrix.

Tony Twine, senior economist, Econometrix

Shannon O'Donnell:
A South African electrical and instrumentation company is diversifying into new markets to ensure its future growth. Chanel Pringle has the story, after this commercial break.

Ukwazi Mining advert

Chanel Pringle:
Electrical & instrumentation company, B&W Instrumentation, is in the process of diversifying into markets other than the mining sector, on which it previously focused.

Chairperson John Barrow says the company is working on entering the oil & gas, the power generation and infrastructure sectors where it sees plenty of growth in future.

B&W Instrumentation, chairperson, John Barrow

Chanel Pringle:
The company has already identified a number of potential projects in these sectors in South Africa and Africa.

Its aim is to secure about R150-million of work in the oil & gas sector, and about R190-million of work in the power generation sector, within the next few months.

Meanwhile, Barrow says the company has experienced delays to projects it was working on, especially outside of South Africa.

John Barrow

Shannon O'Donnell:
The world is in recession. What impact has this had on the air cargo sector in Africa? Keith Campbell has been finding out.

Keith Campbell:
With poor land and nearly non-existent river transport, air-freight is especially important to Africa. International Air Transport Association Regional Vice-President for Africa, Lance Brogden, gives an overview of the continent's main airfreight hubs and the impact of the global recession on the sector.

International Air Transport Association, Regional Vice-President for Africa, Lance Brogden

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

We report that South Africa's largest steel merchant, Macsteel, expects the South African steel market to shrink by 30% this year.

Read how South Africa's engineer-to-citizen ratio is worsening, with only 0,5 students produced in engineering and the natural sciences for every 100 members of the population.

And, we report that the world's light vehicle output could fall to its lowest level since 2001.

And in Mining Weekly this week:

We ask what's in store for platinum as the automotive industry declines.

We report that South African gold major Harmony Gold will be debt free by mid-May with 1,5-billion-rand in cash.

And, coal miner Coal of Africa Limited's Vele colliery project faces opposition owing to a likely environmental impact.

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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