From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, this is the Real Economy Report. Our top stories this week:
The local diamond industry needs a skills rethink;
We have a look at the latest product development from heavy lifting contractor the Sarens group;
And, the Legacy Group's latest hotel development, the Da Vinci hotel, goes solar.

Shannon de Ryhove:
Luxury diamond and jewellery brand African Romance says that the local diamond industry needs a skills rethink. Jonathan Faurie has the story.

Jonathan Faurie:
African Romance CEO Mohseen Moosa reports that although the local diamond industry is well established, it can improve to compete with the best industries in the world.

African Romance CEO Mohseen Moosa

Jonathan Faurie:
He adds that a collaborative effort from key industry role players is needed to achieve this.

Mohseen Moosa

Shannon de Ryhove:
The Sarens group is developing a giant crane in-house, in answer to the industry trend of building bigger modules, which are more complex to lift. Petronel Smit reports.

Petronel Smit:
Higher capacity cranes are the future of the lifting industry as loads are getting heavier and solutions are becoming more complex. Sarens' global CEO Wim Sarens tells us more about the company's latest development, he giant crane.

Sarens global CEO Wim Sarens

Petronel Smit:
Sarens says that the outlook for the crane industry is positive, although developed markets are experiencing some challenges.

Wim Sarens

Shannon de Ryhove:
There is a rooftop in the Sandton CBD that looks very different from the rest. It is the Legacy Group's latest hotel development, the Da Vinci hotel, and it boasts a 117-panel commercial solar water heating installation.

Christy van der Merwe:
The system was installed by Kayema Energy solutions, and has the capacity to heat some 20 000 litres of water.

Kayema Energy Solutions MD Daniel Schwab

Christy van der Merwe:
The dimensions of the roof posed some significant challenges.

Kayema Energy Solutions GM James Shirley

Daniel Schwab

Christy van der Merwe:
And what about the skills to install these systems?

James Shirley

Daniel Schwab

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

In this week's cover story, we report that several African States are actively preparing to join the nuclear energy club.

We report that the bulk of the 52-billion-rand railways spend will be directed towards rolling stock.

And, South Africa is confirmed as a partner country in Brazil's new aviation programme.

And in Mining Weekly this week:

Our cover story highlights how, after last year's scramble to strengthen balance sheets, a merger and acquisition whirl has returned to the mining space.

Fledgling gold-mining company Aurora Empowerment Systems is suffering strain, leading to thousands of workers going on strike.

And, we report that diamond-focused jewellery company African Romance grew by 300% during the economic crisis.

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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