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Real Economy report – The best of 2012

The best of 2012

13th December 2012

By: Creamer Media Reporter

  

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Another busy year has come to an end, so Creamer Media’s Real Economy Report reflects on a selection of stories that made news headlines this year:BAE SYSTEMS LAND SYSTEMS SOUTH AFRICA (RER 222)

We start our 2012 roundup with local defence company BAE Systems Land Systems South Africa’s demonstration of its latest versions of two gun turrets developed by its Dynamics division.

BAE Systems Land Systems South Africa business development manager – Dynamics Gerrie van der Merwe

DENEL DYNAMICS (RER 219)

Keeping with defence, we show you Denel Dynamics’ new unmanned air vehicle, which was displayed at this year’s African Aeropsace and Defence exhibition.

Denel Dynamics programme manager – Hungwe Sepanki Pheto

JOSHCO INNER CITY HOUSING (RER 208)

From defence to housing: the next insert details how a City of Johannesburg initiative is redeveloping abandoned or derelict buildings in the city centre into low-cost accommodation units for the working poor.

The Johannesburg Social housing Company, or JOSHCO, currently manages around 7 500 units which are spread across several projects in the inner city and which provide housing for around 25 000 tenants. The company aims to further densify in core locations where infrastructure and public transport networks will be less costly to maintain.

NHBRC ERIC MOLOBI INNOVATIVE HOUSING HUB (RER 209)

Moving now to alternative building technologies, the Eric Molobi Housing Innovation Hub was developed through a private-public partnership between parastatal the National Home Builders Registration Council and the banking sector, and provides a space in which private companies can permanently showcase alternative building technologies.

NHBRC engineer Paimaan Byron

OFF-THE-GRID HOUSING (RER 205)

We stay with the theme of housing, this time visiting an off-the-grid residential development in Midrand.

With increased demand for sustainable, energy-efficient housing, local developers have shifted focus towards a greener approach to building design. Crucial to low-energy or off-the-electric-grid living, is the ability of the structure to be fully insulated to prevent unnecessary heat transfer. Those in the South African housing market believe the industry is ready for the large-scale introduction of green housing.

PHELOPHEPA II (RER 193)

From off-the-grid housing to health trains: our next insert documents Transnet’s partnership with its sponsors Roche and Colgate-Palmolive in launching the R82-million Phelophepa II health train, which aims to provide quality healthcare to more rural people.

TRANSNET PORT OF NGQURA (RER 191)

We move now to South Africa's newest deep-water harbour, which was officially opened by President Jacob Zuma in March. The facility is already operating as a trans-shipment hub, but there are now plans to develop it into a new minerals gateway.

South African President Jacob Zuma

EZEMVELO FARM PROGRAMME (RER 213)

Moving onto farming, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson said at the August launch of South African retailer Massmart’s pilot Ezemvelo Direct Farm programme, in Limpopo, that public-private partnerships would be central to developing smallholder farmers.

Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson

TOTAL SOUTH AFRICA ‘GREEN’ SERVICE STATION (RER 221)

We move now to Total South Africa’s ‘green’ service station. Located in Fairlands, in Johannesburg, this is the South African pilot site for an environment-friendly concept that has so far been successfully tested by the Total Group in Indonesia and Germany, and forms part of a R500-million nationwide rollout programme.

RAND WATER (RER 214)

And finally, we take a look at local bulk water utility Rand Water, which says it’s still supplying Gauteng residents with some of the best water in the world. Engineering News visited the utility’s Zuikerbosch plant to witness the purification process first-hand.

Rand Water process quality manager and chemist Yvonne Rakobane

That’s it from this year’s Real Economy Report team. Log on next year for more news and updates on the economy, and the best South Africa has to offer in the fields of science and technology.

Credits:
Bruce Hayter, Chanel de Bruyn, Charles Hayter, Christo Greyling, Darlene Creamer, David Shepherd, Dimakatso Motau, Duane Daws, Enver Domingo, Idele Esterhuizen, Irma Venter, Jackson Kgoale, Joanne Taylor, Keith Campbell, Kenneth Creamer, Leandi Kolver, Mariaan Webb, Martin Creamer, Megan Wait, Natalie Greve, Natasha Odendaal, Nicholas Boyd, Nomvelo Buthelezi, Reinette Classen, Samantha Moolman, Schalk Burger, Shane Williams, Shannon de Ryhove, Sheila Barradas, Terence Creamer, Tracy Hancock, Veronica Creamer, Yolande Botes.

Edited by Shannon de Ryhove
Contributing Editor

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