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Treasury says Pension Funds Act changes encourage infrastructure investment

By: Terence Creamer Updated 2 hours 25 minutes ago The National Treasury has published amendments to Regulation 28 of the Pension Funds Act that encourages infrastructure investments by retirement funds, while still leaving the final investment decision to fund trustees. The amendments will take effect on January 3, 2023. →

Unions sign 7% Eskom wage offer

By: News24Wire Updated 2 hours 10 minutes ago The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) and the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) have accepted Eskom's one-year 7% wage deal have signed an agreement to this effect. This comes after a several-week deadlock in wage talks at the Central Bargaining Forum, which triggered... →

Drakenstein municipality explores IPP procurement to combat load-shedding

By: Terence Creamer Updated 1 hour 45 minutes ago The Drakenstein municipality in the Western Cape – encompassing Paarl, Wellington, Mbekweni, Gouda, Saron, Hermon and Simondium – reports that it is exploring the procurement of electricity from independent power producers (IPPs) to mitigate the negative impact of ongoing load-shedding by Eskom.... →

South African business activity expands at faster pace in June – PMI

By: Reuters Updated 7 hours ago South African private sector activity expanded at a faster rate in June, helped by growth in demand and employment, a survey showed on Tuesday. The S&P Global South Africa Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) rose to 52.5 in June from 50.7 in May, posting its highest reading in just over a year.... →

Firm says at least 32 companies likely to delist from South Africa’s exchanges this year

By: Marleny Arnoldi Updated 4 hours ago South Africa’s stock exchanges are set to experience a few delisting’s in the remainder of the year, which is likely to take the full-year total to at least 32. Consultancy AmaranthCX reports that South Africa had 332 listed companies at the start of the year, across the JSE and three other... →

MTN SA Foundation launches 2022 MTN Women in Digital Business Challenge

By: Natasha Odendaal Updated 2 hours 6 minutes ago The MTN South Africa (SA) Foundation has launched its inaugural 2022 MTN Women in Digital Business Challenge, with a R1-million commitment, to support 10 less established female-owned small, medium-sized and microenterprises (SMMEs). The 10 candidates, who are female graduates and/or alumni... →

Funders give Nampak until April 2023 to reduce debt by R1bn

By: Schalk Burger Updated 3 hours ago JSE-listed packaging company Nampak says funders have agreed to extend the date by which the company is required to reduce its net interest-bearing debt by R1-billion to April 1, 2023. Nampak is expected to repay the R1-billion in debt following either strategic asset disposals or a combination... →

Cell C final recapitalisation in sight as noteholders approve special resolution

By: Natasha Odendaal Updated 1 hour 13 minutes ago The final stages of the overall Cell C recapitalisation transaction are being implemented after lenders of the embattled mobile operator voted in favour of the compromise offer of 20c for every R1 of debt. The overall recapitalisation transaction is expected to proceed to final close late in... →

Global natural gas demand set for slow growth in coming years, IEA report shows

By: Tasneem Bulbulia Updated 1 hour 53 minutes ago Global natural gas consumption is expected to contract slightly this year and grow slowly over the following three years as Russia’s war in Ukraine pushes up prices and fuels fears of further supply disruptions, the International Energy Agency (IEA) states in its latest ‘Gas Market Report’. The... →

Providing water should not be political – Senzo Mchunu

By: Sane Dhlamini Updated 6 hours ago Minister of Water and Sanitation Senzo Mchunu has said that providing water should not be a political nor a rhetorical issue, but, rather, it should be a question of providing a basic service, which is a basic right. He was speaking to local media during his visit to the Nelson Mandela Bay... →

Water and Sanitation Minister Senzo Mchunu

SAS renews Global Academic Programme partnership with NWU

By: Schalk Burger Updated 6 hours ago Data science and analytics multinational SAS has renewed its Global Academic Programme (GAP) partnership with the North-West University (NWU) Centre for Business Mathematics and Informatics (BMI) for another five years, extending its impact in data skills development. The partnership has seen... →

Endeavor Catalyst invests in eight local high-impact businesses

By: Tasneem Bulbulia Updated 6 hours ago Eight South African-founded businesses have secured investment from Endeavor Catalyst Fund. Endeavor Catalyst is a rules-based co-investment fund of Endeavor Global – the largest global community of, by and for high-growth entrepreneurs, with presence in 40 markets. →

Zimbabwe to introduce gold coins as local currency tumbles

By: Reuters Updated 7 hours ago Zimbabwe's central bank said it would start selling gold coins this month as a store of value to tame runaway inflation, which has considerably weakened the local currency. The central bank governor John Mangudya said in a statement on Monday that the coins will be available for sale from July 25... →

Study finds six potentially harmful elements in Krugersdorp game reserve water

By: Schalk Burger Updated 1 hour 12 minutes ago The Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT) academics and their counterparts from the Council for Geosciences have discovered high concentrations of six potentially harmful elements (PHE) in the Krugersdorp Game Reserve. The academics conducted a study to determine the levels of various... →

Europe’s latest space rocket is ready for launch

By: Rebecca Campbell Updated 4 hours ago The European Space Agency (ESA) has announced that its new Vega-C medium-lift space launch vehicle (rocket) is ready for its first flight. Lift-off could happen, assuming correct weather conditions, as soon as July 13. “Vega-C features major enhancements from Vega, both in the rocket and its... →

Photo by ESA
An artist’s impression of Vega-C entering space

Roll-Royce SMR reveals shortlist for site of first factory to make major reactor components

By: Rebecca Campbell Updated 6 hours ago Rolls-Royce SMR, a subsidiary company of the UK-based global major power and propulsion systems group Rolls-Royce, has announced its shortlist of locations to build its first factory (of three) that will produce the components for its small modular nuclear reactor (SMR). The Rolls-Royce SMR... →

Photo by Rolls-Royce SMR
An artist’s impression of a Rolls-Royce SMR power plant

Exciting reverse listing on JSE’s AltX poised to give investors only pure copper play

By: Martin Creamer Updated 28 minutes ago The reverse listing of Big Tree Copper into SHiP Copper Company on the AltX of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange in October is expected to raise between R60-million to R250-million for the ramping up of combined production to 10 000 t of copper a year in the next three years. SHiP, run by Shirley... →

Big Tree Copper CEO Jan Nelson interviewed by Mining Weekly's Martin Creamer.

Civil organisations call on UNDP to withdraw from MoU for coal-dependent SEZ in Limpopo

By: Schalk Burger Updated 53 minutes ago Various civil society organisations, including environmental protection organisations, have voiced strong criticism of the decision by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to support the heavily coal-dependent industrial zone in the Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone (MMSEZ), in... →

EY opens nominations for Southern Africa World Entrepreneur Award

By: Schalk Burger Updated 1 hour 2 minutes ago Consulting, assurance, tax and transaction services company EY has called for nominations for entrepreneurial South Africans and those from other African countries to enter the World Entrepreneur Award Southern Africa programme, which is in its twenty-fifth year. Winners are provided with an... →

Infobip implements chatbot solution for Africell

By: Schalk Burger Updated 1 hour 6 minutes ago Omnichannel and cloud communications company Infobip has implemented its Answers chatbot solution at mobile network operator Africell. Africell is a fast-growing mobile network operator with a pan-African footprint, providing fast and reliable mobile network coverage and related technology... →

Eskom crisis: ANC NEC hears calls for state of emergency, moving power utility to energy dept

By: News24Wire 5th July 2022 The African National Congress's national executive committee heard wide-ranging and spirited calls for intervention in response to the Eskom energy crisis, which ranged from the declaration of a state of emergency to immediately moving Eskom from the Department of Public Enterprises to the... →

Gibela celebrates completion of one-hundredth X’trapolis Mega train for PRASA

By: Sabrina Jardim 4th July 2022 Rail transport consortium Gibela on July 4 unveiled the one-hundredth X’trapolis Mega commuter train it is building for the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA). Gibela, whose shareholders are Alstom, Ubumbano Rail and New Rail Africa, in 2013 signed a R53-billion contract to supply... →

Gibela chairperson Irene Charnley, Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa chairperson Leonard Ramatlakane and Gauteng Premier David Makhura address media and dignitaries during the celebration of the one-hundredth X'trapolis Mega train to have been built at Gibela's Dunnotar factory in South Africa. Video: Shadwyn Dickinson; Editing: Nicholas Boyd.

UK sets up a ‘Critical Minerals Intelligence Centre’

By: Rebecca Campbell 4th July 2022 The UK government announced on Monday that it has established a Critical Minerals Intelligence Centre (CMIC), under the British Geological Survey (BGS), and based in Nottingham in England. The purpose of the CMIC is to gather data and undertake analysis of the supply, demand and market dynamics... →

Joburg City Power increases electricity tariffs by 7.47%

By: Schalk Burger 4th July 2022 City of Johannesburg electricity utility City Power said the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) has approved its application for an average electricity tariff increase of 7.47%, which is essential to cover the increased cost of bulk purchases from Eskom, which increased by 8.61%,... →

South Africa seeks legal advice on R396bn Eskom debt burden

By: Bloomberg 4th July 2022 South Africa’s National Treasury is seeking to hire a legal firm to advise it on how to reorganize the R396-billion debt burden held by national power utility Eskom Holdings, people familiar with the situation said. A request for proposals from the firms was issued recently, according to one of... →

Policy uncertainty worsens; Eskom largest threat to the economy

By: Schalk Burger 4th July 2022 The North West University (NWU) Business School’s Policy Uncertainty Index (PUI) increased to 60.9 during the second quarter, from 59.7 in the first quarter, and remains well in negative territory. This is the highest level recorded since the inception of the PUI in 2016. →

South32’s Hillside smelter, Solana to introduce sustainable energy in Richards Bay

By: Marleny Arnoldi 4th July 2022 Diversified miner South32’s Richard’s Bay-based Hillside Aluminium smelter has partnered with energy company Solana Energy to transform the Richards Bay and King Cetshwayo district economic regions and bring much-needed sustainable energy to these commercial hubs. The partners will embark on a... →

SAWEA calls for strategic plan to resolve energy crisis

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 4th July 2022 Amid the crippling power outages gripping the country, industry organisation the South African Wind Energy Association (SAWEA) is calling on the South African government to lead the development of a comprehensive strategic plan to resolve the energy crisis and prioritise it with the same gravitas... →

Metrobus gets R60m allocation for new buses

By: Marleny Arnoldi 4th July 2022 The City of Johannesburg has allocated R60-million to its Metrobus company to buy new buses in the coming financial year. Transport MMC Funzela Ngobeni says the new bus purchases are part of a longer-term strategy to renew the entity’s fleet. →

EVs something to watch in ‘medium term’, says Motus; Kia mulls launching first EV by year-end

By: Irma Venter 4th July 2022 Fast-growing global electric vehicle (EV) availability will not impact Motus in the short term, but is rather “something to watch in the medium term”, says Motus Retail South Africa CEO Corne Venter. Motus is a JSE-listed vehicle importer and retailer. →

The Kia Niro

Afrimat, Hemporium build world’s tallest hemp-product building

By: Irma Venter 4th July 2022 In a global first, 84 Harrington Street is the world’s tallest building being constructed using hempcrete blocks and hemp building materials, says the partnership between two Cape Town-based companies, Hemporium and Afrimat Hemp. The joint venture believes the project is “setting the benchmark on... →

Image of 84 Harrison street building in Cape Town

Eskom rejects Tshwane's debt repayment plan

By: News24Wire 4th July 2022 Eskom has rejected the City of Tshwane Municipality's offer to enter into payment settlement arrangements for R878-million owed to the power utility. Tshwane failed to pay Eskom a total amount of R908-million, which was due and payable by 17 June 2022. The municipality only made a payment of... →

Load-shedding back for eThekwini in coming weeks

By: News24Wire 4th July 2022 Durban residents will experience load-shedding in coming weeks, this after eThekwini Metro's electricity infrastructure was so heavily compromised during the April floods that the City could not produce enough power to load shed. In a joint statement released on Monday, Eskom and the City of... →

Mbalula vows EV policy gaps are being discussed

By: Marleny Arnoldi 4th July 2022 Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula has assured delegates attending the Southern African Transport Conference (SATC) on July 4 that his department is looking at policy gaps on automated and electric vehicles (EVs). This includes policy gaps on charging infrastructure and how EVs will be... →

Eskom working on grid-access Web portal to improve connection visibility

By: Terence Creamer 4th July 2022 Electricity utility Eskom is developing a Web-based portal that will offer real-time visibility of locations in South Africa where new generators can be immediately or easily connected to the grid. The utility has, for the past three years, been arguing that between 4 000 MW and 6 000 MW of... →

RocketNet, Zoom Fibre to bring fibre to Boabab project in Saldanha Bay

By: Schalk Burger 4th July 2022 Internet service provider RocketNet has partnered with fibre optic network provider Zoom Fibre to roll out high-speed fibre Internet in Saldanha Bay. The fibre network will serve as the backbone on which the Saldanha Bay municipality will build its smart city infrastructure, says RocketNet CEO... →

EU plans hydrogen deal with Namibia as it pulls away from Russian energy

By: Reuters 4th July 2022 The European Union (EU) is planning a deal with Namibia to support the country's nascent green hydrogen sector and boost its own imports of the fuel, EU and Namibian officials said, as the bloc works to reduce its dependence on Russian energy. Hydrogen has long been touted as a less... →

An image of renewables and hydrogen infrastructure

Major airframe and aeroengine groups jointly conduct 100%-sustainable fuel test flight

By: Rebecca Campbell 4th July 2022 Brazil-based major aerospace group Embraer has announced that it has partnered with US-based major aeroengine group Pratt & Whitney (P&W) to successfully test-fly an Embraer E195-E2 airliner with one of its P&W GTF engines running on 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The test flight was... →

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