From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, this is the Real Economy Report.

Sashnee Moodley: International oil company Puma Energy recently announced, at Rand Airport in Germiston, east of Johannesburg, that it was sponsoring the Flying Lions aerobatic team. Keith Campbell reports.

Keith Campbell:
Puma Energy supplies fuel, lubricants and other oil based products and aviation is one of its business sectors. Group Global Chief Operating Officer Christophe Zyde gives us an overview of the company and explains why it is sponsoring the Flying Lions.

Group Global Chief Operating Officer Christophe Zyde:

Keith Campbell: Flying Lions formation leader Scully Levin explains what the sponsorship means for the team.

Sashnee Moodley:
Other news making headlines:
President Jacob Zuma unveiled 13 new passenger trains to be operated by the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa’s Metrorail division in March. Anine Kilian tells us more.

Anine Kilian:
The X’Trapolis Mega trains were built by the Gibela Rail Transportation Consortium and form part of those to be delivered under a R59-billion contract to supply PRASA with 600 new trains.

The development is part of PRASA’s 20-year rail modernisation programme in response to government’s mandate to modernise passenger rail throughout the country.

The project is part of the bigger plan by PRASA to roll out the ‘train system of the future’ [and] to modernise and improve the passenger travel experience in South Africa. This is imperative after 40 years of underinvestment in the sector, which has resulted in old and unreliable trains and rail infrastructure [still being in operation],”

The investment in the modernisation programme would ensure that government changed the rail landscape of the country, adding that the launch was part of the programme of building and renewing infrastructure.

PRASA’s modernisation programme would focus on station and depot modernisation and the upgrading of signalling infrastructure, as well as railway track and platform corrections.

It is a worthwhile investment in infrastructure that will improve the lives of the South African people that will last for decades.

Sashnee Moodley:
That’s Creamer Media’s Real Economy Report. Join us again next week for more news and insight into South Africa’s real economy.