JSE-listed PPC has appointed Ronel van Dijk as permanent CFO, providing the company with continuity for all activities that she has initiated since first taking up the role of interim CFO on November 1, 2019.

With the acceptance of the position as CFO, Van Dijk will also continue to serve as executive director of PPC.

Meanwhile, PPC reports that its businesses have generally been operationally constrained in their respective jurisdictions during April, as a result of Covid-19-related health measures.

PPC Barnet in the Democratic Republic of Congo has been able to operate and is expected to produce similar volumes compared with the same period last year.

Cimerwa and PPC Zimbabwe have also partially resumed operations in Rwanda and Zimbabwe in the second half of April. Cement sales volumes in these countries are expected to be about 15% to 20% of the volumes sold in April 2019.

In South Africa, only PPC Lime sold small quantities to customers deemed by the authorities as essential providers.

Overall sales volumes in South Africa for April are expected to be around 95% lower year-on-year owing to the stringent lockdown measures imposed by the South African government.

PPC South Africa is preparing to start production to operate in line with the risk-based regulations and related Covid-19 Risk Levels announced by the South African government on April 25.

The uncertainty around the further development of the containment of the coronavirus makes it necessary for PPC to work with various scenarios, it notes.

Together with the other members of the relevant industry association a request has been made to the government to support the local industry, expedite construction work and implement the announced measures around infrastructure development and giving priority to local manufacturing.

PPC has implemented various cost reduction and cash preservation actions to protect liquidity through and post the lockdown period.

The committed facilities show sufficient headroom in South Africa under various economic scenarios.

The company is also continuously engaging with international funders to ensure sufficient liquidity in its international operations.

The refinancing and restructuring project announced in October 2019 is continuing and an update of this project will be given at the announcement of the company’s annual results.

PPC will provide further guidance on the financial impact on the group at a later stage.