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Infrastructure News

Ian McRae, who oversaw Eskom’s ‘electricity for all’ policy, dies

12th July 2020 The much respected former CEO of Eskom, Ian McRae, died in the early hours of Sunday morning July 12, 2020. He was 90 years old. Born in Germiston on September 24, 1929, Ian Campbell McRae started his career as an apprentice fitter and turner at Eskom. After qualifying he went on to obtain a... →

Talks over Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam remain deadlocked

By: African News Agency 10th July 2020 Negotiations between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia over the filling and operation of the controversial Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) have produced no results after seven straight days of talks, reported Daily News Egypt. According to the report, Egypt’s Ministry of Water Resources and... →

Infrastructure at core of business’ R3.4-trillion economic recovery proposal

By: Terence Creamer 10th July 2020 Business for South Africa released an economic recovery strategy paper on July 10 that includes a list of 12 priority initiatives, many infrastructure-related, which the formation argues could bolster gross domestic product by R1-trillion, create up to 1.5-million jobs and increase yearly tax... →

B4SA paper says green-economy investments should be accelerated as part of infrastructure-led recovery

MBA North welcomes infrastructure strategy, but warns implementation is key

By: Irma Venter 10th July 2020 The Master Builders Association (MBA) North has broadly welcomed President Cyril Ramaphosa’s vision of infrastructure spending as the flywheel of South Africa’s recovery from the Covid-19 crisis. Speaking at the inaugural Sustainable Infrastructure Development Symposium South Africa, held on... →

South Africa its own biggest enemy in infrastructure roll-out

By: Irma Venter 10th July 2020 South Africa keeps on tripping itself up when it comes to infrastructure project development and implementation, says New Development Bank (NDB) Africa regional office director-general Monale Ratsoma. The NDB is a multilateral development bank established by the Brics States, namely Brazil,... →

Home automation add-on launched

10th July 2020 Global electrical and digital building infrastructure specialist Legrand has launched its Arteor-with-Netatmo which is a simple home automation solution that uses traditional house wiring and is controlled through WiFi. The company explains that it expanded on its Arteor range of wiring devices,... →

PLUGGED IN Legrand has add to its home automation solutions that use traditional house wiring and is controlled through WiFi

Pandemic encourages larger project scope

By: Cameron Mackay 10th July 2020 The effects of the Covid-19 pandemic have encouraged inter-country trade organisation the Competence Centre for Mineral Resources (CCMR) to increase the scope of its Health & Safety on South African Mines project. “It’s important to remember that if you are running a project over three years, you... →

RENÉ ZARSKE It is a win-win situation. We have many German companies that want to invest into South Africa, while local mining operations are looking for investors

S Africa crucial for centre’s growth into SADC

By: Cameron Mackay 10th July 2020 South Africa is vital for inter-country trade organisation the Competence Centre for Mineral Resources’ (CCMR’s) goal of expanding its network into the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region, according to CCMR head René Zarske. “South Africa is an important gateway for this, and the... →

VITAL ECONOMIC PARTNERS Last November the CCMR invited eight South African companies to Germany to liaise with equipment suppliers, with follow-up delegations planned once travel restrictions are lifted

Shift from high- to low-carbon must be systematic and just – Mantashe

By: Terence Creamer 9th July 2020 South Africa’s Mineral Resources and Energy Minister, Gwede Mantashe, used the platform created by the International Energy Agency (IEA) Clean Energy Transitions Summit on July 9 to stress that South Africa’s shift from a high-carbon to a low-carbon path needed to be both systematic and just.... →

Photo by Creamer Media's Donna Slater
Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe

Clean energy should be at ‘core’ of Covid-19 stimulus plans – Guterres

By: Terence Creamer 9th July 2020 United Nations secretary-general António Guterres appealed to governments on Thursday to place the transition from fossil fuels to clean energy at the “core” of their Covid-19 economic recovery spending. Guterres also used the platform created by the International Energy Agency (IEA) Clean Energy... →

United Nations secretary-general António Guterres

African countries urged to allocate 25% of stimulus spending to renewable energy

By: Terence Creamer 8th July 2020 African countries should aim to invest 25% of their Covid-19 stimulus budgets in renewable energy, Sustainable Energy for All CEO Damilola Ogunbiyi said on Wednesday, noting that renewable energy had emerged as the cheapest source of new electricity for most countries on the continent. Speaking... →

Covid lockdown pushes back completion dates for N4 projects

By: Irma Venter 8th July 2020 The four major rehabilitation and expansion projects on the South African side of the N4 Toll Route are back on track, says toll road manager Trans African Concessions (Trac). All sites were officially opened in the second week of May and are fully operational. →

Presidential Climate Change Coordinating Commission seen as key to navigating South Africa’s ‘just transition’

By: Terence Creamer 7th July 2020 A member of South Africa’s National Planning Commission has called for the Presidential Climate Change Coordinating Commission to be established, arguing that such a multi-stakeholder institutional platform is required to implement the just transition vision outlined in the country’s National... →

ECSA chief says ‘new normal’ involves putting expertise together for greater good

By: Marleny Arnoldi 7th July 2020 Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) CEO Sipho Madonsela says the manner in which business operates has shifted and the need to heed the call for a “new normal” is now. His statement comes amid the continuing spread of Covid-19 throughout South Africa and while the measures taken to try... →

Eskom to seek authorisation to proceed with repurposing of four coal stations

By: Terence Creamer 7th July 2020 State-owned electricity producer Eskom aims, within the coming months, to seek authorisation from its board and government to initiate a formal bidding process for the repurposing and repowering of the Camden, Komati, Grootvlei and Hendrina coal-fired power stations using lower-carbon generation... →

Capacity development, training continues with virtual meetings

By: Schalk Burger 3rd July 2020 Professional development nonprofit organisation The South Africa Road Federation (SARF) is delivering ten accredited courses using Microsoft Teams during July and August, with planning for courses later in the year also under way, SARF operations director Basil Jonsson says. South Africa’s road... →

CIDB urges companies to mentor, empower women

By: Marleny Arnoldi 3rd July 2020 The Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) continues to encourage established construction professionals to contribute to transformation in the industry through personal commitment to the mentorship of women. While women-owned entities have been on the rise, most of these fall within... →

Get going with galvanizing: new book for engineers from IZA

By: Shannon de Ryhove 3rd July 2020 The International Zinc Association (IZA) will launch its new publication, The Essentials of Galvanizing, during a webinar hosted by Creamer Media Contract Publishing on July 15, 2020. The publication offers the civil engineering and construction industry valuable insights into the importance of... →

Mapasa says BRL business rescue proceeding well despite some challenges

By: Simone Liedtke 3rd July 2020 Progress is being made with the implementation of the business rescue plan of embattled construction company Basil Read Limited (BRL), a subsidiary of Basil Read Holdings Limited (BRHL), “despite challenges”, Basil Read CEO Khathutshelo (K2) Mapasa tells Engineering News.. BRL operates in the... →

CEO Khathutshelo (K2) Mapasa

New spillway increases dam capacity

3rd July 2020 The installation of a newly developed spillway on the Garden Route dam in George, Western Cape, has successfully increased the potential capacity of the dam to 12.5-million cubic metres, says consulting engineering company Aurecon dam engineer Frank Denys. The company was tasked to raise the... →

LONG WAY The newly developed elongated spillway, aptly named the duckbill allows for 25% more capacity on the Garden Route Dam

Tech solution enhances water security in S Africa

By: Halima Frost 3rd July 2020 The self-automated scour gate is a technology which has been developed and refined by local water engineering contractors Amanziflow Projects to promote water security. Amanziflow Projects MD Peter Townshend says many projects have been conducted by the company in the Southern African Development... →

WATER GATE The scour gate developed by Amanziflow allows for the effective flushing of sediment from a dam increasing its storage capacity

Long-term solutions overlooked – Sappma

By: Halima Frost 3rd July 2020 Government’s present efforts to address the lack of potable water in remote areas are resulting in industries that could offer long-term solutions being overlooked, says Southern African Plastic Pipe Manufacturers Association (Sappma). “Understandably, the need to supply to areas that are without... →

IN THE PIPELINE The laying of permanent pipelines using high-quality, plastic water pipes can offer a guaranteed water supply as opposed to current quick-fixes

Nersa to provide concurrence on technology-specific determination this month

By: Terence Creamer 2nd July 2020 The National Energy Regulator of South Africa indicated on Thursday that it intended providing concurrence this month for a Ministerial determination that would open the way for the procurement of new electricity generation capacity in line with allocations contained in the 2019 edition of the... →

Construction Index tracks down, hopes for recovery pinned in infrastructure build

By: Schalk Burger 2nd July 2020 While JSE-listed industrial and construction materials company Afrimat's Construction Index (ACI) was down by 12 points year-on-year in the first quarter of this year, there is some hope of a recovery for the construction sector in government’s infrastructure-led economic growth recovery plan... →

Sasol confirms Rompco pipeline sale ‘well advanced’ as asset disposal process kicks into gear

By: Terence Creamer 1st July 2020 Chemicals and energy group Sasol confirmed on July 1 that the sale of its equity interest in the Republic of Mozambique Pipeline Investment Company (Rompco) and the Central Termica de Ressano Garcia gas-fired power plant, also in Mozambique, were well advanced, along with partnering discussions... →

M&R subsidiary awarded EPC contract for urea plant in Western Australia

By: Marleny Arnoldi 1st July 2020 JSE-listed construction group Murray & Roberts’ (M&R’s) wholly-owned subsidiary Clough has been selected as the engineering, procurement and construction contractor (EPC) for the development of Perdaman Industries’ multibillion-dollar urea plant on the Burrup Peninsula, in Western Australia.... →

Economic opportunity of South Africa’s energy transition akin to new ‘gold rush’

By: Terence Creamer 30th June 2020 South Africa’s energy transition from coal to cleaner energy carries an economic opportunity equivalent to the discovery of gold in the country more than a century ago, a new South African National Energy Association (Sanea) report argues. Published on June 30, the ‘South African Energy Risk... →

ArcelorMittal SA seeks IPP bids for roll-out of solar PV plants across operations

By: Terence Creamer 30th June 2020 JSE-listed steel producer ArcelorMittal South Africa (AMSA) has become the latest South African company to release a request for information (RFI) to independent power producers (IPPs) to build, own and operate solar photovoltaic (PV) power plants across its six operational sites. The group has... →

Interest rate on $4.2bn IMF loan to South Africa will be ‘very, very low’

By: Terence Creamer 29th June 2020 The International Monetary Fund (IMF) reported on Monday that its funding talks with South Africa had proceeded at a “measured pace” owing to the country’s favourable access to deep and liquid financial markets, which meant that the negotiations had focused primarily on the terms of the funding... →

Entrepreneurship to champion real value chains in the economy, says university associate

By: Simone Liedtke 26th June 2020 State-owned enterprises (SOEs), municipalities, development finance institutions (DFIs) and the leverage provided by policy directives “must enhance industrialisation, which leads to job creation, through the revival of entrepreneurship”, says Nelson Mandela University Infrastructure Development... →

L2D embarks on support campaign for those most impacted by Covid-19

By: Marleny Arnoldi 26th June 2020 JSE-listed real estate investment trust Liberty Two Degrees (L2D) has launched an impact campaign called #CreateTomorrow across its retail portfolio. The company’s retail portfolio includes stakes in Sandton City, Nelson Mandela Square, Eastgate Shopping Centre, Liberty Midlands Mall and... →

Pipes range offered for various industries

By: Mc'Kyla Nortje 26th June 2020 Cable conduit and subsoil drainage pipe manufacturer Dura-Line components, which meet stringent quality specifications, are used in conjunction with geosynthetic products manufacturer and supplier Fibertex geotextiles and composite drainage systems in various industries. Fibertex SA is a supplier... →

Development of infrastructure crucial to post-Covid growth

By: Cameron Mackay 26th June 2020 Owing to the global impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, unmet basic needs and the demand for service delivery in South Africa’s underdeveloped communities have become increasingly apparent, which has led to awareness of a growing need for infrastructure investment, says engineering consultants WSP... →

MATHIEU DU PLOOY It will be critical for Governments and businesses to collaborate and develop recovery plans that consider Africa’s unique socio-economic circumstances in future development plans

Company adapts to new norm, despite economic concerns

By: Cameron Mackay 26th June 2020 Despite stoppages in current projects, and a downturn in the economy that has restricted the pipeline of incoming projects, consulting engineering company SRK Consulting MD Vis Reddy says the company and its project teams have adapted well to working remotely. Cloud-based data storage systems,... →

POST-LOCKDOWN PROSPECTS With local air travel reopened for business purposes, essential site visits will be possible, and more practical

Sustainable living created after lockdown

26th June 2020 Multidisciplinary consulting engineering companies group Bosch Holdings is set to resume building and land development operations as South Africa lifts Covid-19 lockdown business restrictions. “Our team of engineers and architects strives to create liveable, sustainable and innovative ideas and... →

SERENA HOTEL NAIROBI Bosch East Africa Consulting Engineers in Kenya has extended its MEP services to include cvil and structural engineering and project management services

Local company involved in Malawi railway link

26th June 2020 This year, environmental consulting engineers JG Afrika completed hydrological, topographical, sedimentation and climate studies to assist the Malawian government in rebuilding railway infrastructure. This was done in an area of the country that is prone to devastating floods. →

FLOOD TOIL TEARS AND SWEAT Floods caused significant erosion and wash away damage on several sections of the railway line that are in close proximity to the river

Eskom’s new just energy transition office assessing green finance options for repurposing of old coal stations

By: Terence Creamer 25th June 2020 Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter reports that the State-owned utility’s newly created just energy transition (JET) project office is evaluating green financing options that could help accelerate the deployment of renewables and facilitate the repurposing of its older coal plants in ways that improves... →

Photo by Creamer Media's Donna Slater
Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter

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