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Legislative Environment News

Ongoing copper cable theft negatively affects power capacity

By: Mamaili Mamaila 19th April 2019 Ongoing copper cable theft from companies, such as State-owned power utility Eskom, has devastating effects on the local copper industry, says Copper Development Association Africa (CDAA) executive chairperson Evert Swanepoel. →

Morocco biggest contender for SA auto assembly hegemony

By: Cameron Mackay 12th April 2019 Owing to lower costs, access to European markets, attractive incentives offered to industry and high investment into infrastructure, Morocco has become South Africa’s biggest challenger in the automotive manufacturing industry, says multinational professional services firm Deloitte Africa... →

Photo by Creamer Media's Dylan Slater
MARTYN DAVIES MARTYN DAVIES South Africa’s passenger vehicles sales declined roughly by 25% in the past decade

Long-running trade dispute between aerospace giants ends with victory for Airbus

By: Rebecca Campbell 12th April 2019 Late last month the World Trade Organisation’s (WTO’s) Appellate Body found that the US had failed to end some of the subsidies awarded by Federal, State and local authorities to aerospace giant Boeing, and to stop the damage these subsidies were causing to Boeing’s Europe-based arch rival... →

Corruption has eroded pillars of democracy – report

By: Sane Dhlamini 10th April 2019 While South Africans commemorate the late freedom fighter Chris Hani, who was assassinated 26 years ago, civil society organisation Corruption Watch on Wednesday released a report on how corruption has eroded the pillars of democracy. This comes before South Africans cast their votes on May 8 in... →

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Corruption Watch executive director, David Lewis

Eskom to class action firm: We can’t be sued for load-shedding and here’s why

By: News24Wire 9th April 2019 Eskom says that based on legal advice it has received, a law firm seeking to initiate a class action suit against it on behalf of companies which have been affected by load-shedding, has little ground to stand on. Eskom spokesperson Khulu Phasiwe said that the legal advice the power utility had... →

Digital tech can improve client and project interaction

By: Cameron Mackay 5th April 2019 Professional services firm WSP is finding more opportunities to use emerging digital technologies in delivering engineering and infrastructure projects globally, points out WSP in Africa MD Mathieu du Plooy. This involves the managing of information and data, designing and collaboration efforts... →

MATHIEU DU PLOOY WSP’s focus on the African continent is more sector-based than geographical. We will follow the countries where the need is pressing

Consulting firm shifts to public-sector partner role

By: Cameron Mackay 5th April 2019 Multinational engineering consultancy Aurecon sees a need to shift the group’s role from that of consultant for engineering design and delivery to being more of a partner to government, specifically in the capacity of adviser and decision-maker on important infrastructural challenges. This will... →

GREEN BUILDINGS The next for green buildings will be the integration the Internet of Things and consistent use of technology through the life cycle of an asset

SME politics hindering civil projects, says consulting firm

By: Cameron Mackay 5th April 2019 Government efforts to motivate for the employment of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) for civil engineering and construction projects are causing difficulties for local infrastructure projects, says engineering and construction company Hyson Cells CEO and founder Sally Hall. “The... →

SME OPPORTUNITIES The most successful projects in which Hyson Cells has been involved are where women-owned teams have been employed

Emphasis on STEM subjects at schools vital

By: Cameron Mackay 5th April 2019 The announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa in his State of the Nation Address in February this year that government plans to introduce more technical subjects at high schools in South Africa, is long overdue, says consulting engineering and project implementation firm Hatch’s Sibongile... →

MEANINGFUL CONTRIBUTION Companies should create an inclusive environment for employees to enable them to contribute to the company and community

Early crypto-asset regulations indicate firmer rules on the way

By: Schalk Burger 5th April 2019 The initial regulations proposed by a crypto-asset regulations consultation paper, released by the South African Reserve Bank in January, indicate that a firmer regulatory regime will be put in place, says legal firm Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr finance and banking director Bridget King and Cliffe... →

Education important for future of industry – Cesa

By: Cameron Mackay 5th April 2019 Consulting engineering association Consulting Engineers South Africa (Cesa) president Neresh Pather says introducing new technology subjects at technical high schools will play a critical role in preparing future generations for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) and the general consulting... →

Consulting Engineers South Africa president Neresh Pather & Gauteng Road & Transport MEC Dr Ismail Vadi discuss education and technology in consulting engineering. Camerawork and Editing: Creamer Media's Nicholas Boyd.

Law firm plans class action against Eskom over load-shedding

By: News24Wire 2nd April 2019 The national load-shedding crisis will shortly come under legal scrutiny, if a local law firm has its way. Law firm De Beer Attorneys has called on businesses who have suffered financial losses to join a class action lawsuit against State-owned enterprise Eskom. →

Enablers to expedite port infrastructure investment

By: Mamaili Mamaila 29th March 2019 While investment in local ports is increasing, even more investment is required in harbour infrastructure, says global engineering company Aurecon Group capital projects principal Johan de la Rey. →

PORT INFRASTRUCTURE MASTERPLAN Execution-ready projects need to be prioritised to ensure that funds are not relocated to other, non-port priorities

Trade and Industry committee attends to industry challenges

29th March 2019 Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Trade and Industry is well aware that the South African sugar industry is experiencing various challenges as it has been engaging the industry for over a year to alleviate the plight of local sugarcane farmers. Portfolio Committee on Trade and Industry... →

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LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS The committee acknowledges that factors such as bio-fuels and cogeneration may require legislative changes

Environmental plan for South African segment of SKA radio telescope gazetted

By: Rebecca Campbell 26th March 2019 The Integrated Environmental Management Plan (IEMP) for the Phase 1 of the Square Kilometre Array mid-frequency array (SKA1_MID) was gazetted by Environmental Affairs Minister Nomvula Mokonyane on Friday, the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (Sarao) announced on Monday. The SKA is an... →

Photo by Sarao
An artist’s impression of the core of the South African segment of the SKA

Greenpeace opposes Eskom’s application to postpone air quality legislation compliance

By: Simone Liedtke 19th March 2019 Nonprofit organisation Greenpeace Africa on Tuesday reaffirmed its opposition to State-owned Eskom’s application for further postponements and/or suspensions from air quality legislation. The organisation explained that, in the interests of realising the Constitutional right to a healthy... →

Photo by Creamer Media's Dylan Slater
Greenpeace global air pollution unit lead analyst Lauri Myllyvirta

Looming SA 'expat tax' is ultimately fair – Citadel

By: African News Agency 18th March 2019 Changes to South Africa's Income Tax Act which will from March 2020 see expatriates taxed locally for income from foreign employment exceeding R1-million is ultimately fair given their continued ties in the country, financial services group Citadel said on Monday. The National Treasury held a... →

Eskom 'misled' Treasury over multi-billion rand Gupta contract, Zondo told

By: News24Wire 11th March 2019 Eskom appears to have mislead National Treasury about the quality of coal from a Gupta-owned coal mine in order to secure a R2.9-billion contract, the State capture commission has heard. The inquiry was on Monday continuing with evidence from Gert Opperman, a coal supply unit manager at the power... →

Defence Force Service Commission reactivated after five months with new appointments

By: Rebecca Campbell 6th March 2019 Defence and Military Veterans Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula announced on Wednesday the appointment or reappointment of four members to the Defence Force Service Commission (DFSC). Originally established in 2009, by law the DFSC must have no fewer than eight and no more than ten members, with... →

Chemicals sector crucial for South Africa's industrialisation

By: Schalk Burger 6th March 2019 As one of 18 sectors identified by a Presidential working group as being crucial to accelerating gross domestic product (GDP) growth in South Africa, the chemicals sector has a foundational role to play in supporting the growth of the country's industrial sectors. The chemicals sector has a 12... →

National Assembly approves Critical Infrastructure Protection Bill

By: African News Agency 5th March 2019 The National Assembly on Tuesday approved the amended version of the Critical Infrastructure Bill, which replaces the apartheid era law on national key points. The bill will now go to President Cyril Ramaphosa for signing into law, after the National Council of Provinces made changes on... →

Eskom was run from outside of Eskom, says Mabuza

By: African News Agency 25th February 2019 Eskom chairperson Jabu Mabuza told the Zondo Inquiry on Monday that important decisions about the power utility were being made by people outside of its appointed structures. Speaking about how Gupta-linked individuals would send instructions to Eskom executives about guarantees and coal... →

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Eskom chairperson Jabu Mabuza

Client choice and protection at heart of bank’s approach to fintech regulation

By: Schalk Burger 22nd February 2019 Financial technologies (fintech) are growing worldwide and reshaping the definition of money, financial services and economies. However, while the disruptions roil existing business models, companies and industries, increasing the choice of fintech services users while protecting their rights is... →

Equatorial Guinea praised for improved business environment

15th February 2019 Continental industry association the African Energy Chamber welcomes the improvement of Equatorial Guinea’s business environment through the establishment of an all inclusive model for setting up businesses in the country. “The implementation of Equatorial Guinea’s one-stop shop allows companies... →

Photo by Bloomberg
OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO Obiang Nguema Mbasogo has been personally advocating for stronger reforms to Equatorial Guinea’s business environment over the past few years

The UK signs trade continuity agreement with five African countries as Brexit nears

By: Rebecca Campbell 15th February 2019 At the end of last month the UK signed a trade continuity agreement with countries from Eastern and Southern Africa. The countries concerned are the Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles and Zimbabwe. These countries had, in 2009, signed an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the... →

Cryptocurrency trader welcomes SARB policy approach

By: Schalk Burger 15th February 2019 Local cryptocurrency trading platform Luno country manager Marius Reitz praises the South African Reserve Bank’s (SARB’s) approach to developing a regulatory response to cryptoassets in South Africa, which aims to protect cryptocurrency users and support the growth and development of the... →

MARIUS REITZ The regulations aim to ensure that the platforms are safe for people to use and combat illicit capital flows

Minister withdraws telecoms amendment Bill

By: Simone Liedtke 12th February 2019 Communications Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams has withdrawn the Electronic Communications Amendment Bill, which was tabled before Parliament in October last year. This decision, she explained in a statement on Tuesday, would enable further consultations and to align the Bill with the drive... →

An Africa invisible to Blackstone is winning back investors

By: Bloomberg 12th February 2019 The African investment roller-coaster shows just how hard it has been to make bets on the continent pay off. After two years of declines, the region had inflows of foreign direct investment last year, thanks to a revival of interest in South Africa and a more stable environment in Egypt. →

South African exporters urged to exploit Germany’s new Africa-specific initiatives

By: Nadine James 7th February 2019 South African exporters should take advantage of new German initiatives on Africa, as they are geared towards stimulating business, trade and economic development, South Africa’s Foreign Economic Representative in Germany Jacob Moatshe stated at the Fruit Logistica Berlin trade fair, on... →

South Africa's Foreign Economic Representative in Germany Jacob Moatshe

SAIIA, Brookings launch Foresight Africa report

By: Sane Dhlamini 28th January 2019 The South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) and the Brookings Institution’s Africa Growth Initiative (AGI) launched the Foresight Africa report on Monday, in Johannesburg, highlighting the top priorities for the continent in 2019. AGI senior fellow and director Brahima Coulibaly... →

AGI senior fellow and director Brahima Coulibaly & ISS senior research consultant Liesl Louw-Vaudran on the Foresight Africa report (Camera: Nicholas Boyd. Editing: Christo Greyling)

SAA hopes to resume Blantyre flights by the weekend

By: Rebecca Campbell 28th January 2019 National flag carrier South African Airways (SAA) hopes to reinstate flights between Johannesburg and Blantyre (Malawi) on this coming Saturday (February 2). The route has been suspended since January 18 due to Blantyre’s Chileka International Airport having being found to have serious safety... →

President signs into law three 2018 tax Bills

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 18th January 2019 President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed into law three 2018 tax Bills that give legislative effect to the tax proposals announced by former Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba in his yearly National Budget Speech on February 21, 2018, the National Treasury announced in a statement on Friday. These are... →

Corruption, weak governance hinders sub-Saharan Africa’s economic growth – IMF

By: Marleny Arnoldi 16th January 2019 Countries in sub-Saharan Africa could strengthen their economic performance by improving governance and reducing corruption, a working paper published by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has found. The paper, titled ‘A Governance Dividend for Sub-Saharan Africa?’ stated that countries in... →

Nersa begins public hearings on Eskom tariffs

By: African News Agency 14th January 2019 The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) on Monday began public hearings on Eskom's application to increase electricity tariffs annually by 15 percent for the next three years. The hearings on the multi-year price determination (MYPD4) kicked off in Cape Town, with heated objection... →

Home Affairs Committee proposes cell phone ban for DoH staff

By: Sane Dhlamini 14th January 2019 Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs chairperson Hlomani Chauke on Monday called on the Department of Home Affairs (DoH) to consider an outright ban on cell phone usage by front line staff during working hours at all branches. This follows numerous complaints made to the committee from members of... →

Draft land-expropriation Bill released for comment

By: Bloomberg 21st December 2018 South Africa released for public comment a draft Expropriation Bill that outlines the circumstances under which the state can take land without paying for it. It may be just and equitable for no compensation to be paid where land is expropriated in the public interest, the government said in... →

SACAA suspends CemAir’s air operator certificates

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 14th December 2018 CemAir can no longer operate as an airline or air operator or fly any of its 21 aircraft, following a decision by the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) to suspend two of the airline’s air operator certificates (AOCs). The suspension became effective at around 15:30 on December 13. →

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