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State Companies News

NUM rails against Eskom's claims on average staff salary

By: News24Wire 12th May 2021 The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) has disputed claims by Eskom in a statement that the average salary of an Eskom employee stood at R737 000 per annum, contending that employees negotiating their salaries at a bargaining unit could not earn more than R650 460. The union said that the... →

Claims I bought R36-million in properties through Prasa are lies, Lucky Montana tells Zondo

By: News24Wire 11th May 2021 Former Passenger Rail Agency South Africa group CEO Lucky Montana took to the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into State Capture - chaired by Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo - to deny claims made to the commission that Siyangena Technologies bought him properties to the value of R36-million.... →

Photo by Creamer Media
Former Prasa CEO Lucky Montana

Eskom places senior coal procurement manager on suspension

By: Creamer Media Reporter 7th May 2021 Power utility Eskom has placed a senior manager in its coal procurement division on preliminary suspension, citing alleged corruption. This follows a whistle-blower tip-off to Eskom. →

TPT developing Cargo Connect logistics app

By: Schalk Burger 7th May 2021 State-owned Transnet Port Terminals (TPT) is developing the Cargo Connect app, which will serve as a digital marketplace for logistics services in South Africa. The app will increase the logistics’ network visibility and benefit customers and the broader supply chain. Some of the app's features... →

Ingula Nature Reserve added to Ramsar Wetlands of International Importance list

By: Schalk Burger 7th May 2021 The Ingula Nature Reserve, created to conserve the unique wetland and high altitude grassland area that hosts State-owned power utility Eskom’s Ingula pumped storage scheme, has been included in the International Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, which is an international... →

Durban Port's return to form vital for South African recovery, says Ramaphosa

By: News24Wire 7th May 2021 President Cyril Ramaphosa told the National Assembly of Parliament that government's plans to guide South Africa on the path to economic recovery will not succeed unless the Port of Durban is restored to its former glory. Ramaphosa was replying orally to questions from Members of Parliament on... →

Indebted Eskom balks at power deal offered by Turkish generator

By: Bloomberg 6th May 2021 Eskom Holdings, South Africa’s State power utility, doesn’t want to buy electricity from the company that won most of a government emergency-power tender because it’s concerned about the cost and length of the contract, according to two people familiar with the situation. Meeting the terms of... →

Denel explosion: Health and safety procedures at plant in spotlight

By: News24Wire 5th May 2021 Health and safety procedures at Rheinmetall Denel Munition (RDM) have been called into question during the second day of the public inquiry into the 2018 explosion that rocked the plant in Macassar near Somerset West. The inquiry heard staff members had received training every year in the form of... →

Eskom calls union wage demands unaffordable in tense negotiation

By: Bloomberg 5th May 2021 Eskom Holdings said the South African state utility is unable to agree to certain union demands over wage increases and declined to make an offer on basic salary until labor groups respond. The loss-making electricity provider “cannot afford” proposals such as an improvement in pay inequality,... →

DFFE denies enviro authorisation for a new 30-year ash disposal facility at Kendal

By: Schalk Burger 4th May 2021 The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) has refused an integrated environmental authorisation application by State-owned power utility Eskom to build a new 30-year ash disposal facility at the Kendal power station, in Emalahleni, Mpumalanga, on the basis of insufficient... →

Denel explosion: First witness takes stand as public inquiry into blast that killed 8 kicks off

By: News24Wire 4th May 2021 More questions than answers have surfaced surrounding the 2018 blast at the Rheinmetall Denel munitions plant in Somerset West in the Western Cape, which killed eight people. The first day of the public inquiry heard testimony from a former worker who revealed there was an urgency to mix... →

SAA exits administration after 17 months

By: Reuters 1st May 2021 South Africa's struggling national airline South African Airways (SAA) on Friday exited a local form of bankruptcy protection called business rescue after roughly 17 months. SAA was placed under administration in December 2019, and its long-standing financial woes worsened during the Covid-19... →

Laxity in appointment of SoE boards leaves open the potential for abuse, warns institute

By: Schalk Burger 30th April 2021 Interference in the appointment of boards of directors compromises the essence of good corporate governance, as boards are the custodians of good governance. The cadre deployment policy of the ruling African National Congress means the governance of South Africa’s State-owned entities (SoEs) will... →

Eskom to hold wage talks next week

By: Simone Liedtke 30th April 2021 State-owned power utility Eskom will start regular wage discussions with the company’s recognised labour representative unions on May 4. It warns that these discussions may be “unpredictable” and that it may result in rising tensions. →

Road construction demand to increase over next three years, says advisory firm

By: Schalk Burger 26th April 2021 The South African road construction sector, which has declined in size in recent years owing to the absence of public sector spending, rising material costs and declining profit margins, is expected to see an increase in demand for contractors during the next two to three years. That increase... →

Mchunu calls for proposals to resolving government-labour wage negotiations deadlock

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 26th April 2021 Public Service and Administration Minister Senzo Mchunu is calling for citizens to come forward with proposals that could help to resolve the deadlock between government and organised labour over the current public service wage negotiations. Government and labour reached a deadlock on... →

South Africa seeks extradition of former Eskom contractor

By: Bloomberg 23rd April 2021 South African prosecutors said they are seeking the extradition of a British national who’s been implicated in a fraudulent deal with the state power company. Michael Lomas appeared in the Westminister Magistrates Court on Thursday, was granted bail of £100 000 and submitted additional surety of... →

EOH clarifies SIU statement, says started repaying State funds in October

By: Schalk Burger 23rd April 2021 Information technology services company EOH on April 23 clarified that it had entered into an acknowledgement of debt (AoD) with the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) at the end of September 2020 and that it had started monthly payments in terms of the AoD from October 5, 2020. It also highlighted... →

Eskom says Oracle halts technical support

By: Bloomberg 19th April 2021 Eskom Holdings said it was urgently seeking new providers of technical support after Oracle Corp’s South African unit withdrew its services over a payment dispute. The State power utility has been in a disagreement with Oracle, which initially claimed Eskom underpaid it by about R7.3-billion,... →

UASA disappointed at Denel’s employee benefit amendment

By: Donna Slater 19th April 2021 Trade union UASA says it is “bitterly disappointed” by State-owned defence company Denel’s policy change proposals concerning the benefits paid out to employees under certain circumstances. UASA says Denel has set up a meeting with organised labour for April 19 to discuss the proposed policy... →

New interim SAA CEO wants to make the airline something SA can 'be proud of'

By: News24Wire 19th April 2021 Thomas Kgokolo, newly appointed interim CEO of South African Airways, says he accepted the job as it is an opportunity to use his experience and skills to rebuild a sustainable airline that all South Africans can be proud of. SAA has been in business rescue since December 2019 and the rescue... →

Electricity, water price hikes pose risk to inflation outlook – central bank

By: Reuters 15th April 2021 Above-inflation increases to South Africa's electricity and water prices pose a risk to the consumer inflation outlook and could trigger a rise in lending rates, the central bank said on Wednesday. "These risks, should they materialise, could drive headline above the 4.5% target midpoint and... →

Eskom fetches R76-million from sale of buildings, with more assets expected to be sold

By: News24Wire 13th April 2021 Eskom has raised R76.1-million from the sale of two buildings as parts of a strategy to free up cash through the disposal on non-core assets, and more properties are expected to be sold. The buildings in Kimberley and Johannesburg were sold to the Department of Human Settlements, Water and... →

BLSA commends steps taken to advance public administration, says more to be done

By: Donna Slater 12th April 2021 Business Leadership South Africa CEO Busi Mavuso cautions that while business owners, leaders and CEOs may criticise government for maladministration, it ought to be remembered that government is a large and complex organisation with over two-million employees and a budget of R1.8-trillion. “That... →

Photo by Donna Slater
Business Leadership South Africa CEO Busi Mavuso

Still no sign of money to top up partial payment of SAA Technical staff

By: News24Wire 12th April 2021 Attempts by the management of South African Airways Technical (SAAT) to work towards the improvement of the partial payment of March salaries continued until Saturday morning, but were unfortunately unsuccessful, employees were told in a letter at the weekend. This was after meetings were held... →

De Ruyter accuser allegedly extended irregular contracts worth R8bn to oil firm

By: News24Wire 9th April 2021 Suspended Eskom procurement chief Solly Tshitangano supported the awarding of contracts worth more than R8-billion to Econ Oil in 2019 - despite being aware of evidence of impropriety and possible corruption involving Econ and Eskom officials. He also took no steps to further investigate Econ... →

Photo by Donna Slater
Eskom CEO André de Ruyter

Sanral announces R1.2bn three-year Cradock and Middelburg road construction projects

By: Schalk Burger 8th April 2021 The South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) is investing about R1.2-billion in road construction projects in Cradock and Middelburg, in the Eastern Cape, over the next three years. The projects in the Inxuba Yethemba local municipality are at various stages, with some in tender stage... →

Eskom contracts swapped for party funding, probe finds

By: Bloomberg 8th April 2021 An oil blending and storage company secured deals to supply South Africa’s state power utility with fuel oil worth more than R15-billion at inflated prices by paying inducements, including donations to the ruling African National Congress, a forensic investigation has found. Econ Oil & Energy... →

Scopa halts probe into claims of racism and abuse of power against Eskom's De Ruyter

By: News24Wire 7th April 2021 Parliament's Standing Committee on Public Accounts has put on hold its inquiry into allegations lodged against Eskom CEO André de Ruyter by suspended chief procurement officer Solly Tshitangano. The committee scheduled a meeting on Wednesday, during Parliament's constituency period, to discuss... →

Photo by Donna Slater
Eskom CEO André de Ruyter

Oracle says Eskom must pay up, as utility warns of 'catastrophic consequences' of loss of support

By: News24Wire 7th April 2021 Business software giant Oracle has said Eskom should "pay the pending dues for the Oracle software that they use," after the power utility last week lost a court application to compel the US corporation to renew its support services until April 2022. Oracle provides a range of IT services, which... →

De Ruyter on racism claims: 'It’s not about race, its all about performance, delivery'

By: News24Wire 7th April 2021 Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter says appointments of senior managers at Eskom were not motivated by "ulterior racial motives" but rather by "performance and delivery", following a raft of allegations against him by now suspended chief procurement officer Solly Tshitangano. This according to an... →

Photo by Donna Slater
Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter

Eskom Pension, Provident Fund appoints as new CE

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 1st April 2021 The Eskom Pension and Provident Fund (EPPF) has appointed Shafeeq Abrahams as the new CE and principal officer, replacing Linda Mateza, effective April 1. Abrahams is the current EPPF CFO, a role he has held since 2018. →

Shafeeq Abrahams

Eskom board appoints Advocate Semenya to conduct De Ruyter probe

By: Creamer Media Reporter 1st April 2021 The board at State-owned electricity utility Eskom confirmed on Thursday that Advocate Ishmael Semenya SC had accepted its request to conduct an independent inquiry into claims of racism and abuse of power levelled against CEO André de Ruyter by suspended chief procurement officer Solly... →

Photo by Creamer Media's Donna Slater
André de Ruyter

Slight improvements in SOE audits are no reason to celebrate, new AG Tsakani Maluleke warns

By: News24Wire 31st March 2021 Auditor General Tsakani Maluleke said while there were marginal improvements in the audit outcomes of national and provincial government departments as well as their entities, the improvement were not nearly enough to reverse the negative financial trend many auditees have been tracking for... →

Kusile Unit 3 achieves commercial operation

By: Schalk Burger 31st March 2021 State-owned power utility Eskom on March 31 announced that Unit 3 of the Kusile power station, in eMalahleni, Mpumalanga, had achieved commercial operation this week. "Bringing the 800 MW unit to commercial status means construction has reached the halfway mark on project," it said in a statement. →

New independent utility emerges to pursue private-to-private power niche

By: Terence Creamer 30th March 2021 A new independent power utility has been established in South Africa to sell electricity directly to private and municipal customers rather than to Eskom. Branded Earth & Wire, the company aims to build a large-scale portfolio of renewable-energy assets and enter into power purchase agreements... →

Photo by Earth & Wire
One of Earth & Wire's existing facilities

South Africa continues to be G20 coal outlier, report shows

By: Terence Creamer 29th March 2021 With 86% of the country’s electricity produced from coal, South Africa continued to have the highest reliance on the energy mineral among all G20 countries in 2020, with the global average standing at 34%. The ‘Global Electricity Review 2021’, published on March 29, indicates that the G20 country... →

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