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State Companies News

Denel set on expanding business in Asia-Pacific region

By: Megan van Wyngaardt 23rd May 2017 State-owned Denel on Tuesday said it was dead set on expanding its business in the Asia-Pacific markets, despite an affidavit, lodged by former Treasury director-general Lungisa Fuzile, stating that its joint venture (JV) partner is a technically insolvent company. The aerospace and defence... →

South African Weather Service welcomes new CEO

By: Megan van Wyngaardt 23rd May 2017 The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has appointed Jeremiah Lengoasa CEO. He returns to SAWS after 12 years, after he left the organisation to join the World Meteorological Organisation, in Geneva, Switzerland, as assistant secretary-general in August 2005. →

Solidarity approaches court to revoke Eskom’s employment equity plan

By: Megan van Wyngaardt 23rd May 2017 Trade union Solidarity will on Friday approach the Labour Court in Johannesburg to have State-owned power provider Eskom’s current employment equity plan declared invalid and revoked. Eskom’s employment equity plan is expected to be in force until 2020. Solidarity Centre for Fair Labour Practices... →

Gordhan lays into Eskom board over Molefe

By: African News Agency 23rd May 2017 Former Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan on Tuesday called for the Eskom board to be fired and a full investigation into not only Brian Molefe’s return to the power utility, but his actions in his previous job at Transnet. Gordhan told Parliament’s portfolio committee on public enterprises, of... →

Photo by Duane Daws
Former Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan

I was under the impression that Molefe had resigned, Brown reveals

23rd May 2017 When Eskom’s Board approached me to inform me of its decision to bring Mr Molefe back, I said I would support it on the proviso that it was legal. I also made this point repeatedly when addressing media on the matter, though – curiously – none of them thought it worthy of reporting. →

Photo by Duane Daws
Public Enterprises Minister Lynne Brown

Brown drops opposition to legal challenge to Molefe’s reappointment

By: African News Agency 23rd May 2017 Public Enterprises Minister Lynne Brown has withdrawn her opposition to the court application for the reappointment of Brian Molefe as CEO of Eskom be set aside. “I will abide by the decision of the court,” Brown told Parliament’s portfolio committee on public enterprises on Tuesday morning. →

Photo by Duane Daws
Public Enterprises Minister Lynne Brown

Business body urges ANC NEC to pressurise Zuma to set up State capture inquiry

By: Terence Creamer 23rd May 2017 Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA) has added its voice to growing calls for the establishment of an independent judicial commission of inquiry into “State capture”, which it says is necessary to restore confidence in the economy and the future of the country. The big business body has also... →

Photo by Duane Daws
President Jacob Zuma

Parly inquiry into Eskom must include Duduzane Zuma’s ‘fake intelligence report’ – DA

By: African News Agency 22nd May 2017 The Democratic Alliance (DA) will ask Parliament’s chair of chairs Cedric Frolick to include an investigation into the most recent evidence of possible political interference in Eskom, this time by Duduzane Zuma, in the course of the inquiry the DA has requested. Just over a week ago, the DA... →

IPP Office to be incorporated into overhauled Central Energy Fund

By: Terence Creamer 19th May 2017 South Africa’s highly respected Independent Power Producer (IPP) Office, which has overseen nearly R200-billion-worth of renewable-energy investment since 2011, is to be incorporated into the Central Energy Fund (CEF), which itself is to be overhauled. Energy Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi announced... →

DoE director-general Thabane Zulu seconded to SFF as acting CEO

Task team deliberating on renewables impasse to report ‘first week in June’

By: Terence Creamer 19th May 2017 A joint departmental task team set up to find solutions to the current impasse holding back the signing of power purchase agreements (PPAs) for 37 renewable-energy projects procured in 2015 will report back in the first week of June, Energy Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi reported on Friday. The task... →

Energy Minister Mmamoloko Kubay

Eskom questions timing of Ramatlhodi’s claims

By: Megan van Wyngaardt 19th May 2017 Eskom chairperson Ben Ngubane on Friday said former Mineral Resources Minister Ngoako Ramatlhodi’s claims that he was placed under pressure by the parastatal to carry out certain decisions were “barefaced lies”. Earlier this week, Ramatlhodi said Eskom CEO Brian Molefe and Ngubane had, in 2015,... →

Reform of South African public enterprises would help reassure investors – IMF

By: Terence Creamer 19th May 2017 The International Monetary Fund (IMF) says "structural reforms" in product, service and labour markets should be South Africa’s immediate policy priority for stimulating growth and job creation, particularly in light of the limited room to galvanise growth through macroeconomic policies. It also... →

Industry leaders warn of loss in investments in renewables sector

By: Johane Turkstra 19th May 2017 Following State-owned power utility Eskom’s decision last year not to sign a number of contracts with independent power producers (IPP) and the delay in doing so since, industry leaders are warning that a loss in investments in the renewables sector could lead to a severe plateau in... →

NON-RENEWABLE ENERGY
Eskom is responsible for generating about 95% of South Africa’s electricity and the firm mainly relies on coal for its power generation

Photo by Bloomberg
NON-RENEWABLE ENERGY Eskom is responsible for generating about 95% of South Africa’s electricity and the firm mainly relies on coal for its power generation

Southern Palace outlines vision for radically transformed M&R infrastructure unit

By: Mia Breytenbach 19th May 2017 The newly black-owned construction company, conceived from a R314-million sale agreement between engineering and construction group Murray & Roberts (M&R) and black-empowered Southern Palace Group, aims to build on its 115-year heritage to become a “leading, tier one, infrastructure player in... →

Southern Palace CEO Lucas Tseki discusses the importance of the new company which will emerge from the transaction with engineering and construction group Murray & Roberts. Camerawork: Nicholas Boyd. Editing: Lionel da Silva.

South Africa’s foreign debt downgrade not the worst-case scenario

By: Natasha Odendaal 18th May 2017 Despite the hype around the latest sovereign downgrades, South Africa has not hit rock bottom, nor has it experienced the worst-case scenario – a full downgrade to junk to include local currency debt ratings. Hanging in the balance, in particular, were the potential further downgrades of the... →

Econometrix chief economist Dr Azar Jammine

Econometrix director and chief economist Azar Jammine discusses South Africa's junk status and why it is not the worst case scenario. Date recorded: 18.05.2017. Camerawork and videoediting: Nicholas Boyd.

Zuma could be called in to get SAA money back from abroad – Deputy Finance Minister

By: African News Agency 18th May 2017 If all else failed, National Treasury might enlist the help of President Jacob Zuma to secure the repatriation of South African Airways funds from fellow African states, Deputy Finance Minister Sifiso Buthelezi told MPs on Wednesday. Buthelezi told Parliament’s standing committee on finance the... →

Brown to talk to Zuma, Ramaphosa to 'resolve Molefe matter'

By: News24Wire 17th May 2017 Public Enterprises Minister Lynne Brown says she will talk to President Jacob Zuma and Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa to resolve the controversial return of Eskom boss Brian Molefe. Brown was summoned to Luthuli House on Monday and ordered to rescind Molefe's return to the power utility. She... →

Photo by Duane Daws
Public Enterprises Minister Lynne Brown

Kubayi expresses support for 3 700 MW gas-to-power vision amid IPP uncertainty

By: Terence Creamer 16th May 2017 Energy Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi expressed her support on Tuesday for the country’s proposed gas-to-power programme, assuring delegates to a conference in Cape Town that government intended proceeding in line with the existing “vision and policy objectives” for gas infrastructure. “Over the past... →

Energy Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi

Denel says it continues talks with National Treasury over Denel Asia JV

By: Megan van Wyngaardt 16th May 2017 State-owned aerospace and defence technology conglomerate Denel on Tuesday said it was in ongoing talks with Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba and Public Enterprises Minister Lynne Brown regarding its multibillion-rand joint venture (JV) deal with VR Laser Asia, which led to the creation of Denel... →

Molefe could 'obstruct' investigations – DA

By: News24Wire 16th May 2017 The reinstatement of Brian Molefe as Eskom CEO places him in a "position to frustrate or obstruct" any investigations against him, the Democratic Alliance (DA) says in court papers. The party on Monday brought an application in the High Court in Pretoria, asking it to rule Molefe's reinstatement... →

Photo by Duane Daws
Eskom CEO Brian Molefe

DA to file urgent interdict against Molefe’s reappointment

By: African News Agency 15th May 2017 The Democratic Alliance (DA) said on Monday it would be filing for an urgent interdict at the North Gauteng High Court in a bid to stop Brian Molefe’s reappointment as Eskom chief executive. DA spokesperson for public enterprises, Natasha Mazzone, said that Molefe was not a “fit and proper”... →

DoE won’t appeal nuclear ruling, but Kubayi leaves door open for new nuclear determination ahead of IRP update

By: Terence Creamer 13th May 2017 Energy Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi announced on Saturday that government would not appeal the April 26 ruling of the Western Cape High Court, which declared the processes hitherto used to procure new nuclear capacity to be unconstitutional and illegal, along with three nuclear-related... →

Energy Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi

Brown defends shock Molefe reinstatement, as Koko takes leave amid forensic probe

By: Terence Creamer 12th May 2017 Public Enterprises Minister Lynne Brown has defended her decision to accept the Eskom board’s much-criticised recommendation that Brian Molefe be reinstated as CEO and see out his five-year contract to 2020 on the basis that it offered “better value” than the alternative of paying him a... →

Photo by Duane Daws
Public Enterprises Minister Lynne Brown

ANC condemns 'reckless' reinstatement of Molefe as Eskom CEO

By: News24Wire 12th May 2017 The African National Congress (ANC) has condemned the "unfortunate and reckless" decision taken by the Eskom board to reinstate Brian Molefe as CEO. Earlier on Friday, Eskom confirmed that Molefe would return as its chief executive, after the board rescinded his application for early retirement.... →

Photo by Duane Daws
Brian Molefe

Outa outraged by Brian Molefe’s reinstatement at Eskom

By: African News Agency 12th May 2017 The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) on Friday expressed “extreme outrage and disappointment” over the Eskom board’s decision to reinstate former chief executive, Brian Molefe, in the position he recently resigned from. This comes after Business Report on Friday broke the news that Molefe,... →

Outa chairperoson Wayne Duvenage

Nuclear energy provides secure, clean, affordable baseload power

By: Nadine James 12th May 2017 Nuclear energy is the only provider of secure, reliable, clean and affordable baseload power that, from a total lifecycle cost perspective, offers one of the most affordable electricity sources, states the Nuclear Industry Association of South Africa (Niasa). Niasa supply chain development... →

PELINDABA Some South African companies have already achieved local nuclear regulatory standards and requirements and have been implementing them on the Koeberg and Pelindaba's Research Reactor with success

Photo by Duane Daws
PELINDABA Some South African companies have already achieved local nuclear regulatory standards and requirements and have been implementing them on the Koeberg and Pelindaba's Research Reactor with success

Court ruling means new approach needed for SA’s nuclear programme

By: Keith Campbell 12th May 2017 The South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) called for “caution and common sense” in the press release it issued on April 28 in response to the Western Cape High Court judgement on April 26, which set aside as unconstitutional and unlawful certain policy decisions and intergovernmental... →

Nuclear is too expensive, too controversial

By: Nadine James 12th May 2017 Implementing a nuclear build programme in South Africa would be extremely difficult because of the associated expenses as well as the controversy surrounding nuclear power, says financial services company Thomson Reuters. “Globally, government decisions regarding nuclear programmes are delayed... →

ROBERT FISH The costs associated with constructing the necessary infrastructure added to the costs of importing most of the nuclear technology, fuel and materials, will incur large amounts of debt

SAA wins another air freight award

By: Keith Campbell 11th May 2017 In some good news for national flag carrier South African Airways (SAA), the company’s air freight division, SAA Cargo, has been voted the Best Cargo Airline – Africa at the 2017 Air Cargo Airline of the Year Awards. The voting was done by readers of “Air Cargo News”. “We are very proud to have... →

Cargo is loaded into the belly hold of an SAA airliner at Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International Airport

Gigaba won’t change economic policy – Cabinet

By: African News Agency 11th May 2017 Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba has no intention of changing South Africa’s economic policy – this is the message that will be conveyed to representatives of ratings agencies expected to visit the country over the next few months. Briefing journalists on Thursday following cabinet’s fortnightly... →

Photo by Bloomberg
Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba

Nersa may probe whether Eskom’s refusal to sign renewables PPAs contravened licence

By: Terence Creamer 11th May 2017 The electricity subcommittee of the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) will recommend that the Energy Regulator institute a formal investigation into a complaint that Eskom was flouting the conditions of its licence by refusing to conclude power purchase agreements (PPAs) for 37... →

Eskom board to report this week on probe into acting CEO

By: African News Agency 11th May 2017 Public Enterprises Minister Lynne Brown on Wednesday said she was expecting the Eskom board to report back to her this week on a forensic investigation into the awarding of contracts worth around R1-billion to the stepdaughter of the utility’s acting chief executive Matshela Koko. “At the moment... →

Gigaba insists economy must change, but says no nationalisation

By: African News Agency 9th May 2017 Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba on Tuesday insisted that radical economic transformation was inevitable, but said this would not entail nationalisation of banks or mines. Gigaba told Parliament’s standing committee on finance that whether one termed the change he referred to radical economic... →

Photo by Bloomberg
Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba

Labour Minister to take hardline stance on noncompliance with EE Act

By: Natasha Odendaal 9th May 2017 Labour Minister Mildred Oliphant on Tuesday slammed calls for the scrapping of employment equity (EE) and affirmative action policies, stating that the objectives of the policies have not yet been achieved and a harsher approach to noncompliance is on the cards. Highlighting the dismal outcomes... →

SAA will get cash injection this year, says Treasury DG

By: African News Agency 9th May 2017 South African Airways (SAA) will receive a cash injection from National Treasury during the course of the year, but the size of it was still being debated, outgoing director general of finance, Lungisa Fuzile, said on Tuesday. Fuzile told Parliament’s standing committee on finance that this much... →

Drought has exposed SA’s poor water management

5th May 2017 The drought, which has impacted many regions within South Africa for a considerable length of time, has exposed the poor – or in some cases lack of – water management ability of many water institutions, as well as the difficulties and inability of municipalities and their consumers to reduce... →

HARSH TRUTHS Drinking water and wastewater utilities in Africa are struggling to cope with the increasing demand for services

Photo by Duane Daws
HARSH TRUTHS Drinking water and wastewater utilities in Africa are struggling to cope with the increasing demand for services

Astral to pay Eskom directly for electricity

By: Megan van Wyngaardt 4th May 2017 The North Gauteng High Court has allowed poultry producer Astral and another industrial customer to make direct monthly electricity payments into power utility’s Eskom account. Earlier this year, Astral said Eskom’s plan to cut power to the Lekwa local municipality, in Mpumalanga, where its feed... →

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