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Transport News

Cape Town’s unfinished elevated freeway requires rethinking, says Amdec CEO

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 21st September 2020 Developer Amdec Group CEO James Wilson emphasises that it is imperative to reopen discussions around Cape Town’s unfinished elevated freeway. “Demolishing freeways in highly densified urban areas is a massive and costly undertaking. It requires a clear vision, bold risk taking, and a re-ordering... →

Durban Container Terminal receives another eight straddle carriers

By: Donna Slater 21st September 2020 Another eight new electric straddle carriers have arrived at the Durban Container Terminal (DCT) Pier 2 fully assembled, completing the terminal’s order of 23 for the current calendar year. This followed the delivery of 13 of the electric straddle carriers in August. →

TIPS Tracker: The economy and the pandemic

21st September 2020 Trade and Industrial Policy Strategies' (TIPS's) 'Tracker: The economy and the pandemic' highlights important trends in the Covid-19 pandemic in South Africa and how they affect the economy. Since August 18, when the country moved to Level 2 of the lockdown, the number of cases has plateaued at... →

Comair’s business rescue plan has been approved

By: Rebecca Campbell 21st September 2020 The proposed business rescue plan for private sector airline group Comair was approved by a decisive majority on Friday. Comair operates the British Airways in South Africa and Kulula low cost carrier brands. The preferred investment consortium for the group is composed of several former members... →

Govt commits to provide SAA with R10.5bn – administrator

By: Reuters 18th September 2020 South Africa has pledged R10.5-billion to South African Airways, one of the administrators of the ailing state-owned airline said on Friday. The administrators took control of SAA in December after almost a decade of financial losses and have been trying to keep it afloat as the coronavirus... →

Unions threaten legal action if government does not commit to saving State-owned airlines

By: Rebecca Campbell 18th September 2020 Two trade unions, the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) and the South African Cabin Crew Association (Sacca), have jointly announced that, together, they are going to challenge in court the liquidation of State-owned airlines South African Airways (SAA) and South African... →

ATNS launches virtual Aviation Training Academy

By: Donna Slater 18th September 2020 With Covid-19 restrictions, Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS) is piloting virtual training through its Aviation Training Academy. ATNS’ Aviation Training Academy offers aviation training to several countries in Africa since it was certified as a training institution in 1996. →

FedEx reports strong demand during lockdown

By: Schalk Burger 18th September 2020 Express transportation company FedEx Express South Africa has recorded strong domestic demand for its services during lock-down, and credits its employees for meeting this demand and operating in difficult conditions, says FedEx Express Southern Africa MD André Bresler. One of the core sources of... →

Initiative to accelerate technology strategies amid aerospace industry decline

By: Mamaili Mamaila 18th September 2020 The Aerospace Industry Support Initiative (AISI) plans to continue building technology strategies with industry for long-term implementation amid the industry’s decline of late. →

EVEN ODDS Although there are “pockets of excellence”, the local aerospace industry is very small and focuses almost exclusively on exports

Big loss for Gautrain predicted as ridership falls, owing to Covid-19

By: Irma Venter 18th September 2020 Weekday Gautrain rail ridership has fallen to 7 478 passenger trips a day, about 14% of pre-Covid-19 levels, says Gautrain Management Agency (GMA) COO Tshepo Kgobe. Bus ridership is at 16% of pre-Covid-19 levels, at 2 974 passenger trips a day. →

Security function now top priority at PRASA, says CEO

By: Irma Venter 18th September 2020 While Covid-19 has given the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) the opportunity to “stop and think” about its service offering and the way forward for the rail entity, it also left the door open for severe vandalism of its assets during the national lockdown, says CEO Nosipho Damasane.... →

Engineering collaboration assists local development

18th September 2020 Mechanical engineering contractor Brimis Engineering is working together with air conditioning contractor Blue Hemisphere on the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) installation at the Middelburg Provincial Hospital. →

Bulk infrastructure works start at Tambo Springs Logistics Gateway

By: Irma Venter 18th September 2020 Construction of bulk infrastructure at the Tambo Springs Logistics Gateway has started. This development, located on the southern border of the Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni metros, is connected by road and rail corridors between Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni, in Gauteng; Durban, in KwaZulu-Natal;... →

BRPs report government has failed to supply promised funding for SAA

By: Rebecca Campbell 17th September 2020 The joint business rescue practitioners (BRPs) for financially-embattled State-owned national flag carrier South African Airways (SAA) reported on Thursday that the government had failed to supply the funding it had promised to finance the implementation of the airline’s business rescue plan.... →

Numsa union accuses Comair business rescuers of bullying employees

By: African News Agency 17th September 2020 The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa on Thursday accused the business rescue practitioners at Comair of attempting to blackmail employees into signing away their rights ahead of a crucial creditors meeting tomorrow. In a statement, Numsa said the practitioners had not consulted... →

JRA fills, patches thousands of potholes

By: Donna Slater 17th September 2020 After receiving 32 000 pothole service requests, the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) has successfully resolved just over 22 000 as at September 14. In addition, the agency reports that 1 600 of the 2 200 patches were resolved. →

Numsa blasts Comair business rescue practitioners & will not sign collective agreement

By: Rebecca Campbell 17th September 2020 The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) on Thursday accused the business rescue practitioners (BRPs) for private-sector airline group Comair of trying to blackmail employees into giving up their rights, ahead of a crucial meeting of the company’s creditors on Friday. The union... →

OneLogix sees profit dip for the first time in 11 years

By: Irma Venter 17th September 2020 Logistics group OneLogix for the first time in 11 years reported a profit decline, owing largely to the listless domestic economy and the ramifications of the worldwide Covid-19 lockdown, says CEO Ian Lourens. →

Ian Lourens

Iata urges African countries to test international travellers for Covid-19 not quarantine them

By: Rebecca Campbell 16th September 2020 The International Air Transport Association (Iata), which is the representative body for the world’s airlines, has urged African governments to implement testing for Covid-19 in place of quarantine measures when re-opening their economies. “Testing provides a safe alternative to quarantine and a... →

Mbalula launches beefed up PRASA protection service

By: Donna Slater 16th September 2020 The Department of Transport and the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) on September 16 launched the multidisciplinary Ministerial Integrated Security Plan, which involves the employment and deployment of an additional 3 100 security personnel to monitor and protect rail... →

Photo by Creamer Media's Donna Slater
Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula inspects a portion of the new PRASA protection officers at the Rhodesfield train station

CDC aiming to secure CEO replacement for long-serving Silinga by year-end

By: Terence Creamer 16th September 2020 The Coega Development Corporation (CDC) has formally initiated a recruitment process to secure a replacement for its long-serving CEO, Pepi Silinga, who has been appointed CEO of Transnet National Ports Authority, effective October 1. The position has been advertised internally and externally and... →

Pepi Silinga

Super Group posts 91c loss a share

By: Marleny Arnoldi 15th September 2020 Transport logistics and mobility company Super Group says the company’s trading in the year ended June 30 had been significantly impacted on by lockdown restrictions applied in Australia, Germany, Spain, South Africa and the UK. CEO Peter Mountford says the impact of Covid-19 on revenue was... →

Super Group CEO Peter Mountford

PE port loads last shipment of bumper 2020 citrus export season

By: Donna Slater 15th September 2020 The last official specialised reefer (refrigerated container) fruit vessel calling to load citrus from the Eastern Cape through the Port of Port Elizabeth's multi-purpose terminal, docked at the port this week. The MV Lady Rosebud docked at berth 10/11 on September 13 to discharge 45 empty... →

MV Lady Rosebud loaded with the last South African citrus exports of the 2020 season

Eskom advises of temporary N3 road closure for work on overhead power line

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 15th September 2020 State-owned Eskom has been granted permission from the South African National Roads Agency for the temporary road closure of the N3 north and southbound, just after the N3 De Hoek Toll Plaza, from 10:00 to 13:00 on September 17, to dismantle and remove a decommissioned high-voltage transmission... →

Roll-out of AARTO a big concern, says Road Freight Association

By: Irma Venter 15th September 2020 The Road Freight Association (RFA) says it is working with all relevant role-players to ensure that the proposed Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (AARTO) is “considered properly” before implementation, and that AARTO will achieve its main purpose of ensuring road safety, says... →

Gavin Kelly

Local industrial equipment market to drop by 30%, says EIE’s Malherbe

By: Irma Venter 14th September 2020 New-unit sales in the South African industrial equipment market will decline by an estimated 30% this year, says EIE Group operations director Chantell Malherbe. Most of this drop will come from the more established brands, with an uptick seen in the sale of less expensive Chinese products, at... →

SA Express employees form entity to bid for takeover of the airline

By: Marleny Arnoldi 14th September 2020 Employees of embattled State-owned airline South African Express Airways (SA Express) have taken initiative to incorporate a special purpose vehicle (SPV) as an acquiring entity to bid for the airline. The SPV will be owned by a public limited company, Fly SAX, with the employees as owners. →

In-house-developed idler increases mine throughput, product longevity

By: Donna Slater 11th September 2020 The development of a South African-made conveyor belt idler has resulted in diversified miner Exxaro Resources increasing throughput at its Grootegeluk mine through one of its conveyor load points from 800 t/d to 3 000 t/d, says conveyor products manufacturer Brelko US and Africa manager Brent... →

One year later and still no clarity on e-tolls, says Outa

By: Irma Venter 11th September 2020 Cabinet’s failure to make a decision on a funding mechanism for Gauteng’s freeways is affecting long-term road planning and allows the South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) to avoid responsibility for an incoherent e-toll collection strategy, says the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse... →

Industry’s wings seemingly clipped

By: Mamaili Mamaila 11th September 2020 South Africa’s economy is hanging by a thread and this has presented massive challenges for the local aerospace industry, says aircraft design organisation Aerodesigns Africa director Murray Spoelstra. →

GLOBAL SIGHTS SET Similar to the local automotive industry that is manufacturing for European countries, so must there be opportunities to manufacture aircraft under licence for foreign companies

Level playing field key to moving industry forward

By: Mamaili Mamaila 11th September 2020 Transformation should be a top priority among the issues that need to be addressed in manufacturing for the aviation industry, says maintenance solutions provider Dynamic Aerotech technical operation and research director Mulalo Neluheni. →

OPEN UP THE INDUSTRY While there is scope for black people with potential to thrive in this space, this needs to take into account the whole value chain in the aerospace industry

Association laments sector decline

By: Mamaili Mamaila 11th September 2020 The aerospace manufacturing sector is in a “freefall” and there does not appear to be any parachute in sight, says industry body Commercial Aerospace Manufacturing Association of South Africa (Camasa) co-chairperson Themba September. →

AIRING IT OUT In its efforts to ensure that the sector returns to its former glory, Camasa has participated in the process of drafting a sector masterplan

Initiative plans to accelerate tech amid industry decline

By: Mamaili Mamaila 11th September 2020 The Aerospace Industry Support Initiative (AISI) plans to continue building technology strategies with industry for long-term implementation amid the industry’s decline of late. “The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic has been extremely severe on the aerospace industry, owing to the lockdown on air... →

EVEN ODDS Although there are “pockets of excellence”, the local aerospace industry is very small and focuses almost exclusively on exports

Equipment reduces dust in bulk materials handling

11th September 2020 Materials handling equipment specialist BLT WORLD’s Samson travelling Eco-Hoppers have an effective dust control system that minimises the escape of dust during the grab discharge cycle in bulk materials handling. →

BREATHING EASY The Samson Eco Hoppers installed at Kenya’s Port of Mombasa have significantly improved port facilities and minimised the environmental impact of bulk handling operations at the harbour

Real-time data essential in FMCG market

By: Cameron Mackay 11th September 2020 With the Covid-19 pandemic having led to a change in buying patterns, fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) value chain solutions provider MACmobile MD Andrew Dawson suggests that the FMCG industry will have to use intelligent digital technology data to curb the negative impact this could have on the... →

ANDREW DAWSON We still need clarity on disposeable incomes across different consumer brands, it’s unclear if we’re going to see see a shift to more basic staples

Company underlines lithium-ion forklift battery benefits for warehouses

By: Cameron Mackay 11th September 2020 Local industrial lithium-ion battery distributor CHASE Technologies GM Brent Frazer explains that the company’s lithium-ion phosphate (LiFePO4) battery packs for forklifts present a more cost-effective, maintenance-free and environment-friendly option for forklift users. These battery packs... →

POSITIVE MARKET IMPACT CHASE Technologies’ is looking to convert 50% of the current local electric forklift market from lead-acid batteries to LiFePO4 batteries

Covid-19 lops R1bn off Imperial’s operating profit

By: Irma Venter 11th September 2020 Imperial lost an estimated R4-billion in revenue and R1-billion in operating profit during the peak lockdown period of March to May, says Imperial CEO Mohammed Akoojee. Despite this, the group still managed to report a 5% increase in continuing revenue for the financial year ended June 30 to... →

Topics In These Articles

Africa Financial Flow Concrete Sustainable Aviation Installation Safety Service Simulator Training Business Freight PROJECT Road Roads SMS System Systems transport Cleaning Electra Mining Engineering engineering news Gold Innovation Manufacturing Mining Platinum Reinforcing ... more

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