JSE-listed Altron on Monday reported strong results across its continuing operations; however, noncash adjustments in its discontinued operations weighed on the company’s overall results for the year ended February 29, 2024. The company reported earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda), including Altron’s ATM Business and discontinued operations, of R985-million, a 6% decrease on [...]

A collective effort was apparent on Friday when Minerals Council South Africa, the Council for Geoscience and the Industrial Development (IDC) spoke on the same platform to promote a return to growth in the shrinking South African mining industry. Minerals Council South Africa CEO Mzila Mthenjane, Council for Geoscience CEO Mosa Mabuza, Junior Exploration & [...]

New Delhi-based multinational Varun Beverages says its acquisition of South African entity BevCo and its subsidiaries, valued at close to R3-billion, is set to expand its African footprint and bring global expertise to a market characterised by growing consumer sophistication and demand for variety.  BevCo is a bottler of all PepsiCo branded non-alcoholic beverages in [...]

A new International Energy Agency (IEA) report describes the sharp decline in critical mineral prices over the past year as a double-edged sword, cautioning that, while it has been a boon for clean energy deployment and affordability, it is a bane for critical mineral investment and diversification. The ‘Global Critical Minerals Outlook 2024’ highlights that, [...]

During its financial year to February 29, midtier mining and materials company Afrimat invested considerably in projects that are expected to yield fruitful returns and further strengthen diversity and competitive advantage, group CEO Andries van Heerden said. One such project was the Nkomati anthracite mine, which he said delivered a healthy return.

Construction at the Msikaba Bridge on the N2 in the Eastern Cape is set to move up a gear this year, with a number of challenging technical activities to be tackled. According to contractor Concor, these include post-tensioning the anchor blocks, installing pylon inserts and building the ladder deck.

A consortium led by private equity firm Alterra Capital Partners and including broad-based investment holding company the Mineworkers Investment Company (MIC) and independent private equity house Admaius Capital Partners, will acquire a majority stake in beverage company Chill Beverages from Old Mutual Private Equity (OMPE). This acquisition marks the first investment by Alterra’s Africa Accelerator [...]

Pledges worth $2.2-billion to support clean-cooking access in Africa were made at a summit in France on Tuesday, convened by the International Energy Agency (IEA). It is estimated that more than one-billion people in Africa currently lack access to clean-cooking solutions and instead cook over open fires and basic stoves, using charcoal, wood, agricultural waste, [...]

JSE-listed real estate investment trust Octodec Investments achieved income growth of 3.1% for the six months ended February 29, largely driven by higher rentals in its residential portfolio. Rental income for the period was just over R1-billion, compared with R974.2-million in the first half of the 2023 financial year.

The UK Government has initiated the consultation process for its proposed policy to regulate the siting of commercial nuclear fusion reactors in England. (Siting policies for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are the responsibility for their respective devolved regional governments.) The UK Department for Energy Security & Net Zero has done so by publishing a [...]

A group led by Japanese trading house Itochu Corp. is nearing an agreement to buy green ammonia from Hive Hydrogen South Africa, a $5.9 billion project that could make the country a global leader in producing the fuel. Hive Hydrogen may start output of green ammonia — which could be utilized as a fuel for [...]

JSE-listed MTN on Tuesday posted a dip in service revenue and earnings during the first quarter of the year, amid ongoing high inflation and local currency devaluations in some of its key markets. The group reported a 28.7% contraction in earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda) from R24.27-billion in the first quarter of [...]