Fitch Solutions maintains its forecast for an average coking coal price of $195/t for this year, stating that prices will remain elevated, with strong demand from China’s steel sector, as US–China relations continue to deteriorate and the probability rises of further economic support from the Chinese government towards domestic industries. On the supply side, the [...]

The National Prosecuting Authority on Thursday outlined in court how it believed former president Jacob Zuma had used extensive litigation, known as the Stalingrad defence, to delay being prosecuted on fraud and corruption charges. Zuma had used a consistent pattern of litigation, designed ultimately to delay prosecution, said seasoned advocate Wim Trengove, acting for the [...]

A planned $10-billion port project in Tanzania backed by China has hit an impasse, with the two sides disagreeing on terms of the infrastructure investment, a senior Tanzanian port official said on Wednesday. In 2013, Tanzania signed a framework agreement with China Merchants Holdings International, China's largest port operator, to build the port and a [...]

The reason for the decision to prosecute former president Jacob Zuma on charges of racketeering, money laundering, fraud and corruption does not matter, even if it was politically motivated. This is one of the arguments set to be put to the KwaZulu-Natal High Court in Pietermaritzburg by advocate Wim Trengove SC on Thursday, as he [...]

The Minerals Council South Africa will, later this year, launch a new health and safety initiative called Khumbela iKhaya, council chaiperson Mxolisi Mgojo revealed on Wednesday. Addressing the council's annual general meeting, he noted that appreciable improvements in the health and safety performance across the mining industry had been achieved.

As speculation swirls about plans to deal with Eskom Holdings’ crippling debt load, one group of stakeholders hasn’t been consulted – owners of the company’s R243-billion of bonds. South Africa’s State-owned power utility is groaning under almost R500-billion of bond and loan debt, according to data compiled by Bloomberg, and isn’t selling enough electricity to [...]

African telecommunications giant MTN has paid 275-billion naira ($898.99-million) toward a 330-billion naira fine imposed on it for not disconnecting unregistered SIM cards, Nigeria's communications agency said on Tuesday. The final 55-billion naira payment from MTN, Africa's largest telecommunications firm, to the Nigerian government is due at the end of the month, the Nigerian Communications [...]

The City of Cape Town on Tuesday welcomed the high court in Pretoria setting a date for its petition to buy electricity directly from independent power producers (IPPs). The City wants the Energy Minister and the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) to allow it to purchase power from IPPs. Under the current regime, [...]

State-owned freight and rail company, Transnet said on Tuesday that its contractor, CMI Emtateni Joint Venture, has terminated its R4.2-billion contract for a megaproject to create deeper berths at the Durban Container Terminal (DCT). This comes after Transnet in November last year stopped all the works in the project and launched a probe into the contract after receiving [...]

Arms company Thales has tried to distance itself from former President Jacob Zuma, as both parties seek a permanent stay of prosecution on charges relating to the now-infamous Arms Deal. But this angle from Thales' lawyers on Tuesday sparked a volley of questions from a full bench in the KwaZulu-Natal High Court in Pietermaritzburg.

Energy and chemicals group Sasol, which announced another large increase in the capital cost of its Lake Charles Chemicals Project (LCCP) being build in the US, will accelerate its $2-billion noncore asset disposal programme and will used the proceeds to deleverage its balance sheet. Joint president and CEO Bongani Nqwababa said on Wednesday that the [...]

South African machinery and capital equipment companies must understand the legislation of countries they are operating in, or exporting to, South African Capital Equipment Export Council (Saceec) chairperson and CEO Eric Bruggeman told delegates attending the Local Southern African Manufacturing Expo, on Tuesday. He commented that the country's machinery and capital equipment exports amounted to [...]