Trade statistics for January, released by the South African Revenue Services (Sars) on February 29, show a preliminary trade deficit of R9.4-billion, an improvement from the R24.4-billion trade deficit recorded for the comparable period in 2023. The trade balance is attributable to exports of R144.3-billion and imports of R153.7-billion, inclusive of trade with Botswana, eSwatini, [...]

The debt owed by municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal to Eskom have increased by R818-million between March 2023 and January this year, resulting in municipalities in the province now owing Eskom R1.5-billion. The State-owned power utility supplies electricity in bulk to these municipalities, which, in turn, sell it at a profit to their customers.

South African scientists plan to examine about 8.5-million death certificates to ascertain how many people the country’s dependence on coal for electricity is killing. The review is the first of its kind in Africa in that it will depend on actual data rather than modeling the effects of air pollution on health. It’s the latest [...]

Tens of thousands of Mozambicans are fleeing their homes in the restive Cabo Delgado province amid a surge in deadly insurgent attacks since January. The attacks, despite a massive security clampdown, are continuing as French oil company TotalEnergies aims to restart a $20-billion liquefied natural gas terminal in Cabo Delgado in the coming months. The [...]

India and South Africa have filed a formal objection against an investment agreement at a World Trade Organization (WTO) meeting in Abu Dhabi, blocking its adoption in a move that observers say could block hundreds of billions of dollars in investment. The deal agreed by some 125 countries, or about three-quarters of the WTO's members, [...]

The significant decline in platinum group metal (PGM) prices during 2023 has resulted in notably lower group profitability, despite disciplined cost control across several operations, PGMs mining and marketing company Implats reported on Thursday.   The group generated earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda) of R8.4-billion, headline earnings of R3.3-billion or 365c a share, and recorded a [...]

The board of mining company Harmony Gold has approved the commencement of a R7.9-billion life-of-mine extension project at the rich Mponeng gold mine in the West Wits region of South Africa's Gauteng province. “Mponeng is an incredible mine with an existing world-class infrastructure,” Harmony CEO Peter Steenkamp enthused during Wednesday’s presentation of superb half-year financial [...]

Platinum group metals (PGMs) miner Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) has, through its wholly owned Rustenburg Platinum Mines (RPM) subsidiary, entered into a 20-year energy offtake agreement (EOA) with Envusa Energy. Envusa is a joint venture between EDF Renewables and Amplats' parent company Anglo American with a focus on establishing a regional renewable energy ecosystem (RREE) in Southern Africa.

JSE-listed AECI, which is undergoing far-reaching restructuring to re-focus on its core mining and chemicals businesses and reduce debt, reports strong initial interest in the six noncore companies that it plans to dispose of over the coming 18 months for combined proceeds of about R2.5-billion. CEO Holger Riemensperger insists that there will be “no fire [...]

Vodacom Group has approached South Africa’s Constitutional Court to ask for leave to appeal a ruling that it pay a former employee billions of rand in compensation for an idea he proposed more than two decades ago. The SCA ruled earlier this month that Kenneth Makate should be compensated within a range between R29-billion and [...]

State-owned Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) has, as part of its marine fleet renewal programme, ordered seven tugboats in a R1-billion investment aimed at enhancing marine operations at its commercial seaports. The Port of Durban has been allocated five of the seven tugboats, with the remaining two be deployed to the Port of East London.

The Energy and Water Sector Education and Training Authority (Ewseta) has said it cannot accurately determine critical skills needs in the sector because industry participants do not accurately report their skills demands. In a media briefing, in Johannesburg, on February 27, Ewseta CEO Mpho Mookapele revealed that, of the 3 106 South African energy and water [...]