HSBC and the World Bank's International Finance Corporation (IFC) will jointly provide funding to trade transactions valued at up to $1-billion, in a move to help fill a gap in financing for emerging market trade. IFC and HSBC said on Thursday they would equally share the risk on a portfolio of trade-related assets held by [...]

JSE- and ASX-listed Renergen has provided an update on ongoing actions involving its majority-owned subsidiary, Tetra4, which produces helium, and a proposed solar plant being planned by another entity. Renergen has welcomed the signing of the Upstream Petroleum and Resources Development Act into law in October.  

Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront plans a R20-billion expansion of the adjacent Granger Bay precinct and has sought permission from authorities in South Africa’s second-biggest city for the development. V&A — one of the continent’s most visited tourism and retail destinations — has asked the local council to approve an increase in its permissible development rights to [...]

Privately owned construction company GVK-Siya Zama accomplished several significant milestones this year that strengthened its position in the construction industry. One of its primary achievements was the completion of two mammoth projects, each valued at about R1-billion.

The National Nuclear Regulator (NNR) on Tuesday invited the public to comment on environmental, health and safety issues regarding the request by South African State-owned national electricity utility Eskom to alter its licence for the Transient Interim Storage Facility (TISF) at its Koeberg nuclear power plant (NPP). Koeberg is located on the country’s west coast, [...]

South Africa, which hosts more than 70% of the world reserves of chrome ore and manganese ores, was dominant in ferroalloy production until 2010. In the early 2000s, South Africa was the undisputed No 1 chrome ore- and ferrochrome-producing country, with 90% of the inputs, including technology and equipment, locally sourced.

The Jubane Consortium, led by the Bombela Concession Company (BCC), operator of the Gautrain since its inception, is bidding to “revolutionise” Gauteng’s transport system. Drawing on global expertise in railway and bus operations, combined with local insight, the consortium promises a “transformative leap in service excellence” for commuters in the next concession.

Almost 60% of airline funds, blocked from repatriation by governments around the world, were being held back by African countries, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has reported. (IATA is the global representative body for the airline industry.) Of the global total of $1.7-billion in blocked airline funds, about $1-billion were being held by African [...]

State-owned utility Eskom’s average energy availability factor (EAF) exceeded 60% for the seventh consecutive month in November. This milestone coincided with over 250 days without loadshedding and a significant reduction in open-cycle gas turbine (OCGT) use this year, industry organisation the Minerals Council South Africa points out.

The transportation of raw materials to diversified miner South32’s Mozal Aluminium operation is being negatively impacted on by road blockages related to escalating civil unrest in Mozambique. Mozal Aluminium is the largest industrial employer in the country, consisting of a smelter and transport infrastructure, just west of Maputo.

Development finance institution (DFI) the African Development Bank (AfDB) has released the first tranche of four of its $1-billion loan to State-owned Transnet as part of a financing arrangement to support Transnet’s business recovery plan. The funding will allow Transnet to start the first phase of its ambitious R152.8-billion, five-year investment plan to upgrade existing infrastructure [...]

An expert mission from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has commended Ghana for being committed to continuously improving nuclear and radiation safety, as the country moves forward with its nuclear power programme. Ghana already has a Chinese-designed 30 kWt research reactor (designated GHARR-1, for Ghana Research Reactor) and uses radiation technologies in agriculture, healthcare, [...]