The current global metals and minerals environment is reminiscent of past 2015 years, when the mining industry stalled after a very good run – compounded this time by inflation pressures, few or no new discoveries and a chaotic global order. “Then, as now, it is plagued by the obsessive short-termism of governments and investors alike, [...]

Nigeria's State oil firm NNPC will supply the new 650 000 bl/d Dangote oil refinery with up to six cargoes of crude oil in December to be used in test runs, three industry sources with knowledge of the matter said. The refinery, funded by Africa's richest man Aliko Dangote, will transform oil trading in the [...]

Mintek’s latest technological acquisition, the AMAZEMET rePowder ultrasonic atomisation and alloy development machine, is an extremely advanced piece of equipment that is expected to strengthen and bolster the country’s minerals-based and three-dimensional (3D) printing industries. The machine also aligns with the national mineral processing and metallurgical research council's goal of providing critical infrastructure for South [...]

JSE-listed residential- and retail-focused real estate investment trust Octodec has increased revenue by 3.3% to R1.99-billion for the financial year ended August 31. It also increased its full-year dividend by 3.8% to 135c a share.

The Drakenstein municipality has started the upgrade and refurbishment of the Paarl Wastewater Treatment Works (WWTW), in the Western Cape, as part of the first phase of the new R1.4-billion Budget Facility for Infrastructure (BFI) project. The project will help the municipality to ensure the suitable treatment of wastewater and assist in preserving the Berg [...]

Business noted on Thursday that while Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana outlined government’s strategy to avoid a full-blown fiscal crisis and systemic risks to the economy, it is concerned that although the focus is now firmly on structural reform as demanded, those responsible for its implementation cannot be trusted as the nation “has been here before”. [...]

Independent power company Globeleq and its project partners, energy developer Source Energia and Mozambican national power utility Electricidade de Moçambique (EDM), have received formal notification from EDM (the offtaker) that commercial operations at the 19 MW Cuamba solar photovoltaic (PV) and 7 MWh energy storage plant began on September 12. In September, Mozambique President Filipe [...]

A panel of experts has found that new technology in the nuclear space is enabling a nuclear renaissance after two decades of low investment into new projects in this sector, especially as energy mixes are becoming more diversified globally. Speaking on a panel hosted by British newspaper Financial Times during its Energy Transition Summit, on [...]

Treasury has been forced to make painful revisions to the latest Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement, which updates government’s spending plans over the next three years, after its expectations in the February Budget turned out to be over-optimistic. Government now expects to earn almost R57-billion less in taxes than it previously forecast. Much lower commodity prices [...]

The National Treasury has confirmed that a total of 67 municipalities, which collectively owe Eskom R56.8-billion, or 97% of the municipal arrears debt of over R58-billion owed to the utility at the end of March, have formally applied to participate in the debt write-off programme. The National Treasury also confirmed that 36 municipalities had already [...]

Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana has not “closed the door” on Transnet’s move to secure a reported R100-billion in balance-sheet support to assist with its recently released turnaround plan. However, in a Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) briefing, he insisted that far more engagement was required by the troubled State-owned freight logistics utility to build trust [...]

The National Treasury has confirmed that there is no immediate plan for a review of the Gold and Foreign Exchange Contingency Reserve Account (GFECRA), which some economists have argued should be drawn on to help narrow the gap between revenue and expenditure. The GFECRA reserves are said to stand at about R450-billion currently.