Concessional climate finance essential to catalysing offshore wind developments – report
A new report published by the World Bank’s Energy Sector Management Assistance Programme (ESMAP) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) finds that concessional climate financing is essential to unlock offshore wind in emerging markets. The report, titled ‘The Role of Concessional Climate Finance in Accelerating the Deployment of Offshore Wind in Emerging Markets’ was published [...]
Kenya Airways unit pushing use of drones and other emerging aviation technologies
With new technologies promising to transform commercial aviation, Kenyan national flag carrier Kenya Airways is determined to be an active participant in this revolution and so make the East African country a regional and then continental (and perhaps even a global) centre for these technologies. To this end, it has set up a specialised subsidiary [...]
South Africa wants $8.5bn climate plan wrapped up by COP28
Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Minister Barbara Creecy said she expects the long-delayed implementation plan for an $8.5-billion climate pact with some of the world’s richest nations to be completed by the COP28 summit that starts on November 30. The so-called Just Energy Transition Partnership, which aims to help coal-dependent South Africa transition to cleaner energy, has [...]
South African mines get a faster route to Mozambique port
South Africa’s mining companies, losing out on billions of dollars in sales due to logistics bottlenecks, could soon have a quicker route to ports in neighboring Mozambique. The Logistics Co (TLC), indirectly owned by Old Mutual’s African Infrastructure Investment Managers, plans to open a trucks-only crossing at Komatipoort, just north of South Africa’s main Lebombo [...]
Cape Town to launch dispute on PRASA devolution, service standards
Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis says the city is briefing its lawyers to launch an intergovernmental dispute on passenger rail devolution and service standards. Hill-Lewis says the city has been unable to form a joint devolution working committee with national government, as it attempts to take over the services supplied by the Passenger Rail Agency of South [...]
G7 Renewable Energies withdraws case against Eskom's interim grid rules
G7 Renewable Energies has withdrawn its High Court review against Eskom's Interim Grid Capacity Allocation Rules (IGCAR), following what it describes as “meaningful industry engagements” that have resulted in an “amicable resolution”. On June 17 Eskom unveiled the interim rules, which sought to address the prevailing scarcity of grid connections by shifting the allocation methodology [...]
Bombardier to pay Transnet R468m to settle dispute over State capture locomotive deal
Bombardier Transportation SA (BTSA) has agreed to pay Transnet a total of R468-million to settle a long-running legal dispute over a locomotive supply contract. Transnet, in turn, will release withheld penalties worth R92.4-million in favour of Bombardier, a subsidiary of French train giant Alstom.
Current account deficit widens in the second quarter
South Africa's current account deficit widened to 2.3% of gross domestic product in the second quarter from a revised 0.9% in the first quarter, central bank data showed on Thursday. In rand terms, the current account balance for the April-June period recorded a deficit of R160.7-billion from a revised R63.7-billion deficit in the preceding three [...]
ARM achieves 4% ‘tip of iceberg’ decarbonisation target with much more to come
In the 12 months to June 30, diversified mining company African Rainbow Minerals (ARM) achieved the 4% carbon reduction target that executive chairperson Dr Patrice Motsepe set for the Johannesburg Stock Exchange-listed company. “But that’s just the tip of the iceberg,” said former ARM CEO Mike Schmidt, in his new green role as executive of [...]
SAB CEO calls for greater excise tax increase certainty to protect the beer industry
Beer maker South African Breweries (SAB) CEO Richard Rivett-Carnac has called on government to create greater certainty around excise tax increases going forward, stating that yearly increases that surpass inflation undermine the beer industry's growth. "We need, as an industry, strong policy certainty around excise tax. We know that the government is under pressure from a [...]
State wants private companies to upgrade SA's border posts
Government is looking to the private sector to assist in upgrading South Africa's land ports with neighbouring countries. The upgrades will assist in improving regional trade between the Southern Africa Development Community, stop the illegal movement of goods and people, and assist in effective migration between the countries, according to the Department of Home Affairs. South [...]
Three-year contract for rail turnout sets awarded to voestalpine VAE SA
Railway infrastructure solutions provider voestalpine VAE SA (VAESA) has been awarded a three-year contract by Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) to supply turnout sets and turnout components, which are mechanical devices used to guide trains from one rail track to another. No contract value has been disclosed, but VAESA, which is controlled by black woman-owned company [...]