Ramaphosa calls for peaceful resolution to police standoff with illegal miners
President Cyril Ramaphosa described the Stilfontein mine as a “crime scene”, on Monday, as he called for a peaceful resolution to the standoff at the disused mine shaft, where illegal miners are holed up. The South African Police Service (Saps) and government departments have been trying, for over a month, to surface the illegal miners [...]
Astral swings to full-year profit, resumes dividend
JSE-listed integrated poultry producer Astral Foods has managed to swing from an operating loss of R621-million in the 2023 financial year to an operating profit of R1.1-billion for the financial year ended September 30, on the back of its Avian influenza-and loadshedding-induced recovery strategy. “The successful execution of our ‘re-set, re-focus and re-start’ campaign during [...]
Lobito Atlantic Railways takes delivery of 275 new container wagons
The first batch of 275 new container wagons bought from Galison Manufacturing in South Africa has arrived in Lobito, Angola, to reinforce the transport capacity of the Lobito Atlantic Railway (LAR). The strategic investment into new wagons is part of the LAR's expansion and modernisation plan over the next three years.
South Africa says China could assume climate lead if US exits
China has an opportunity to lead the global fight against climate change with the US set to tamp down its commitments following the election of Donald Trump as president, South Africa’s environment minister said. The world’s biggest emitter has faced scathing criticism from the US and developed European nations for not pulling its weight when [...]
Public Works to blacklist ‘criminal’ contractors as delayed projects reach R3-billion
Out of the 206 infrastructure projects overseen by the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) this financial year, 164 projects are experiencing delays, says Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson. Addressing Parliament this week, he said this represented a 79% delay rate across the department’s portfolio for this financial year.
Provinces increase their expenditure by nearly 5% in the second quarter
National Treasury has revealed that South Africa's provinces spent 50.6%, or R384.9-billion, of the allocated main budget of R760.1-billion in the second quarter of the 2024/25 financial year, which represents a 4.8%, or R17.7-billion, increase compared with the same period in the 2023/24 financial year. Spending on education amounted to R158.6-billion, or 50.1% of the provincial education main [...]
Ramokgopa to recommend lifting PBMR from care and maintenance
The Department of Electricity and Energy is preparing a report to Cabinet to recommend the approval of lifting the pebble bed modular reactor (PBMR) from care and maintenance to allow South Africa to revive the development of its PBMR capability. “Nuclear is the future and is alive in South Africa. It will play a significant [...]
Ramokgopa to recommend lifting PBMR from maintenance
The Department of Electricity and Energy is preparing a report to Cabinet to recommend the approval of lifting the pebble bed modular reactor (PBMR) from care and maintenance to allow South Africa to revive the development of its PBMR capability. “Nuclear is the future and is alive in South Africa. It will play a significant [...]
Umbogintwini bridge to be upgraded with modern construction engineering technology – Sanral
The Umbogintwini River Bridge, on the N2 in KwaZulu-Natal, is part of the R50-billion upgrade programme of the N2 and N3 freeways in the province, and advanced engineering technology will in future prevent the kind of failure of concrete bars that led to its temporary closure. “The supports between the pier and the deck were [...]
South Africa’s Barloworld in talks with Saudi Arabia’s Zahid Group
Barloworld is in talks with a group of investors that includes a unit of Saudi Arabia’s Zahid Group about the acquisition of the African distributor of Caterpillar Inc. equipment. The Johannesburg-based company, valued at about R16-billion, said the discussions are with a consortium that includes Gulf Falcon Holding — a wholly owned subsidiary of Zahid [...]
AFD approves another €400m JET-linked policy loan to South Africa
Agence Française de Développement (AFD) has approved another €400-million policy-based loan to support South Africa’s Just Energy Transition (JET), increasing its approvals to €700-million out of the €1-billion it pledged to South Africa at COP26 in Glasgow in 2021. The loan is described as the largest-ever on the AFD's balance sheet and is said to [...]
Level crossing incidents not only cost lives but also the economy, TFR CEO says
Railway safety incidents, such as pedestrian and vehicle collisions at level crossings, are not only tragic but are severely undermining South Africa’s rail recovery plans, Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) CEO Russell Baatjies said on November 14. “We’ve had 36 level crossing incidents just this year, and we've lost 41 lives. We all want Transnet to [...]