Новости за 08.03.2021

Mass retailer and wholesaler Massmart's performance has stabilised over the past 18 months and the company has shifted focus to the Southern African Development Community region and e-commerce, CEO Mitch Slape noted during a presentation of the company's results on March 8. Slape said the company had a solid foundation to pursue top-line growth through its focused retail and wholesale strategy during the next few years, and that all of its strategic focus areas were underpinned by an acceleration... Читать дальше...

South Africa's high court on Monday ordered telecoms regulator Icasa to halt the auction of radio frequency spectrum licences pending another related court matter, further delaying the process which was expected to begin this month. As part of the order, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) has been prohibited from assessing any applications received for the licensing of high-demand spectrum, according to court papers seen by Reuters.

Although the loss suffered by ferrochrome company Merafe Resources decreased in 2020, its electricity risk remains and its logistics challenges are intensifying. Merafe’s revenue and operating income is primarily generated from the Glencore Merafe Chrome Venture, which has a total capacity of 2.3-million tonnes of ferrochrome a year. Merafe shares in 20.5% of the Ventures’ earnings. Overall revenue was 11% down at R4 780-million. (Also watch attached Creamer Media video.)

Although the Covid-19 pandemic has brought with it unprecedented challenges, its initial consequences have had a ripple effect on all socioeconomic sectors and has threatened to bring nations and communities to a standstill, as well as negatively impact women and girls more than men and boys, says Rwanda's First Lady Jeannette Kagame. Speaking at the yearly Motsepe Foundation’s Gender, Equality, Wellness & Leadership Summit, that takes on International Women’s Day, she said that, unsurprisingly... Читать дальше...

A decade into the creation of South Africa’s renewable energy sector, it has become apparent that it is still lagging in gender diversity, which is why South African Wind Energy Association (SAWEA) CEO Ntombifuthi Ntuli says the industry is actively giving attention to adjust and improve the levels of gender representation, at all levels, with the launch of its Gender Diversity Working Group. “Gender diversity means a fair gender representation across all spheres of our industry,” she comments, lamenting... Читать дальше...

The Saldanha Bulk Terminal, in South Africa, has invested R1.2-million in two additional dust-suppressing cannons that will be used on ship loaders as cargo flows from the chutes to the vessel hatch. The investment is said to be a continued commitment to ensuring a clean operation on the West Coast, following a similar investment in October last year.

The South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) has taken part in a virtual seminar with the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to discuss the national regulatory organisation’s responsibilities around the WTO Technical Barriers to Trade Agreement’s Transparency Framework. The seminar discusses the national regulatory organisation’s responsibilities in the drafting of policies, regulations, standards and conformity assessment procedures.

While many organisations have advocated for antidumping duties on chicken imported from certain countries, the Association of Meat Importers and Exporters (Amie) has questioned why the local industry pursues protectionism despite the increases in prices to the consumer. The association explains that, when poultry tariffs were introduced in 2020, the South African National Consumer Union warned that these tariffs would push up chicken prices, which Amie says has in fact come true.

State-owned Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) reported on Monday that it had finished issuing ‘A’ preference shares, to increase its liquidity. The majority purchaser of the new shares was the South African Department of Transport, which acquired them for R2.324-billion. The issuance was one of the measures adopted by Acsa to meet the challenges created by the Covid-19 pandemic. It advanced the company’s aim of achieving long-term financial stability.

The National Student Financial Aid Scheme is facing a shortfall on its funding for this year and it has, therefore, been unable to confirm funding eligibility for first-time university students. This does not apply to returning NSFAS beneficiary students who meet the academic and other relevant criteria for continuing their studies, Higher Education, Science and Technology Minister Blade Nzimande confirmed on March 8.

Suzuki Auto South Africa ended February with total sales of 2 142 units.  This is a new record for the brand since the Japanese car maker entered the South African market in 2008, and only four months since Suzuki broke through the 2 000-barrier for the first time ever.

French energy giant Total on Monday detailed steps it would take to mitigate the environmental and human impact from its Tilenga project in Uganda and a multibillion-dollar pipeline carrying oil from the country to Tanzania. Total and its partner China National Offshore Oil Corporation plan to exploit oil reserves in Lake Albert in Uganda and construct a $3.5-billion East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) to neighbouring Tanzania for export.

Swiss research organisation RMF finds in a new report that companies involved in oil, gas, metals or minerals trading score on average only 23% on environmental, social and governance (ESG) due diligence. The report, titled 'ESG Due Diligence and Transparency Report on Extractive Commodity Trading', assessed 25 companies in the relevant sectors, finding that they score an average of 28% on the disclosure of public-interest information.

The latest bi-annual AutoTrader Car Industry Report shows that online vehicle searches on AutoTrader have reached a new record. Covering the period from July 1 to December 31, 2020, the report notes that 276-million searches were conducted on AutoTrader, which is 54.1% growth year-on-year.

JSE-listed paper and packaging giant Sappi has announced a €350-million senior notes offering, due 2028, by its subsidiary Sappi Papier Holding (SPH). The offer aims to improve the company’s debt maturity profile and will be used to redeem all of SPH’s outstanding senior notes due 2023.

Telecommunications group MTN has appointed Chika Ekeji as executive for strategy and transformation, effective March 15. This forms part of MTN’s plans to further bolster management capacity to accelerate its strategic ambitions, which focuses on accelerating growth, deleveraging the holding company debt and unlocking value.

German technology group Bosch said on Monday it would open an automotive chip factory in Dresden in June to build on its leadership in sensor chips that will boost the electric car industry. The €1-billion plant will produce sensor chips to be installed in electric and hybrid electric vehicles. The chips help increase the range of electric vehicles.

Consumer goods company RCL Foods and US plant-based food company LIVEKINDLY Collective have established a local plant-based joint venture (JV) called LIVEKINDLY Collective Africa. This comes amid a growing consumer interest in plant-based foods and more sustainable living globally.

The total number of daily train commuters in South Africa has dropped to its lowest level on record since the National Household Travel Survey (NHTS), compiled by Statistics SA, was first introduced in 2003. The latest study shows that travelling by train is by far the least popular mode of transportation in South Africa.

The last week has brought about a boost in confidence for Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA) CEO Busi Mavuso in government’s ability to start delivering on reforms. She says in the organisation’s latest newsletter that President Cyril Ramaphosa’s weekly letter had fostered optimism, since he discussed the draft National Implementation Framework toward the Professionalisation of the Public Service.

The KwaZulu-Natal Growth Fund (KGF), Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) and private investors have burnt their fingers and lost more than R330-million in an ill-fated cookware-manufacturing plant which has now been liquidated. INSA, in which the KGF, IDC and private funders had invested hundreds of-millions, was liquidated by the Pietermaritzburg High Court in November last year after failing to pay creditors.

South African private-sector regional airline Airlink announced on Monday that it was going to resume daily scheduled flights to Maseru, the capital of Lesotho, on March 29. This is the result of the mountain kingdom’s reopening of its borders. The country had imposed travel restrictions in an attempt to contain the Covid-19 pandemic.  “After a disruption of several weeks, Airlink is looking forward to welcoming customers onto its flights that provide vital connections supporting trade, business... Читать дальше...

The World Bank has approved a $440-million loan to modernise signalling and upgrade track on 763 km of Egypt's 5 000 km rail network, the bank said in a statement. Egyptian National Railways (ENR) will put $241-million into the project on the Cairo-Giza-Beni Suef section of the network, bringing the total cost to $681-million, the World Bank said.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi called on Saturday for a binding deal by the summer on the operation of a giant Ethiopian hydropower dam, as he made his first visit to neighbouring Sudan since the 2019 overthrow of Omar al-Bashir. Egypt also signalled support for Sudan in a dispute with Ethiopia over an area on the border between the two countries where there have recently been armed skirmishes.

Owing to the ubiquity of the world’s sun and the wind, all mines have the opportunity to generate their own green electricity no matter where they are located in the world, Hydrogen Optimized CEO Andrew T Stuart emphasised during last week’s Fasken online panel discussion on hydrogen. In this way, carbon can be removed from the mining process to the greatest possible extent and new value can open up for mines from customers wanting green products, Stuart told a panel made up of Fasken hydrogen energy advisory team co-founder Janet Howard... Читать дальше...