Новости за 30.04.2021

The Presidential Climate Change Coordinating Commission (PCCCC), which held its second meeting on Friday, intends building on the work already done by the National Planning Commission (NPC) as it seeks to finalise a national ‘just transition framework’ for South Africa’s shift to a climate resilient society and economy. Deputy chairperson Valli Moosa stressed that the commission had no intention of “reinventing the wheel” and would, thus, also incorporate the extensive research and work completed on the just transition by labour... Читать дальше...

Law firm Webber Wentzel says more clarity is needed about the impact of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations on plastic bag producers, as plastic bags are already regulated under 2003 legislation, amended in 2021, and a levy was introduced in 2004. The EPR regulations apply only to products and their related waste streams identified by the Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Minister in the Gazette, and envisage that all producers of identified products and their related waste streams... Читать дальше...

The 10 700 m2 Ekhaya Mall was opened to the public on April 29 after sixteen months of construction and, based on shopper and retailer demand, the mall’s third phase of 1 800 m2 is already on the cards. The Ekhaya Mall comprises 45 shops, including anchor stores Cashbuild, Shoprite and Roots Butchery. A Sasol filling station is integrated with the development, as is a new 17 taxi bay facility, says developer and co-owner S-Identity Holdings.

Information technology services provider EOH, responding to media reports in April about its irregular legacy contracts, said issues raised in the media reports are largely as a result of EOH’s transformation strategy, which has been systematically and regularly reported to all stakeholders. The review and re-evaluation of certain historical contracts, called legacy contracts, resulted in EOH having to terminate and/or regularise certain contracts and business relationships. Some stakeholders may... Читать дальше...

Interference in the appointment of boards of directors compromises the essence of good corporate governance, as boards are the custodians of good governance. The cadre deployment policy of the ruling African National Congress means the governance of South Africa’s State-owned entities (SoEs) will remain vulnerable and at risk, says corporate governance nonprofit association the Institute of Directors in Southern Africa facilitator of Director Programmes Dr Simo Lushaba.

Nonprofit association the Energy Intensive User Group (EIUG) on April 30 said its new member Namibian and South African zinc mining company Black Mountain Mining (BMM) will strengthen the association and diversify its portfolio through the addition of the zinc industry. The EIUG is committed to working with government, power utilities and other stakeholders to ensure South Africa has an energy supply industry that is financially viable, technically healthy and well managed. The membership will enable... Читать дальше...

Although no new outbreaks of avian influenza have been reported since the previously confirmed cases, South Africa’s poultry and ostrich industries remain under national high alert with strict biosecurity measures in place. An appeal has also been made to hobbyist keepers of any birds, including poultry, to remain vigilant and report any signs of illness in their birds to their veterinarian, the South African Poultry Association (SAPA) said on April 30, noting that the avian influenza is also an... Читать дальше...

Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Ebrahim Patel is drafting guidelines on employee ownership and other broad-based ownership schemes. He intends to publish, in the coming week, a practice note dealing with some clarifications around community trusts and individual ownership schemes.

South Africa’s oil refinery sector is expected to undergo significant changes in the coming five years, with Engen having already indicated that it will repurpose its refinery site in Durban as a fuel importation terminal and with global and domestic shifts likely to place significant pressure on the others. South Africa currently has six refineries, three of which (Astron in Cape Town, PetroSA in Mossel Bay and Engen) are currently not operating.

Tata International Africa (TIA) has expanded its retail finance offering to South Africa, with the product already on offer in countries such as Tanzania, Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana and Zambia. “The financing of heavy commercial vehicles, construction equipment and agricultural machinery presents its own unique set of challenges in Africa,” says TIA CEO and MD Len Brand.

The University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) has announced that Professor of Systems Ecology and climate resilience research organisation Global Change Institute (GCI) director Professor Bob Scholes had passed away on April 28. "The distinguished Scholes was of the world’s leading scientists on climate change. The Wits community is shocked and saddened by the sudden loss of such a giant in the field of climate science, not only in South Africa, but in the world. Professor Scholes was a true leader... Читать дальше...

Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Ebrahim Patel has paid tribute to the outgoing director-general of the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) Lionel October, describing him as “a loyal and dedicated public servant who has served government with distinction”. October stepped down to take up a position as the head of the new Special Economic Zones (SEZs) unit at the Industrial Development Corporation from May 1.

Creamer Media's Chanel de Bruyn speaks to Engineering News Editor Terence Creamer about more signs that the energy transition is starting to have a real impact in South Africa with Engen's planned refinery closure, moves by the eThekwini municipality to buy electricity from independent power producers and a new report on job creation potential in the solar power industry.

Karpowership, the company bidding to moor five powerships in South African harbours for 20 years, cleared another hurdle when its environmental assessors found that the projects at the ports of Saldanha Bay, Richards Bay and Ngqura could go ahead. Balito-based Triplo4, which carried out the assessments on behalf of Karpowership, submitted the final environmental impact assessments for the three ports earlier in the week, following a period of public comment. It found that the projects should go ahead... Читать дальше...

State-owned power utility Eskom will start regular wage discussions with the company’s recognised labour representative unions on May 4. It warns that these discussions may be “unpredictable” and that it may result in rising tensions.

The advancement of manufacturing in South Africa and on the rest of the continent has received a boost from four South African manufacturers. JSE-listed groups Illovo Africa, Metair and The Foschini Group (TFG), as well as local vehicle manufacturer Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM), have pledged a combined investment of R18-million in the Toyota Wessels Institute for Manufacturing Studies (TWIMS).

The City of Cape Town is conducting water sampling and "strategically flushing the system", amid concerns regarding the quality of the water on the Atlantic Seaboard and the City Bowl. On Thursday, the City reiterated its precautionary advisory for residents in these areas to not consume tap water, following complaints of an earthy, metallic taste.

A new patented German recycling technology is bringing an efficient solution to the recycling of greywater into fresh water suitable for human consumption. The European Union-certified and approved sustainable and cost-effective recycling solution is ideal for the hospitality, retail, healthcare, education and residential sectors, said KPRN Aqua CEO Julia Kleber.

The Lesotho Highlands Development Authority (LHDA) has appointed two new executive management team members in key organisational roles. Ntsoli Maiketso has been appointed as the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP) Phase II divisional manager, while Kholotsa Moejane has been appointed as divisional manager corporate services.

A video round up of this week’s magazine, highlighting our cover story, features and Business Leader.

DNG Energy, a South African company that’s aiming to develop liquefied natural gas facilities, said it has taken legal action to have the government’s award of emergency power generation contracts halted. Last month, the government awarded the right to develop 1 845 mw of generation capacity to eight companies at a cost of R45-billion by August next year to alleviate intermittent power shortages. The award attracted criticism mainly because Turkey’s Karpowership won the bulk of the contracts and... Читать дальше...

As the world moves from a state of crisis to gradual recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, there is a unique, but narrow, window of opportunity to transform the global economy and accelerate the changes that have long been delayed and are required for genuine transformation. During a keynote address at a circular bioeconomy-focused virtual event last month,  UK royal Charles, the Prince of Wales, spoke about nature’s key role in circular bioeconomic transformation, and encouraged the prioritisation... Читать дальше...