Новости за 14.05.2021

The National Treasury has launched eight metro reports containing spatialised economic data drawn from anonymised administrative tax data. South African cities and towns are characterised by a spatial mismatch between where people live and economic activity, resulting in the exclusion of a large percentage of the population, particularly lower-income and historically disadvantaged groups, from participating in the economy. The data contained in the reports is integral to supporting the work of... Читать дальше...

A host of civil engineering and public service experts have noted that developing professional civil servants was necessary to ensure the development of an equitable, effective and efficient State that serves the interests of citizens and not politicians. Professionalism in the public service will allow for national developmental goals to be translated into concrete action and changes throughout governmental structures, from planning to development to operation. Government structures will continue... Читать дальше...

Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Defence has welcomed confirmation of South Africa’s continuing compliance with its international arms control commitments. It did so in a statement released on Friday. The statement followed the Committee’s reception of the latest reports from the National Conventional Arms Control Committee (NCACC). These reports, for the third and fourth quarters of last year, covered all the transfers of ‘controlled items’.

New technologies are transforming the mining and metals industry, making it cleaner and safer, says the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM), which is progressing an 'innovation for cleaner, safer vehicles' initiative. The initiative brings together 28 of the world’s leading mining companies and the largest original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to collaborate in a non-competitive space to accelerate the development of a new generation of mining vehicles and improve existing ones.

The departments of Science and Innovation (DSI) and Higher Education and Training (DHET), are working together to establish a National Open Learning System that will provide online learning opportunities in the post school education and training system. The departments are also considering the findings of, firstly, the Ministerial Task Team report on the sectoral implications of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), and secondly, of the Presidential Commission on 4IR.

The Western Cape government on May 14 published an Inclusionary Housing Policy Framework for public comment. The framework will help municipalities in the Western Cape facilitate the inclusion of more affordable housing units in developments in their municipal areas.

Siemens South Africa, the German Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development and the Solidarity Fund officially handed over a separate 100-bed modular hospital solution to the Cecilia Makiwane Hospital, in Mdantsane, near East London, on May 14. Built in fewer than 100 days, the hospital extension is intended to alleviate healthcare pressure brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic and improve access to healthcare, even beyond the pandemic.

Law firm Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr (CDH) expects the updated iteration of the Upstream Petroleum Resources Development Bill to be gazetted by June. This follows after Cabinet approved the submission of the draft Bill to Parliament this week.

South African Airways aims to resume flights in July or August, but the restart date will depend on how the COVID-19 pandemic progresses and whether the airline can resolve a pilot dispute, its chief executive said on Friday. State-owned SAA, which was put into administration in December 2019, has not flown commercially since September, when its administrators mothballed all operations pending funding for a restructuring.

Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Minister Barbara Creecy says steps are being taken to ensure South Africa contributes its “fair share” to the global climate change mitigation effort with its newly-established Presidential Climate Change Coordinating Commission. The commission will advise government on an “ambitious and just transition” to a low-carbon economy and climate resilient society, she says.

Property investor Flanagan & Gerard (F&G) and Sun International subsidiary Emfuleni Resorts have officially started construction of the Boardwalk Mall, in Gqeberha (previously known as Port Elizabeth). The first phase of construction is set to be completed and launched in December this year, while the full development will be completed in September 2022..

Digital technology greatly speeds assembly of new Boeing military jet US aerospace and defence giant Boeing has announced the successful joining of the front and aft sections of the first engineering and manufacturing development test example of the T-7A Red Hawk advanced trainer for the US Air Force (USAF). The T-7A is a joint programme between Boeing and Swedish aerospace and defence group Saab.

Ford South Africa is rolling out a new, high-tech approach to vehicle repairs at its dealerships. The local arm of the US car maker has already conducted a pilot study of the RealWear HMT-1 Hands-free Remote Collaboration Tool, which remotely connects Ford dealership technicians with the company’s Technical Assistance Centre, staffed by experienced support personnel and field service engineers, allowing them to collaborate on vehicle service issues and repairs.

As emissions from African transport surge, governments need to find ways to encourage a shift to cleaner, healthier electric vehicles, especially among the minibus and motorcycle taxis that dominate transport in many cities, researchers said on Thursday. Investment in generating more solar-powered electricity to charge electric vehicles (EVs) could encourage their use, cut pollution and costs for passengers, and help stabilise unreliable energy systems, they said in a commentary published in Nature Sustainability.

South Africa’s Information Regulator is briefing attorneys to prepare an opinion on the way forward in terms of litigation after not receiving any agreement from WhatsApp to revise its privacy policy in line with that of the standard used in the European Union (UN). The regulator requested the chat application revise its policy ahead of the requirement for WhatsApp users to accept new terms and conditions for using the chat application by May 15.

Iron-ore futures tumbled as China’s top steel-making hub ramped up efforts to control a dizzying surge in prices. Futures in Dalian dropped the daily limit, while prices in Singapore extended a slump from a record $233.75 a ton on Wednesday amid concerns about the sustainability of the rally. In the latest move aimed at containing prices, the steel-making hub of Tangshan banned steelmakers from fabricating or spreading price-hike information. That follows comments from Chinese Premier Li Keqiang... Читать дальше...

Energy and chemicals group Sasol confirmed on Friday that it had entered into a R5-billion agreement with a Reatile-led consortium for the sale of a 30% stake in the Republic of Mozambique Pipeline Company (Rompco), the joint venture that owns the 865-km gas transmission pipeline from southern Mozambique to South Africa. The sale and purchase agreement, which remains subject to several conditions, has been finalised by Sasol South Africa (SSA), which intends retaining a 20% shareholding in Rompco... Читать дальше...

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

Proponents of government's recently launched District Development Model (DDM) believe the joined-up model provides the framework required for South African municipalities to begin tackling their generally severe service-delivery problems. Conceptualised by the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) and piloted by the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA), the DDM aims to boost the capability of municipalities to undertake long-term planning, budgeting and infrastructure implementation.