Новости за 15.06.2021

President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced that the country will move to Level 3 lockdown from June 15. A curfew will be in place from 22:00 to 04:00 and gatherings will be limited to 50 people indoors and 100 people outdoors.

International organisation the World Economic Forum (WEF) on June 15 announced its 2021 Technology Pioneers, with 100 new technology firms included in the cohort for this year. The Technology Pioneers are young and growing technology companies taking on top global concerns with innovative technologies and business models, the WEF states.

As part of the cleaner, safer vehicles initiative of the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM), more than 300 vehicle fleets have this year been assessed for cleaner, safer mobility on more than 300 mines in five regions globally, ICMM health, safety and product stewardship director Sarah Bell reported on Tuesday. Bell was speaking to Mining Weekly in a Zoom interview on the ICMM's Innovation for Cleaner, Safer Vehicles initiative, which brings 28 of the world's leading mining and metals... Читать дальше...

Retail chain Shoprite Group has spent more than R700-million over the past five years on skills development and training programmes to enhance the career options of South Africa’s unskilled and unemployed youth. It has trained 24 308 people in its own Retail Readiness Programme, provided 1 027 bursaries and trained 5 765 young people, over the past three years, in the Youth Employment Service (YES) programme.

The South African Wind Energy Association (SAWEA) will host the fourth international academic wind energy conference – WindAc Africa 2021 – at the South African Renewable Energy Technology Centre’s conference centre, in Cape Town, from October 5 to 7. This academic exchange platform offers a special programme for high-potential young people from South African universities and the organisers are hoping to welcome 45 sponsored students at this year’s event.

JSE-listed Arrowhead Properties has advised that it has started engaging in merger discussions with fellow-listed Fairvest Property. This follows after an independent board assessing the potential merits of such a transaction with Fairvest, having determined that it is in the best interest of Arrowhead to become a larger and more liquid real estate investment trust.

Private healthcare and hospital company Mediclinic on June 15 announced that it had signed a 12-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with sustainable infrastructure investment fund manager Moshesh Partners, to reduce the hospital group's energy costs. Mediclinic, based in South Africa and Namibia, contracted Moshesh Partners to install solar photovoltaic (PV) systems at six of its hospitals. This will ensure the hospitals have access to affordable and clean power.

As South Africa heads into the third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to address the nation at 20:00 on Tuesday. According to a statement from the Presidency, he will provide updates on developments in government’s current response to the Covid-19 pandemic. This follows calls for tighter lockdown restrictions and alcohol bans as Covid-19 infection numbers continue to rise, particularly in Gauteng. Government says as the vaccine roll-out continues, it is monitoring infection... Читать дальше...

The South African Institution of Civil Engineering's (Saice's) Young Members Panel chairperson Michael Mhlanga says young engineers are the future custodians of South Africa’s infrastructure and should be supported in their personal and professional development. Continuous education, mentorship, and networking are key building blocks for young engineers to ensure they have the necessary skills and experience to overcome the challenges of the future, he says as South Africa commemorate Youth Day on June 16.

Trading for the first five months of this year has been strong for paper and packaging manufacturer Mpact, with underlying profit exceeding pre-pandemic comparatives in both the plastics and paper businesses. Group revenue for the period ended May 31, 2021, was R4.8-billion and exceeded the prior comparative period by 16%, while underlying operating profit more than doubled to R240-million.

Surface mining industry association the Aggregate and Sand Producers Association of Southern Africa (Aspasa) has compiled its “big four” priorities to address problems and opportunities in the industry. The association has been mandated by its members to approach the with the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) and address concerns that are stifling the growth and sustainability of the industry, top of which is the blight of the “mafia” in the construction industry.

A new study by financial services provider Standard Chartered reveals that multinational companies will cut suppliers for failing to curb carbon emissions, with 78% of multinational corporations (MNCs) planning to cut ties with suppliers that endanger their carbon transition plans by 2025. For South African suppliers who fail to transition alongside their MNC partners, this could mean a loss in export revenue of $33.7-billion.

Assurance, advisory and tax services firm PwC launched its new network strategy narrative – called The New Equation – on June 15, with the aim of focusing on two interconnected needs that clients are facing and will increasingly face in the coming years. PwC Africa CEO Dion Shango says The New Equation is a brand expression that will enable PwC, as a global network of firms, to more consistently and meaningfully bring its strategy to life.

A new international stock-take of the global transition to renewable energy highlights an “alarming gap between targets and actions” with the share of fossil fuels in energy consumption failing to decrease for the tenth consecutive year in 2020, despite a 4% Covid-linked fall in demand. Published by REN21, the ‘Renewables 2021 Global Status Report’ shows that modern renewable energy (excluding the traditional use of biomass) accounted for an estimated 11.2% of total final energy consumption (TFEC)... Читать дальше...

Volkswagen’s CEO criticized Group of Seven (G7) leaders for failing to set a firm date to phase out coal power, saying it’s senseless to let electric vehicles run on dirty energy. “That’s not enough, @G7. Disappointing outcome,” VW CEO Herbert Diess tweeted Tuesday. “We need to exit coal much earlier! EVs are key to reach the climate goals 2030. But EVs only make sense with green energy, letting EVs run on coal is regulatory nonsense.”

Oil majors need to curb emissions in sub-Saharan Africa -- where almost half of their most polluting assets are located -- as investors demand greater efforts to slash carbon output, according to Wood Mackenzie. Crucially, the companies must reduce gas flaring -- the process of burning off gas pumped out with oil -- and pollution from new liquefied natural gas plants, the UK consulting firm said in a report. While the region accounts for just a fraction of global oil and gas emissions, on a per-barrel... Читать дальше...

Precision agriculture company SupPlant has raised $10-million to widen the reach of its smart irrigation technology in the South African market. The company partnered with private equity firm Boresight Capital, social impact fund Menomadin Foundation, Israel-listed Smart-Agro Fund and Israel-based investment company Mivtah Shamir on the company’s latest fundraising round, bringing its total funding to $19-million.

Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Ebrahim Patel has advised that amendments to the Automotive Production and Development Programme (APDP) will be gazetted on June 25 and implemented from July 1. The APDP is an automotive industry support policy consisting of rebates and refunds of certain customs duties.

World Bank president David Malpass and his senior management team, comprising Dr Axel van Trotsenburg and Dr Makhtar Diop, have met with the African Union’s Covid-19 Vaccine Acquisition Task Team (Avatt) to discuss modalities for a partnership that will accelerate vaccine deployment to Africa. In a historic Covid-19 vaccine procurement agreement signed on March 28, the Avatt had previously successfully secured up to 400-million doses of the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) single-shot Covid-19 vaccine... Читать дальше...

A team from US-based defence engineering company Leidos, in partnership with South African aerospace and defence company Paramount Group, has been selected to enter the final phase of the US Special Operations Command’s (Socom’s) Armed Overwatch aircraft prototype programme. Leidos, Paramount US and Vertex were among five teams awarded a total of $19.3-million for prototype demonstrations and will advance the Bronco II aircraft to the third phase of operational prototype demonstration later in June.

If there was ever a time Nigeria could have taken off, it was in 1999. Democracy had been restored, with its economy reopening after decades of mismanagement and plunder under military dictatorships. Tomi Davies, a systems analyst, was one of thousands of Nigerians who came home to help rebuild the country. After a few years working on public-sector projects, he was offered a bag full of dollars to add ghost employees to the payroll system he was installing. When he refused, a group of men attacked him at his home in the capital, Abuja.

Iron-ore magnate Andrew Forrest is looking to help revive a long-delayed multi-billion dollar hydroelectric project in Africa as part of his strategy to move into green energy. His Fortescue Metals Group has held talks with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for exclusive rights to develop the Grand Inga suite of projects, the Perth-based company said in a statement Tuesday, although no formal binding agreement had been yet concluded.

Reinvestment is needed to “plant the seeds” and create a better future for South Africa, says diversified miner Exxaro Resources projects and technology executive head Johan Meyer. This is especially critical considering that Covid-19 has made it more challenging to secure investments, but also when taking South Africa’s energy and electricity supply challenges into account.

The Public Investment Corporation (PIC) has clarified that its funds will not be used by a private sector consortium to acquire a 51% private equity stake in South African Airways (SAA). The State-owned investment manager says it is not involved in the acquisition, nor are the assets it manages on behalf of clients.