Новости за 01.07.2021

Petrochemicals company Shell International and Tokyo-headquartered investment firm Itochu Corporation have agreed to collaborate to accelerate the digitalisation and decarbonisation of Itochu’s mining sites, as well as increase the operational efficiency thereof. Shell will offer its sectoral expertise in decarbonisation and digitalisation pathways expertise to find solutions that meet the specific needs of Itochu, which manages a metals and minerals portfolio that includes mining sites across the world.

Climate finance committed by major multilateral development banks (MDBs) reached $66-billion in 2020, with 58%, or $38-billion, of that committed to low- and middle-income economies, the 2020 Joint Report on MBD Climate Finance, shows. Nearly $50-billion, or 76%, of total MDB climate finance in 2020 was associated with climate change mitigation investments that aim to reduce harmful greenhouse-gas emissions and slow down global warming. Of this, 50% went to low- and middle-income economies.

Advisory multinational PwC has highlighted emerging cyber-threats affecting the mining and manufacturing sectors, particularly among South African and other Africa-based organisations. The technologies most targeted by attackers within these sectors are industrial control systems (ICS), which are embedded computer devices that are responsible for a myriad of automated process controls in industries, such as measuring instruments, packaging machinery and all other components of an assembly line that make parts for any production process... Читать дальше...

An energy transition aligned with a 1.5°C-compatible climate pathway has net positive effects on job creation, a new report published by the International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena) states. The full ‘World Energy Transitions Outlook’ document shows that under a scenario that limits the global average temperature increase to 1.5°C above preindustrial levels by the end of the century, jobs will exceed those created under a planned energy scenario, or PES, which reflects the current energy plans of governments.

Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula has described the rollout of the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences Act 4 of 2019 (Aarto), effective July 1, as a milestone and the start of a “season of delivery” for the Department of Transport (DoT). He says this intervention will deal a decisive blow to road infringements.

The same day (Tuesday) that it announced a huge order for Boeing 737 MAX airliners, major US carrier United Airlines also announced a major order for yet more single-aisle airliners, only this time from Airbus. The Airbus order is for 70 Airbus A321neo aircraft (neo standing for ‘new engine option’). United already had 50 A321XLR (XLR – ‘eXtra Long Range’) airliners on order from the Europe-based manufacturer. The new order takes United’s total commitments for the A321 to 120.

The Competition Commission’s Guidelines for Competition in the South African Automotive Aftermarket have become effective as of July 1. The final guidelines were issued on January 29 and are available on the commission’s website.

Finnish lithium project developer Keliber, in which South Africa’s Sibanye-Stillwater is a significant shareholder, this week took a new step towards its goal of becoming the first European company to start producing battery-grade lithium hydroxide in 2024. Construction of the infrastructure and production facilities is scheduled to begin by mid-2022.

Rand Water and Rand Merchant Bank Debt Capital Markets have successfully arranged the auction of just over R1.7-billion in senior and sustainability-linked notes, attracting more than R4.5-billion in capital markets bids. Rand Water, which issued two sustainability-linked bonds (SLBs), is the first State-owned entity to issue an SLB in Africa. It is also the single largest ZAR-denominated SLB to be issued and attracted more than R3-billion in bids, the firm said in a statement.

New-vehicle sales increased by 20.2% in June, to 38 030 units, compared with the same month last year. According to Naamsa | The Automotive Business Council, an estimated 32 847 units of this number, or 86.3%, were dealer sales, with 7.6% going to the vehicle rental industry, 2.2% to government and 3.9% to corporate fleets.

Information and communications technology (ICT) group Vodacom Business is expanding into Brazil, with its fixed-connectivity coverage now spanning five continents. The addition of the trans-Atlantic connection through the undersea South Atlantic Cable System, which is the first to directly link the African continent’s southern hemisphere with South America, means the Vodacom Business footprint is now in South America, Africa, the Middle East, Europe and North America.

The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority CEO Dr Boitumelo Semete-Makokotlela announced that a decision on the Sinovac vaccine will be communicated in the coming days. Last month, SAHPRA revealed that applications had been received for the Sputnik V and Sinovac’s Coronavac vaccines and that the evaluation of the Coronavac application is at an advanced stage. Last month, SAHPRA received documentation for the Sinopharm vaccine developed by the China National Pharmaceutical Group in China. Читать дальше...

UK industrial technology group (and renowned aeroengine manufacturer) Rolls-Royce and Anglo-Dutch global major energy group Shell have signed an agreement to increase the use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and so progress the decarbonisation of the aviation industry. The conclusion of the agreement, which is a memorandum of understanding (MoU), was announced on Wednesday. The two companies have already been cooperating in several areas, including facilitating the adoption of SAF. Already, Rolls-Royce is offering its SAFinity service... Читать дальше...

Industry organisation the Beer Association of South Africa (Basa) says it fully supports beer maker South African Breweries’ (SAB’s) court application to overturn the current 14-day alcohol ban, which is due to remain in effect until July 11.   “While the beer industry is committed to working with government to mitigate the impact of the Covid-19 third wave, this cannot be at the expense of businesses and critical jobs within the sector,” Basa emphasises.

The Department of Higher Education and Training has, through its Higher Health agency, established a district campus health and wellness mobile clinic healthcare programme to strengthen student health and wellness services at campuses in underprivileged communities. Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation Blade Nzimande on June 30 briefed the media on plans for the post-school education and training institutions following the implementation of the Adjusted Level 4 lockdown that has been in effect from June 28.

The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) has welcomed the Gauteng High Court’s ruling to set aside the R8-billion tender between power utility Eskom and oil blender Econ Oil after the matter was heard on June 9. The court on June 29 found that the contract was unlawful.

The seasonally adjusted Absa Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) edged down slightly to 57.4 index points in June from 57.8 in May. All five of the headline PMI’s major subcomponents were above the neutral 50-point mark in June, the banking institution said, noting that the average reading of both the headline PMI, as well as the business activity index, was higher during the second quarter than during the first quarter.

Steel manufacturer ArcelorMittal South Africa (AMSA) expects to deliver a strong set of results for the six months ended June 30. In a trading statement, it says it expects to report headline earnings of at least R1.69-billion and headline earnings a share of at least R1.76.

JSE-and NYSE-listed petrochemicals group Sasol has announced that its CFO and executive director Paul Victor will step down from his roles at the end of June next year. He will be succeeded by Hanré Rossouw, who is currently the CFO of Royal Bafokeng Platinum (RBPlat).

The South African Local Government Association (Salga) has expressed its disappointment at what it sees as deteriorating levels of accountability in the recent audit outcomes of local government for the 2019/20 financial year. Salga reiterates its calls, made following the previous year’s municipal audit outcomes, for accountability and consequences for any malfeasance in the management of local government finances.

Development finance institutions Deutsche Bank and Investec, in partnership with Swedish Export Credit Agency (EKN), Swedish Export Credit Corporation (SEK) and Export Credit Insurance Corporation of South Africa (ECIC), have arranged for €600-million in financing for the construction of a 100 km stretch of Ghana’s Western Railway Line, from the Takoradi port to Huni Valley. “The Western Railway Line is key to the haulage of agricultural produce and minerals from the middle belt to Takoradi port in the south of Ghana. Читать дальше...

Several international development finance institutions have partnered on a financing package for pharmaceuticals company Aspen Pharmacare to support vaccine production and other treatment therapies on the African continent. The €600-million, about R10-billion, long-term financing package is supported by the US International Development Finance Corporation, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), French development institution Proparco and German investment and development company DEG.

The time currently wasted at the Durban port owing to poor performance and inefficiency is having a direct impact on employment generation, poverty reduction and economic growth in South Africa, says global lead for transport connectivity and regional integration at the World Bank transport global knowledge unit, Martin Humphreys.  “Quite honestly, [South African ports] are just not efficient enough.”

South African power utility Eskom Holdings has reduced its debt to less than R400-billion as discussions ensue to secure funding for a transition to renewable energy, Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan. The state-owned company announced in May it had reduced debt by a fifth to about R401-billion.

Ethekwini, the South African municipality that includes the port city of Durban, plans to seek initial proposals for the construction of 400 MW of power generation. The so-called request for information will be the first by a South African municipal area since the government said last year that cities could buy electricity from providers other than Eskom Holdings, the State utility that’s subjected the country to intermittent outages for over a decade.