Новости за 13.09.2021

Dozens of companies appealed to UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson to ease restrictions on travel from southern Africa that are hampering trade. The limits on movement are jeopardising the competitive advantage the UK has, which stem from its historical, cultural and economic links with Africa, the businesses said in a letter sent Monday by lobby group Business Leadership South Africa. The South African units of companies including BMW, JPMorgan Chase & Co, Old Mutual and TotalEnergies were among the signatories.

Credit rating business Moody's Investors Service’s outlook for the global metals and mining industry changed to stable from positive with high prices expected to fade out throughout 2022. In a new report covering iron-ore, steel, coal, aluminium, gold, silver, nickel, copper and zinc, Moody's states that most prices will exceed historical marks.

A new World Bank report warns that sub-Saharan African could make up 86-million of the world’s 216-million climate migrants by 2050, while North Africa could have the largest share of internal climate migrants relative to total population. Titled ‘Groundswell’, the report updates and expands on modelling contained in a 2018 report by the same name.

Public loss adjuster Insurance Claims Africa (ICA) is urging the South African Special Risk Insurance Association (Sasria) to urgently pay riot-related claimants 30% of their insured sum upfront, in order to assist cash-strapped businesses get back on their feet as quickly as possible and prevent looming retrenchments. The ICA is acting for a number of claimants who, together, constitute the largest volume of claims submitted to Sasria following the July riots in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.

Economist Rebeca Grynspan has effectively taken up her role as secretary-general of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (Unctad) for the next four years. She is the first woman to serve in this position, after being nominated by the prior secretary-general António Guterres and approval of the General Assembly in June.

Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA) CEO Busi Mavuso has commended President Cyril Ramaphosa’s decision to move South Africa back to adjusted lockdown Level 2, which she says is “ultimately the route back to a fully functioning economy and freedom to get back to a normal life”. While the move is considered a positive one, Mavuso did, however, question the specifics of the introduction of a vaccine passport and alcohol sales rules returning to normal.

The Agricultural Business Chamber (Agbiz)/Industrial Development Corporation Agribusiness Confidence Index (ACI) has contracted back to 67 points in the third quarter, after having surged to an all-time-high of 75 in the second quarter of the year. Still, the current level reflects favourable conditions in the South African agriculture sector.

The announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa that the country moves to an adjusted Level 2 lockdown is positive news for the economy, North-West University Business School economist Professor Raymond Parsons says. He says that, although the recent better-than expected second-quarter gross domestic product growth figures are widely anticipated to put the economy back on track to ‘rebound’ to a 4.5% to 5% growth rate this year, the economy is not yet out of the woods.

State-owned power utility Eskom has advised that Units 2 and 3 of the Kendal power station, in Mpumalanga, will be returned to service early this week, following a fire over the weekend. The two units were shut down after damage was incurred to Unit 1’s generator transformer.

The Beer Association of South Africa (Basa) and the South African Liquor Brandowners Association (Salba) have cautiously welcomed President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement that, from September 13, South Africa is moving to adjusted Level 2 lockdown. Under the adjusted regulations, the curfew is in place from 23:00 to 04:00 and alcohol sales for on-site consumption is allowed until 22:00 seven days a week.

Ford South Africa’s (Ford SA’s) Silverton plant, in Pretoria, this month produced its 500 000th Ranger for the export market. This year is the current Ranger’s tenth anniversary, with the new model to be launched next year.

JSE-listed Fairvest Property Holdings delivered a guidance-beating 5% increase in distributions a share to shareholders of 22.06c for the financial year ended June 30. The company on September 13 noted that it had been a challenging period for retail-focused real estate investment trusts (Reits) such as Fairvest.

JSE-listed Famous Brands expects its results for the six months ended August 31 to show a marked recovery on the comparative period in 2020, despite continued Covid-19 impacts on its trading markets. The company represents quick-service restaurant (QSR) and signature food brands in South Africa, the rest of Africa and the Middle East (AME) and the UK.

The Southern Africa Tourism Services Association (Satsa) has called on the UK government to move South Africa to its amber list in the next traffic light review, which is likely to take place later this week. The UK imposed a traffic light system to determine the correct Covid-19 precautions related to travellers, which is reviewed by the government every three weeks.

South Africa’s early mover advantage in green hydrogen would fade and become ineffective over time without a collaborative, collective and holistic national approach that assures the export of green hydrogen over and above its domestic use. That was the strong message that came across in the Hydrogen Economy Discussion webinar in which AP Ventures founding partner Kevin Eggers, PwC South Africa director energy, strategy and infrastructure James Mackay, Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) head of mining and metals... Читать дальше...

The Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution said Sunday it has begun daily 12-hour power cuts due limited generation at its thermal plant and repairs on the dam at Kariba Hydro Power Station. The company “is experiencing a power shortfall due to generation constraints at Hwange Power Station, limited imports and a program of dam wall rehabilitation at Kariba,” ZETDC said in an emailed statement.

ArcelorMittal signed an agreement on Friday to stay for at least 25 more years in Liberia, where it will at least triple its iron ore production and invest an additional $800 million, the company's executive chairman and Liberia's president said. Annual production will increase to 15-million tonnes during a first phase of expansion and could rise as high as 30 million tonnes, ArcelorMittal Executive Chairman Lakshmi Mittal said at the signing ceremony.