Новости за 22.09.2021

The global representative body of the airline industry, the International Air Transport Association (Iata), has praised Ethiopia for its support for air transport throughout the Covid-19 pandemic and urged it to continue this. This would, the association pointed out, enable the northeast African country to achieve an accelerated economic recovery. “We congratulate Ethiopia for the positive steps it has taken to promote travel and air service connectivity throughout the pandemic,” affirmed Iata regional VP... Читать дальше...

The National Association of Automotive Component and Allied Manufacturers (Naacam) has announced it will provide a full manufacturing- focused MBA scholarship at the Toyota Wessels Institute for Manufacturing Studies (TWIMS) for its intake in 2022. The one-off scholarship will be awarded in memory of Dr Johan van Zyl, the former chairperson of both Toyota South Africa and TWIMS. R400 000 has been raised from amongst Naacam members to provide the 100% scholarship.

The South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) has advised motorists to expected traffic delays during the construction or road upgrades on the N3 and N2, urging motorists to allow for additional time when travelling on these roads. The major road upgrades are under way on the N3 between the Cato Ridge and Ashburton interchange and on the N2 between Lovu River and Umdloti, in the Eastern Cape. The Durban to Pietermaritzburg stretch of the N3 is also being upgraded.

South Africa’s appeals court ruled the Department of Tourism’s focus on only black businesses for payouts to help the industry overcome the coronavirus pandemic is unlawful. The Bloemfontein-based court said the Minister of Tourism committed an error and is not legally obliged to allocate funds based on black economic empowerment requirements.

Six more solar photovoltaic (PV) projects situated in the Northern Cape and North West provinces have reached commercial operation, infrastructure equity investment management company African Infrastructure Investment Managers (AIIM) reported on Wednesday. These projects include the 50 MW De Wildt solar project, the 68 MW Bokamoso solar project, the 75 MW Zeerust solar project and the 75 MW Waterloo solar project in the North West, as well as the 55 MW Boikanyo and the 75 MW Malta A Bokone projects in the Northern Cape.

More than 150 maritime logistics roleplayers, representing the entire maritime value chain, including shipping, cargo, energy, finance, ports and infrastructure, have said that the full decarbonisation of international shipping is urgent and achievable. Ships transport about 80% of global trade and account for about 3% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

The general feeling is that chip capacity will slowly start coming back in the next few months, but only to return the auto industry back to where it was pre-Covid, and not to the post-Covid surge, which resulted in platinum group metals (PGMs) prices going through the roof. If the global auto industry experiences an increasing delivery of chips, then the guess is that a bottoming out of the market can be regarded as being under way now, with gentle improvement to follow. (Also watch attached Creamer... Читать дальше...

Diversified miner Exxaro Resources’ renewable energy subsidiary, Cennergi, will develop the 70 MW Lephalale solar project to supply the Grootegeluk coal mine, near Lephalale, Limpopo. The group announced on Wednesday that Exxaro Coal and Cennergi had concluded a term sheet, setting out material terms upon which a long-term power purchase agreement would be concluded.

Chemicals and energy group Sasol has announced a material acceleration of its decarbonisation plans, confirming that it will reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 30% by 2030 rather than by the much-criticised 10% level to which it initially committed. CEO Fleetwood Grobler has also pledged that the group will transition to net-zero emissions by 2050 and has confirmed that Sasol will not invest in any new coal reserves.

In dealing with its current energy crisis, South Africa must ensure that it shores up reliable short- and long-term supply options that adhere to sustainable energy objectives.    This was indicated by speakers on the first day of the 11th yearly Sustainability Summit on September 21, during the Sustainable Energy Seminar in partnership with DND Energy.

South African private sector airline Airlink announced on Tuesday that it starting a new intra-African service, between Johannesburg and Entebbe, in Uganda. The airline had originally planned to inaugurate this service earlier this year, but had had to postpone it when both countries had increased their Covid-19 travel restrictions. “Entebbe is not just Uganda’s primary tourism and trade [gateway], it is also strategically positioned for access to the wider Eastern African Community nations and the Great Lakes... Читать дальше...

Environmental and climate justice groups have called on Mineral Resources and Energy Gwede Mantashe and regulatory authority the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) to abandon plans to develop 1 500 MW of new coal-fired electricity. “The development of new coal-fired power is neither rational, nor lawful, given the well-documented environmental, social, human health and economic impacts of new coal-powered electricity generation in South Africa.

German sports-car manufacturer Porsche and Siemens Energy have joined forces with a number of international companies to build an industrial plant for the production of nearly carbon dioxide-neutral fuel (e-fuel) in Punta Arenas, Chile.  A pilot plant is initially being built north of Punta Arenas, in Chilean Patagonia, which is expected to produce around 130 000 litres of e-fuels next year.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned the world is hurtling toward ecological destruction, sounding a bleak opening tone to the annual UN General Assembly meeting in New York. Speaking a day after convening world leaders to ratchet up climate commitments, Guterres said Tuesday that the “climate alarm bells” are “ringing at fever pitch.” Calling current global efforts insufficient, he forecast a “hellscape of temperature rises” if emissions aren’t cut more than currently planned.

China plans to stop building new coal-fired power plants abroad, President Xi Jinping said at a virtual United Nations General Assembly meeting on Tuesday. The announcement came a year after Xi surprised world leaders by pledging to make China carbon-neutral by 2060 after reaching peak emissions by the end of the decade. He has come under pressure to back up that promise with concrete short-term goals ahead of global climate talks, known as COP26, to be held in Glasgow, Scotland, in November.

Nedbank is promising prospective car buyers a “complete end-to-end digital vehicle shopping experience, saving them vast amounts of time and energy, through the new Avo virtual vehicle-mall feature”. “While there are already quite a few websites and aggregators where people can browse vehicles, the existing options are still very limited,” says Nedbank Avo executive Julie Vetter.

Platinum group metals miner Northam is expanding its ore handling systems to cater for increased volumes coming from its north, central and currently-under-construction south mines, at its Booysendal complex.

Telecommunications group Telkom is pursuing a separate listing of its masts and towers business, Swiftnet, on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. A final determination on the listing of the Telkom subsidiary, which is under management by Gyro, will be made by the end of the financial year.