Новости за 06.10.2021

The South African National Space Agency (Sansa) has been appointed as the Programme Management Office (PMO) for Digital Earth Africa. The latter entity has been established to make Earth observation data easily available and to provide ‘decision-ready’ products to African countries and organisations. “Sansa has at the heart of its vision the development of an integrated National Space Capability that responds to the socioeconomic challenges in Africa by 2030,” highlighted Sansa CEO Dr Val Munsami. Читать дальше...

The Infrastructure Fund has submitted four projects, collectively valued at R21-billion, for National Treasury approval and is finalising four more, valued at nearly R85-billion, for submission in 2022. Infrastructure Fund head Mohale Rakgate reports that the fund itself will contribute R5.4-billion to “catalyse” the four initial projects, which are being funded using blended finance mechanisms that incorporate both public and private resources.

Integrated chemicals and energy company Sasol has signed a memorandum of agreement with the Northern Cape Economic Development, Trade and Promotion Agency to lead the feasibility study to explore the potential of Boegoebaai as an export hub for green hydrogen and ammonia. The Boegoebaai green hydrogen development has been designated a Strategic Integrated Project in the South African National Development Plan and is located in the Namakwa Special Economic Zone (SEZ).

Wood-based panel products manufacturer PG Bison is investing R560-million in its eMkhondo facility, in Mpumalanga, which will result in a 25% capacity increase at the plant when it is completed in early 2022. The project team is completing the replacement of its preparation line for the eMkhondo plant. This includes state-of-the-art Austrian Büttner energy plant and driers, screening equipment, a new flaker and new conveyor systems, PG Bison lead project manager Francois Pienaar says.

The second Afri-Plastics Challenge initiative, called Creating Solutions, calls for applications from individuals and organisations with new or early-stage ideas to reduce or eliminate plastic use across sub-Saharan Africa. For the Creating Solutions challenge, 25 finalists and three winners will be selected by a panel of experienced and professional judges. The applicants’ ideas will be evaluated against criteria such as innovation, empowerment of women and girls, social impact in the community... Читать дальше...

A much more enabling environment is needed to ensure that South Africa does not miss out on yet another commodity boom, the Joburg Indaba heard on Wednesday. “We know that we’ve missed at least one commodity boom,” Foskor chairperson, Industrial Development Corporation director and founding AngloGold Ashanti CEO Bobby Godsell recalled during the opening session of the ninth Joburg Indaba covered by Mining Weekly.

City of Johannesburg executive mayor Mpho Moerane on October 6 launched e-Joburg, a municipal bill presentation and payment portal. The e-Joburg platform is a self-service portal that enables ratepayers, homeowners, companies, property managing agents and tenants to view and download their current and historical municipal bills, as well as pay their municipal accounts electronically.

Diversified industrial group Thyssenkrupp Uhde South Africa and German uranium mining company Wismut have been appointed to execute a prefeasibility study for a renewable underground pumped hydroelectric energy storage (Ruphes) project on a specific but undisclosed site owned by a South African mining company. Thyssenkrupp Uhde South Africa is collaborating with international specialist companies to facilitate mine repurposing and has already signed a cooperation agreement with Wismut.

UPL, an Indian producer of chemicals used in agriculture, will be asked to pay for the establishment of a forum that will keep the public informed about developments relating to a spill of hazardous chemicals in the South African city of Durban. The so-called multi stakeholder forum will be set up by the country’s environment department and will request that UPL pay for it under the “polluter pays principle,” the department said in a request for public comment on the forum’s terms of reference on Tuesday.

Industry organisation the South African Liquor Brandowners Association (Salba) says its member companies have started paying their deferred excise tax obligations to the South African Revenue Service (Sars). After the implementation of the fourth total ban on alcohol sales in June, Salba had requested Sars to provide the industry with extended payment terms on the excise duties of about R2.5-billion owing to Sars for the month of June.

Vandalism to fibre optic cables in Cape Town has resulted in delays across several main railway corridors. Commuters have been advised to use alternative transport as the vandalism has resulted in a telecommunications outage that poses a safety risk to train services.

The Climate Finance Accelerator (CFA) South Africa has announced 13 innovative low-carbon projects that it will support in accessing finance from investors following a call for proposals that attracted 120 applications. The CFA is part of the UK government’s efforts to help South Africa tackle climate change and support a just transition.

Google plans to invest $1-billion in Africa over the next five years to ensure access to fast and cheaper internet and will back startups to support the continent's digital transformation, it said on Wednesday. The unit of US tech company Alphabet Inc made the announcement at a virtual event where it launched an Africa Investment Fund, through which it will invest $50-million in startups, providing them with access to its employees, network and technologies.

The World Bank expects South Africa to grow by 4.6% in 2021, an upward revision from its 3% April forecast and also a significant improvement on the bank’s 2.6% growth projection published in October last year. “Growth in South Africa is projected to rebound from -6.4% in 2020 to 4.6% in 2021, supported by a favourable global environment and base effects,” the bank’s latest ‘Africa’s Pulse’ publication states.

With the global metals and mining markets having faltered under the weight of Covid-19 pandemic-driven lockdowns, demand outside of China was “tepid at best and in freefall at worst”, says global research and consultancy group Wood Mackenzie (WoodMac). From a mined commodities perspective, however, WoodMac vice-chairperson Julian Kettle says China represents a large economy that is returning to life as it “sucks in raw materials and produces its way out of trouble”.

The National Employers’ Association of South Africa (Neasa) has partnered with a specialist service provider to create entrepreneurship opportunities for the unemployed youth in South Africa in the form of learnerships. The initiative is expected to benefit employers and the unemployed youth, as well as offer tax-paying businesses the opportunity to make a meaningful social impact in their local community.

The Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) has advised that it has implemented partial lane closures on the M2 motorway from the Maritzburg Interchange to the Crown Interchange for repair works. In keeping with the long-term rehabilitation of the M2, the agency has identified 30 “finger joints” to be replaced along the stretch of road from Maritzburg to the Crown Interchange.

At its seventy-seventh annual general meeting this week, the global representative body for the airline industry, the International Air Transport Association (Iata), reported that its latest calculations indicated that the world’s airlines would, over the period 2020 to 2022, suffer total net losses of $201-billion. These losses would be the result of the Covid-19 pandemic and attempts by the governments of the world to contain it. However, the trend has been an improving one, even though Iata has... Читать дальше...

JSE-listed platinum-group metals (PGMs) miner Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) has selected the Pele Green Energy – EDF Renewables South Africa consortium as the preferred supplier to build a 100 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) plant at its Mogalakwena mine, in Limpopo. Pele Green Energy develops, owns, procures, builds and operates renewable energy power projects, while EDF Renewables South Africa has global expertise in renewable energy technologies such as wind, solar PV and battery storage.

The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has begun with the assessment of wastewater treatment plants in several municipalities across the country after the relaunch of the Blue and Green Drop Certification Programmes, which advocate for excellent drinking water and wastewater quality management. The assessments under way are mainly for the Green Drop Certification Programme, which is aimed at ensuring that municipalities improve their maintenance and management of wastewater infrastructure.... Читать дальше...

Bearings and power transmission products distributor Bearings International has launched a new bearing solution for demanding applications. Natasha Odendaal tells us more.

The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) has decided to join the October 7 national strike launched by Congress of South African Trade Union (Cosatu). The NUM has, therefore, issued a call to its members in the mining, energy construction and metals sectors to join planned activities across the country – in accordance with Covid-19 guidelines – or withdraw their labour by staying at home on the day, as part of the Global Day for Decent Work.

Rich countries are racing to close a climate-finance shortfall of at least $10-billion, with a handful of European nations planning to increase their pledges this month ahead of crucial talks in Glasgow, Scotland, according to people familiar with the plans. Over a decade ago, developed countries promised to mobilize $100-billion a year by 2020 to help poor countries deal with the worst impacts of global warming and invest in green energy sources. But they almost certainly missed their goal last... Читать дальше...

The Congress of South African Trade Unions called for organised labour to join in a strike by staying away from work in an effort to apply pressure on government and the private sector to "fix the economic mess that the country finds itself in". The action coincides with the Global Day for Decent Work, but also comes as South Africa continues to struggle with lacklustre growth, rising unemployment, the throes of the Covid-19 pandemic and the after-effects of July's unrest. Cosatu, as the labour federation ally of the governing ANC... Читать дальше...

The newest AutoTrader South African Electric Vehicle Buyers Survey indicates that local electric vehicle (EV) appetite has grown year-on-year, says AutoTrader CEO George Mienie. AutoTrader is one of South Africa’s largest digital automotive marketplaces.