KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Cogta Sipho Hlomuka has condemned the assassination attempt on uKhahlamba Municipal Speaker Sthembiso Zulu. view more

Mnikelwa Nxele, who was implicated at the Zondo Commission for allegedly taking monthly bribes of about R57 000 for his influence, has been dismissed. view more

Multiple patients from the bus had sustained minor injuries and were stabilised on the scene before being transported to various hospitals for the further care that they required. view more

Conservationists are lauding the fact that from Thursday it will be illegal to dump liquid waste on landfill sites. view more

Eskom Holdings, the South African power utility struggling with almost $30-billion in debt, said it will take as long as three to five years to comply with the government's plan to split the company into three separate units. President Cyril Ramaphosa said in February that the company would be divided into generation, transmission and distribution units to make it more manageable. The split is part of a rescue plan that also committed the government to pay $8.4 billion over three years in bailouts. view more

Volkswagen Group South Africa (VWSA) hopes to launch it first fully electric vehicle (EV) in the local market in 2021, should it be able to convince its German head office to bring the vehicle to South Africa. The ID.3 has a price tag of roughly $36 000 and a range of 420 km. view more

JSE-listed freight and logistics company Grindrod has decided to dispose of its marine fuels business and its agricultural investments to focus its efforts on core operations. CE Andrew Waller on Friday said he expects the sale of these assets to be completed by 2020. view more

JSE-listed aluminium supplier and exporter Hulamin CEO Richard Jacob on Friday assured shareholders that the underlying business remained strong, despite the "painful period" the company was currently experiencing. He told Engineering News Online that this was evidenced by the company's net debt to equity of 16%. view more

The revised taxi recapitalisation programme to remove the remaining 63 241 unroadworthy or noncompliant taxis from South Africa's roads was launched by Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula, in Elandsfontein, Ekurhuleni, on Friday. The initial taxi recapitalisation programme, which was launched in 2001, had been aimed at getting 135 894 unroadworthy and illegal taxis off the roads and to provide capital for owners to replace the vehicles and continue to provide public transport services. view more

JSE-listed engineering and construction company Murray & Roberts (M&R) expects to show a year-on-year improvement in basic earnings a share of between 19% and 34%, or between 80c and 90c, for the financial year ended June 30. The company advised on Friday that its basic headline earnings a share would be between 62% and 79%, or between 76c and 84c, higher than for the year ended June 30, 2018. view more

Trade union Solidarity's legal team on Friday gave the sheriff instruction to seize goods at Brian Molefe's property in Cornwall Estate, Pretoria. The funds will be used to pay Solidarity's outstanding legal costs of about R600 000, as set out in a court order. view more

South African Airways (SAA) announced on Friday that the continued closure of the main runway at the Chileka International Airport at Blantyre, Malawi, had forced it to make alternative flight arrangements for passengers travelling between Johannesburg and Blantyre. Chileka's main runway has been closed for upgrade and maintenance work since late April. The airport authorities in Malawi recently informed SAA that this work would take significantly longer than originally hoped. The main runway would have to stay closed until October 31. Chileka's secondary, or auxiliary, runway remains open and operational, but SAA aircraft cannot use it. "SAA customers will therefore travel between Johannesburg and Lilongwe [Malawi] on SAA operated aircraft and further travel between Lilongwe and Blantyre on Ethiopian Airlines, for the period 31 August 2019 until 31 October 2019," explained SAA Spokesperson Tlali Tlali. "This is an interim travel plan intended to avoid any service disruptions." view more

Ratings agency S&P Global Ratings has downgraded mobile operator Cell C after it failed to make interest payments on certain bilateral loan facilities that were due in July. Its decision was also based on the company's suspension on future interest payments pending the conclusion of its operational and balance sheet restructuring. view more

Late in July, Japan and the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) signed an agreement at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in Pretoria, to cooperate to counter plastic pollution in South Africa. The agreement was signed by UNIDO representative in Southern Africa Khaled El Mekwad and Japanese Ambassador to South Africa Norio Maruyama, and will be jointly executed by UNIDO and the CSIR. The joint research programme will look both at plastic waste and alternative materials to conventional plastics. The programme will run for three years, paid for by a Japanese grant of $1.8-million. view more

The renewable-energy industry in South Africa is effectively at the very beginning of an S-curve. With 5% of South Africa's electricity provided by renewables, the industry is nowhere near its ultimate size. In 20 years from now, it should be at least ten times larger than it is today. When looking back on the sector's development, say in 2040, key measures of success will be not only whether the fleet of solar, wind and flexible generators is delivering reliable, low-carbon electricity at ... view more

In this opinion piece, Engineering News Senior Deputy Editor Martin Zhuwakinyu writes about State capture in other parts of Africa. I am not privy to how lexicographers go about selecting the word or phrase of the year. But if it were up to me, 'State capture' would have won the accolade hands down in any one of the past few years. It indeed captured the preoccupation of a nation shocked by revelations suggesting that, in pursuit of gain for himself and those around him, its President had sold his soul to the devil. view more

South Africa is experiencing a shocking rate of plant extinction with as many as 79 plants disappearing owing largely to expanding agriculture and urbanisation, the Stellenbosch University (SU)  has revealed. An international team of researchers, led by Professor Jaco Le Roux and Dr Heidi Hirsch, affiliated with the Centre for Invasion Biology (CIB) at SU, analysed a comprehensive dataset of 291 plant extinctions since 1700. view more

The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) on Thursday launched the 2019 Global Fintech Hackcelerator @ Southern Africa competition and called on fintech firms to submit their innovative and sustainable solutions to challenges identified within the financial services industry. Applications will close at midnight on September 8. Interested applicants are invited to view the problem statements and complete an application form, both of which are available at https://matchi.biz/hackceleratorSA. view more

Shareholders of JSE-listed real estate investment trusts Gemgrow Properties and Arrowhead Properties on Thursday approved the reverse takeover of Gemgrow by Arrowhead. This will result in the creation of a R16-billion South Africa-focused property fund. view more

Home improvement retailer Leroy Merlin is opening its second store in South Africa in Little Falls, Gauteng, at the end of August. The company aims to have four stores in the country by 2020, which, in total, rounds up to an investment into the South African economy of R1-billion. view more

The US Export-Import (Exim) Bank said on Thursday its board intends to vote on a $5-billion direct loan for the development of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in Mozambique, the bank's biggest export financing deal in years. The government export lender said it has notified the US Congress of the transaction, which will be ready for a final board vote in 35 days. view more

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said on Thursday it would invite Boeing 737 MAX pilots from across the world to participate in simulator tests as part of the process to recertify the aircraft for flight following two fatal crashes. Earlier, Reuters reported that the agency had asked the three US airlines that operate the MAX to provide the names of some pilots who had only flown the 737 for around a year, including at least one MAX flight. view more

Creamer Media's readers continue to be part of the mobile revolution.  Over 20% of Creamer Media's online readers view the websites on their mobile devices. To cater for this growing mobile readership Creamer Media offers an Engineering News Online app for iPhone and Android users.  These apps offer access to all content available on the Engineering News Online website and also offers additional benefits such as push notifications to alert the reader of breaking news items and the opportunity to save articles for a later read through the app's bookmarks functionality. view more

President Cyril Ramaphosa's government has made changes to visa regulations for tourists and highly skilled professionals, availed financial support for black farmers and black industrialists and upgraded industrial parks as part of efforts to secure economic growth and deal with unemployment, his office said on Friday. view more

Drought-riven Zambia plans to build canals from the Congo river in its northern neighbor to supply water and electricity. It will never work, say experts. Water levels have plunged for the second time in three years in the Kariba dam, which feeds off the Zambezi river and provides both Zambia and Zimbabwe with electricity. That's sparked fears that the two nation's hydropower turbines may have to switch off completely if levels continue to fall at what is the world's biggest man-made freshwater reservoir. view more

South Africa should discuss using worker pension funds to finance development and infrastructure projects, a proposal that has the backing of the country's largest labour federation, President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Thursday. In its 2019 poll manifesto ahead of the May general election, the ruling African National Congress (ANC) mentioned investigating prescribed assets - where the government authorises the investment of retirement savings in certain developmental assets - but was short on specific details. view more

The Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) and the Green Climate Fund (GCF) have signed an agreement that will kick off a programme to accelerate investments into climate projects and break market barriers in Southern Africa. The companies say the agreement seals the GCF's $56-million investment into DBSA's climate finance facility (CFF). view more

A transformative and replicable broad-based initiative within the agricultural sector has come on-stream through the conclusion of a transaction between citrus and grape farmer Schoonbee Landgoed and black-owned company Thebe Investment Corporation. The initiative, called Project Change, has the potential to provide an innovative and long-term model for partnering between established white commercial farmers and black institutional investors, while empowering local communities and supporting emerging farmers in achieving financial viability, the partners say. view more

Johannesburg Stock Exchange-listed coal-mining and energy company Exxaro Resources said on Thursday that it was experiencing higher insurance premiums in the renewal of its insurance policies. In reporting 24% lower net operating profit of R2.4-billion in the six months to June 30 on lower coal prices, Exxaro CEO Mxolisi Mgojo told shareholders and analysts that the climate-change issue would be requiring "much more definite and structural changes in proactive response and actions". (Also watch attached Creamer Media video.) view more

The Franchise Association of South Africa (Fasa) has called for the local franchise industry to be professionalised, with a board or council to accredit, adjudicate and oversee franchising similar to the roles of the Health Professions Council of South Africa, or even the Law Society of South Africa. Fasa laments that despite the South African franchising sector contributing about R721-billion to the country's gross domestic product, many businesses are "masquerading" as franchises when their business models do not reflect this. view more

Microplastics contained in drinking water pose a "low" risk to human health at current levels, but more research is needed to reassure consumers, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday. Studies over the past year on plastic particles detected in tap and bottled water have sparked public concerns but the limited data appears reassuring, the UN agency said its first report on potential health risks associated with ingestion. view more

South Africa is seeking to cut government budgets as it moves to contain debt after promising billions of rands to rescue its power utility and a weak economy damps tax collection. The National Treasury has asked departments to prepare proposals on how to reduce expenditure in a way that has the least impact on service delivery. It's seeking cuts of 5% for 2020/21, and 6% and 7% for the next two years, the Treasury said. That could be as much as R300-billion over three years. view more

Denel, South Africa's State-owned arms manufacturer, is tapping bond markets - and finding buyers for its debt - even after seeking emergency funding in the past two months to pay staff salaries. The company, one of several state-owned entities struggling to stay afloat after years of financial mismanagement, sold R50-million of two-year floating-rate notes this week, according to a stock exchange notice. view more

African private businesses are optimistic about their prospects for growth over the next year and are investing in digital systems to support that growth, advisory and professional services multinational PwC Africa said on Tuesday. PwC's inaugural 'Africa Private Business Survey', which surveyed 200 unlisted, privately owned retail, manufacturing and industrial companies with a yearly turnover of more than R150-million between February and April, showed that 81% of businesses rated their profitability over the past three years as having been good or fairly good - directly comparable to private businesses surveyed in Europe (84%) and Middle East (63.6%). view more

There is an opportunity to bring battery electric vehicle and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle production to South Africa, without first developing a domestic market and charging infrastructure for these vehicles, says Trade and Industry Minister Ebrahim Patel. Addressing the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa conference held in Midrand on Thursday, Patel said producing these vehicles in South Africa was "not necessarily" based on South Africa first developing a base of electric vehicles consumption, along with "all the necessary infrastructure". view more

Waste management company Interwaste on Thursday questioned whether South Africa was ready and able to manage zero liquid waste to landfill, as is required under legislation due to take effect on August 23. "Over the past several years, new legislation has been developed to improve the disposal of waste to landfill and, more importantly, encourage our industry to seek alternative and sustainable solutions. view more

In the wake of yet another accidental water contamination in the course of business activity, it is time companies plan for worst-case scenarios and implement controls that will prevent contamination, says Sustainable Development Forum at the Institute of Directors in Southern Africa (IoDSA) chairperson Karin Ireton. She adds that governing bodies need to be alert to the importance of identifying and dealing with environmental and social risk in all their activities. view more

The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa, or PRASA's, new war room became fully operational earlier this month, with Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula officiating its opening. view more

Creamer Media's Chanel de Bruyn speaks to Engineering News Editor Terence Creamer about the announcement by Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe that the long-awaited Integrated Resources Plan (IRP) should be approved by Cabinet soon, what stakeholders will be looking for in the finalised IRP and what is likely to happen after it is released. view more

Mauricedale Nature Estate, 15 km south of the world famous Kruger National Park in South Africa, will go under the hammer on September 25, in a final and desperate attempt to save 1 732 white rhinos and secure the future of this near-endangered species for generations to come. The unabated, unbridled poaching of white rhino to sell their horns on the black market to feed the demand for this product in mostly far eastern countries, has put enormous pressure on the once-thriving southern white rhino population in Southern Africa. view more

In a written Parliamentary answer, Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan has stated that State-owned defence industrial group "Denel is constantly exploring economically viable new revenue streams as part of its profitable growth strategy as well as new technologies to grow its business and technology base." Denel is currently suffering from serious shortages of liquidity and requires recapitalisation to be kept going. The Minister confirmed that the group was implementing a turnaround plan, which had been approved by the Denel Board in February and which was "aligned with the expectations of the shareholder [the Government]". This involved the urgent disposal of non-core assets and entering into strategic equity partnerships for the different divisions of the group. Regarding Denel's recapitalisation, the Government was still considering the amount that would be required. The group had applied for funding from the National Treasury's contingency reserve. Further funding was sought during the Medium Term Expenditure Framework, he noted. view more

ASX-, Aim- and BSE-listed Tlou Energy on Thursday announced that sustained gas flow rates had been achieved at its Lesedi 3 and 4 production pods, in Botswana. Lesedi 3 and 4 have each achieved an initial sustained gas flow of about 20 000 cubic feet a day, and are performing strongly, Tlou reported, adding that water rates in both pods had also continued to decline, as planned. view more