Engineering milestone as $100m Lesotho dam achieves full capacity

The new $100-million Metolong dam, in Lesotho, has achieved a significant project success this year, with the dam spilling for the first time since its completion in 2016.  Spilling occurs when the... 

Financial backing for Nigeria fertiliser plant expansion

The Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund (EAIF) on Wednesday announced the financial close of its 11-year $35-million loan to Indorama Eleme Fertiliser & Chemicals (IEFCL). The transaction is part... 

Diamond sector must do more to tackle transparency challenge – rights groups

The diamond industry continues to be tainted by links between diamonds and human rights abuses, conflict finance and corruption. This is according to Global Witness conflict resources campaign... 

Sasol expects 2019 to be defining year for big US project

Integrated chemicals and energy company Sasol on Monday reported a 22% year-on-year decrease in its headline earnings a share to R27.44 for the financial year ended June 30. Speaking at a... 

Nxesi says women in construction sector need more support

Public Works Minister Thulas Nxesi on Friday implored big contractors to support women in the construction industry through subcontracting work. Addressing women in the construction industry at a... 

New CESA awards category

Ivor Evans was, on Wednesday, awarded the first ever Consulting Engineers South Africa (CESA) Lifetime Industry Achievement Award posthumously at the 2018 CESA Aon Engineering Excellence awards on... 

Report points to rising Kenyan construction sector as SA struggles

International consultancy and construction company Mace has released its latest tender cost update for sub-Saharan Africa, showing mixed performances for the region’s two most prominent economies.    

Diamond sector must do more to tackle transparency challenge – rights groups

The diamond industry continues to be tainted by links between diamonds and human rights abuses, conflict finance and corruption. This is according to Global Witness conflict resources campaign... 

Necsa, Rosatom subsidiary in nuclear medicine pact

The South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) and Rusatom Healthcare, the healthcare division of Russian State-owned nuclear corporation Rosatom, on Thursday signed an agreement to cooperate... 

Southern African private-equity investments up 102% to R31bn

The Southern African private equity industry invested R31.3-billion in 2017, which represents an increase of 102% on the R15.5-billion invested in the previous year and well above the yearly... 

Lily mine to reopen in February, says new owner

Vantage Goldfields, which has been bought out by Siyakhula Sonke Empowerment Corporation (SSC), plans to reopen the Lily mine, in Barberton, Mpumalanga, in February 2019, three years after a pillar... 

Cabinet approves gazetting of updated IRP for public comment

Communications Minister Nomvula Mokonyane confirmed on Thursday that Cabinet has approved the publication of the updated Integrated Resources Plan (IRP) and that it will be gazetted for comment by... 

Vast concludes JV to access diamond fields in Zimbabwe

Aim-listed Vast Resources has concluded an agreement with Red Mercury for exclusive access to a diamond concession area in what has become known as the Marange diamond fields in the Chiadzwa region... 

Enel starts construction of its first power plant in Zambia

Enel Group’s global renewable energy division Enel Green Power (EGP) has started construction on the 34 MW Ngonye solar photovoltaic (PV) plant, which is the group’s first power plant in Zambia.... 

Bidcorp FY18 headline earnings rise 9% y/y

JSE-listed Bidcorp on Wednesday reported a 9% year-on-year increase in headline earnings a share to R12.86 for the year ended June 30. Group CE Bernard Berson said the company achieved solid... 

Engineering milestone as $100m Lesotho dam achieves full capacity

The new $100-million Metolong dam, in Lesotho, has achieved a significant project success this year, with the dam spilling for the first time since its completion in 2016.  Spilling occurs when the... 

Two new nonexecs join AngloGold board

Alan Ferguson and Jochen Tilk have been appointed independent nonexecutive directors at Anglogold Ashanti, effective October 1 and January 1, 2019, respectively. Ferguson is a chartered accounted... 

EAIF backs billion-dollar Nigeria fertiliser plant

The Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund (EAIF) on Wednesday announced the financial close of its 11-year $35-million loan to Indorama Eleme Fertiliser & Chemicals (IEFCL). The transaction is part... 

Survey finds healthcare workers are uninformed about NHI scheme

Nearly half of healthcare workers surveyed by the Solidarity Research Institute (SRI) have said they are not well informed about the proposed National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme. Unpacking key... 

NHI will negatively impact on South Africa’s healthcare systems – Solidarity

Trade union Solidarity believes the power of medical services in South Africa will be negatively impacted if government decides to centralise the healthcare system through the National Health... 

Sasol FY18 headline earnings fall 22%

Integrated chemicals and energy company Sasol on Monday reported a 22% year-on-year decrease in its headline earnings a share to R27.44 for the financial year ended June 30. Speaking at a... 

Women in construction sector need more support – Nxesi

Public Works Minister Thulas Nxesi on Friday implored big contractors to support women in the construction industry through subcontracting work. Addressing women in the construction industry at a... 

BlueRock secures loan from chairperson, CEO

Aim-listed BlueRock Diamonds, which owns and operates the Kareevlei mine, in the Kimberley region of South Africa, has entered into a loan with chairperson Paul Beck and CEO Adam Waugh.   

Construction advancing on eCobalt’s Idaho project

Construction at eCobalt Solutions’ Idaho cobalt project, in the Idaho cobalt belt, continues to advance on time and on budget, the company said on Thursday. “Very good progress has been made at the... 

Franchising industry a major contributor to South Africa’s GDP

The franchising industry contributed 13.4% to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 2017, Franchise Junction CEO Thys van Zyl said in a recent address to delegates at the 12J Marketplace... 

Report heralds Cape Town as Africa’s tech capital

A report commissioned by the Cape Innovation and Technology Initiative (CiTi), Wesgro and the Allan Gray Orbis Foundation – with the support of the Western Cape government – has confirmed that the... 

Bill Venter steps down from Altron board

Allied Electronics (Altron) founder Dr Bill Venter, has retires as nonexecutive director of the board. His retirement became effective on July 31. 

US subsidies disappointing: Cairns

The Cairns Group Farm Leaders,  which comprises a group of farm organisations from various agricultural exporting countries, including South Africa, have expressed concern about the US... 

Wescoal to dispose of LBC assets

JSE-listed Wescoal has, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Leeuw Braakfontein Colliery (LBC), entered into a sale of assets with Sitatunga Resources in terms of which LBC will dispose of its LBC... 

AMCU threatens strike at Implats over planned job cuts

The Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) has threatened industrial strike action at Impala Platinum (Implats) if talks with the company over its plans to cut 13 000 jobs and... 

PwC puts focus on gender pay gap

Although South African companies are not required by law to report on the gender pay gap, many organisations have started taking steps to identify pay disparities at all levels, says PwC. “Many... 

Amplats starts construction on Polokwane sulphur dioxide abatement project

Construction of the sulphur dioxide (SO2) abatement project at Anglo American Platinum’s (Amplats’) Polokwane smelter got under way on Thursday. The company will implement new wet sulphuric acid... 

CESA Aon Awards adds Lifetime Industry Achievement category

Ivor Evans was, on Wednesday, awarded the first ever Consulting Engineers South Africa (CESA) Lifetime Industry Achievement Award posthumously at the 2018 CESA Aon Engineering Excellence awards on... 

Stratex proposes name change

Aim-listed Stratex International is proposing to change its name to Oriole Resources. The proposed change reflects a repositioning of the company following the appointment of new CEO Tim Livesey... 

Cobalt prices stabilising – ERG

The recent price adjustment in the cobalt market represents a logical and short-term correction to the heightened speculative activity earlier this year, says Eurasian Resources Group (ERG) CEO... 

IronRidge defines large gold targets in Chad

Aim-listed IronRidge Resources has defined at least five large, coherent gold targets at its Dorothe project, in Chat. Drill results received defined targets over 500 m to 1.2 km strike length and... 

Shanta lifts H1 profit

Aim-listed Shanta Gold has reported earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation of $23-million for the half year ended June 30, 2018,  up from $21.5-million in the first half of... 

Freedom Property subsidiary sells noncore residential units

Zambesa Investments, a wholly owned subsidiary of JSE-listed Freedom Property Fund, has agreed to sell eight residential units and 33 service stands, collectively called Tubatse Homes, in... 

Roxgold says 2018 output may be at upper-end of guidance

Burkina Faso-focused Roxgold has delivered strong second-quarter production and cash flow results, standing the company in good stead to achieve the upper end of its 2018 production guidance. For... 

M&R expects to report higher FY18 earnings

JSE-listed Murray & Roberts (M&R) expects its results for the financial year ended June 30, to show an improvement of at least 20% year-on-year in diluted and basic earnings a share and headline...