Independent agencies can have teeth and autonomy

Some South Africans, with some knowledge of events in Brazil, have expressed a degree of envy at the successful impeachment, last year, of the President Dilma Rousseff. This was, in fact, the... 

South African intellectual property agency seeking to stimulate innovation

The Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC), an agency of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), has been holding talks with the Department of Higher Education about establishing... 

Rosatom to aid IAEA in developing atomic infrastructures in new nuclear countries

Russia’s national atomic energy group Rosatom and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have concluded a Contribution Agreement, under which the group will help fund IAEA nuclear... 

Interest in nuclear energy said to be rising across sub-Saharan Africa

There is more interest in nuclear energy in sub-Saharan Africa than is generally realised. According to the World Nuclear Association (WNA), countries in the region which are individually planning... 

Despite slower growth, China still key market for miners and Africa

There can be no doubt that, for the past two decades-and-a-half or so, the biggest single influence on the global mining industry has been China. Between 2002 and 2012, that country experienced an... 

Interest in nuclear energy said to be rising across sub-Saharan Africa

There is more interest in nuclear energy in sub-Saharan Africa than is generally realised. According to the World Nuclear Association (WNA), countries in the region which are individually planning... 

African and global air freight and passenger traffic rose in February

The growth in demand for air freight, measured in freight-tonne-kilometres (FTKs), in Africa increased by more than 10% in February, in comparison to February last year. African air passenger... 

Brazilian company unveils over-the-horizon radar

Brazilian technology company IACIT Soluções Tecnológicas S/A (IACIT), which develops and produces air traffic control and management and maritime traffic control and management systems, weather... 

Despite slower growth, China still key market for miners and Africa

There can he no doubt that, for the past two decades-and-a-half or so, the biggest single influence on the global mining industry has been China. Between 2002 and 2012 that country experienced an... 

South Africa’s space agency to support key Nepad programmes

The South African National Space Agency (Sansa) and Nepad signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Wednesday under which the former will support various programmes of the latter with Earth... 

South Africa’s hydrogen fuel cell programme making steady progress

The Department of Science and technology (DST) is pleased with the progress being made by the Hydrogen South Africa (HySA) research, development and innovation (RDI) programme. This is a natural... 

France’s new nuclear firm pursuing SA research reactor deal

Newly created French nuclear company TechnicAtome plans to bid for South Africa’s planned new research reactor. The South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) is planning a p rogramme to... 

Brazil again turning to private sector to undertake key infrastructure projects

With the country slowly emerging from its worst recession in decades, with Federal Government spending now frozen, in real terms, by law, for the next 20 years, Brazil is again looking to the... 

New versions of major airliner designs make first flights on same day

March 31 was a red-letter day in commercial aviation when two new versions of major airliners made their first flights. They were – in alphabetical order – the Airbus A319neo and the Boeing 787-10... 

South Africa’s hydrogen fuel cell programme making steady progress

The Department of Science and Technology (DST) is pleased with the progress being made by the Hydrogen South Africa (HySA) research, development and innovation (RDI) programme. This is a natural... 

Moz coal sector set for brighter future – report

Coal will be Mozambique’s number one source of export revenues over the medium term, according to an analysis by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). This will be the result of improving security... 

South African R&D spending on the rise but government aims yet higher

The South African government seeks to increase the country’s investment in research and development (R&D) by 100% from the R29-billion of 2014/2015 to about R60-billion a year by 2020. In terms of... 

Survey on South African publicly-funded intellectual property launched

Science and Technology Minister Naledi Pandor launched the first 'South African National Survey of Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer at Publicly Funded Research Institutions' in... 

South African nanosatellites to be launched soon as part of international project

Two South African-designed and built nanosatellites, designated nSight1 and ZA-Aerosat, are set to be launched into space next week, as part of a consignment of 28 nanosatellites from 23 countries.... 

CSIR warns global shake-up in Earth Observation will affect South African sector

Worldwide, the Earth Observation (EO) sector is being shaken-up by disruptive innovations by major enterprises. "Globally, traditional EO value chains are changing radically due to technological... 

South African spatial data infrastructure is developing, but not as fast as desired

Despite the fact that South Africa's Spatial Data Infrastructure Act was passed nearly 14 years ago, in 2003, with the intent of establishing the South African Spatial Data Infrastructure (Sasdi),... 

South Africa has real bioenergy potential

"South Africa definitely has exploitable bio-energy potential," stated Council for Scientific and Industrial Research Principle Engineer Crescent Mushwana at the recent launch of the South Africa... 

Data-rich Atlas shows SA having higher bio-energy potential than believed

The South Africa Bio-energy Atlas, recently launched in Pretoria, will allow the country to identify opportunities for sustainable bio-energy and be able to achieve much more in terms of developing... 

UK committed to developing R&D and trade with South Africa

The British Government has assigned up to £35-million from its Prosperity Fund to South Africa. This money will be disbursed over the remaining period of the current UK Parliament (that is, until... 

Laptop bomb threat is real and expect restrictions to go global

Just about 15 months ago, on February 2, 2016, a suicide bomber detonated a bomb onboard an Airbus A321 airliner of Daallo Airlines some 15 to 20 minutes after it took off from Mogadishu Airport.... 

Angola aims to attract major mining investor, develop local ones

The copper/cobalt belt, known as the Central African Copperbelt, already well-known and exploited in Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo, also extends into Angola. This has been determined... 

France sets up new nuclear company as part of restructuring process

The latest step in the restructuring of the French nuclear industry was announced on Thursday evening. Areva TA (responsible for propulsion and research reactors) has been separated from its parent... 

Africa needs nuclear energy – Rosatom

Sub-Saharan Africa has a real need for, and rapidly growing interest in, nuclear power. This was affirmed by Rosatom International Network Regional VP: Sub-Saharan Africa Viktor Polikarpov at the... 

Eskom confident of its ability to implement new nuclear build programme

A Request for Proposals (RFP) for new nuclear power plants (NPPs) and a new research reactor could be issued by the middle of this year. This was reported by Eskom chief nuclear officer Dave... 

Nuclear energy essential to guard against climate change

The world can only meet the target of restricting global warming to 2 °C by the end of this century by greatly increasing the use of nuclear power. So affirmed World Nuclear Association (WNA)... 

Brazil is re-emphasising privatisations

With the country slowly emerging from its worst recession in decades, with federal government spending now frozen, in real terms, by law, for the next 20 years, Brazil is again looking to the... 

South Africa has real bio-energy potential

"South Africa definitely has exploitable bio-energy potential," stated Council for Scientific and Industrial Research principal engineer Crescent Mushwana at the launch of the South Africa... 

New Bio-energy Atlas will help government implement NDP – Pandor

The South Africa Bio-Energy Atlas, launched on Friday, will help the government develop and implement its policies. This was pointed out by Science and Technology Minister Naledi Pandor in her... 

South African Bio-energy Atlas launched to support bio-energy development

The South Africa Bio-energy Atlas, launched in Pretoria on Friday, will allow the country to identify opportunities for sustainable bio-energy and be able to achieve much more in terms of... 

Denel signs dockyard agreement with German shipbuilding group

South Africa’s State-owned defence industrial group Denel has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with German shipbuilder ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS). This agreement will allow... 

Nuclear advocate contests ‘unrealistic’ renewables scenarios

Australian-founded and -based, globally-active, non-governmental organisation Bright New World argues that nuclear energy has a key role to play in ensuring both economic development and... 

Longer-ranged artillery shell unveiled by South African defence company

South African defence company Rheinmetall Denel Munition (RDM) has reported that it has successfully qualified its 155 mm calibre M2005 Velocity Enhanced Artillery Projectile (VLAP). This is a... 

Moz coalfields to be served by third railway and port corridor

Mozambique has taken another step to fulfil the objective of providing comprehensive railway links between the country’s rich coal fields in its inland Tete province and harbours on the coast from... 

UK Minister forecasts major nuclear expansion over next 20 years

It is estimated that, over the next 20 years, more than £930-billion will be invested in expanding civil nuclear energy capacity worldwide. This was affirmed by UK Secretary of State for... 

Extra funding for another SA-based international radio telescope project

The international Hydrogen Epoch of Reionisation Array (Hera) telescope, being constructed in South Africa’s radio astronomy reserve in the Karoo region in the Northern Cape province, has received...