Merafe to suspend operations at Boshoek, Wonderkop smelters in May

JSE-listed Merafe Resources will suspend operations at its Boshoek and Wonderkop ferrochrome smelters, in the North West province, indefinitely. The decision was made after a business review... 

Calls for SABS investigation to be concluded sooner as another whistleblower report emerges

Yet another whistleblower report regarding corruption and mismanagement at the South African Bureau of Standards has come to light, providing detailed accounts of long-standing governance failures,... 

CSIR, Necsa sign MoU to collaborate on R&D

The South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to collaborate on research and... 

Despite cautionary indicators, platinum price will rise within a year, analyst says

Although the global economic and industrial “dashboard is littered with red and yellow indicators”, Metals Focus platinum group metals (PGMs) research director Wilma Swarts believes there are... 

De Beers reports 11% y/y production decline in the first quarter

Diamond producer De Beers’ rough diamond production for the first quarter of this year decreased by 11% year-on-year to 6.1-million carats, reflecting the continued production response to a... 

First Quantum reports $23m net loss in first quarter

TSX-listed First Quantum Minerals has reported a net loss attributable to shareholders of $23-million, which equates to a $0.03 loss a share, and adjusted earnings of $2-million for the three... 

Orion secures $2m loan from Ratel

ASX- and JSE-listed Orion Minerals’ shareholder Ratel Growth, of which former Orion director Thomas Borman is the controlling shareholder, has provided Orion an unsecured $2‑million loan facility... 

US tariffs pose severe indirect risks to sub-Saharan Africa, BMI warns

While the direct effects of US tariffs on sub-Saharan African trade were limited, the broader economic and political ramifications – through falling commodity prices, fiscal tightening and rising... 

Aterian signs $4.5m trade finance agreement

London-listed critical metal-focused exploration and development company Aterian has signed a $4.5-million trade finance agreement with a global commodity trading and financial house. The company... 

Botala to raise A$1.25m through new share placement

ASX- and BSE-listed coal exploration and development company Botala Energy has secured firm investment commitments from institutional, sophisticated and professional investors to raise... 

Deep Yellow reiterates impact of poor uranium prices

Uranium developer and producer Deep Yellow has, in its latest quarterly activities report, published on April 22, reiterated that it has deferred a final investment decision on its Tumas project,... 

Cape Town Container Terminal receives first batch of new rubber-tyred gantry cranes

The Cape Town Container Terminal (CTCT) has taken delivery of components of the first nine of 28 new rubber-tyred gantry cranes, which original-equipment manufacturer (OEM) Liebherr Africa has... 

Global economic growth to suffer immediate setbacks because of US tariffs – analysts

Global economic growth is expected to be significantly and immediately curtailed as a result of the ongoing US trade actions, global advisory firm Oxford Economics warned in a recent webinar on... 

Jonas could face cold shoulder in Washington, US analyst warns

Following President Cyril Ramaphosa’s appointment of former Deputy Finance Minister Mcebisi Jonas as a special envoy to the US on April 14, public comments made by Jonas in 2020, in which he... 

PPS delivers highest-ever profit share of R5.33bn to members

Financial services provider Professional Provident Society (PPS) has allocated an all-time high R5.33-billion in profit-share to members in South Africa with qualifying life-risk products’ notional... 

FQM invests A$15.2m in Prospect Resources

Copper producer First Quantum Minerals (FQM) has announced a strategic investment in Australia-based battery and electrification metals developer Prospect Resources. Prospect’s principal focus is... 

Failure to implement effective IT systems is undermining efforts to create a capable State

Efforts to create a capable State will be in vain if South Africa does not have the systems available to support it, Business Leadership South Africa CEO Busisiwe Mavuso has said. In her weekly... 

Ramaphosa tours CSIR on its eightieth anniversary

President Cyril Ramaphosa has praised the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), an entity of the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation, for its commitment to excellence... 

Macpherson fires back at court application intended to block his appointment of IDT trustees

Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson has filed an answering affidavit opposing a court application by two entities, Black Forum South Africa (BFSA) and Izwi Labantu Forum (ILF),... 

URU completes airborne survey over Zebediela

Aim-listed exploration and development company URU Metals has announced the completion of a high-resolution airborne geophysical survey over its Zebediela project area, in South Africa, conducted... 

Copper Mark awarded to two of Glencore’s DRC operations

Diversified miner Glencore’s two operations in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) – Kamoto Copper Company (KCC), a joint venture with Gécamines and the DRC government, and Mutanda Mining... 

Clean technology fund secures initial R2.4bn

Investment firm New GX Capital has announced the first close of Airnergize Capital, which aims to R4-billion by final close to accelerate clean technology solutions in renewable energy, gas and... 

More than 240 construction mafia arrests made since November, Macpherson says

Since the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) hosted its Construction Summit on Crime-Free Construction Sites in November last year and key officials signed the Durban Declaration... 

We can no longer blame Apartheid for economic failures, BBCBE’s Masimene says

After more than 30 years of democracy, South Africa’s numerous economic problems can no longer be blamed on Apartheid but rather must be blamed on the black-led government that has held the reins... 

George building collapse revealed to be a result of ‘systematic failures across multiple levels of oversight’

An independent forensic investigation into the building that collapsed in George, in the Western Cape, last year, has found that systematic failures across multiple levels of oversight,... 

Govt launches Spaza Shop Support Fund to support township businesses

Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau and Small Business Development Minister Stella Tembisa Ndabeni have launched a R500-million Spaza Shop Support Fund, which was initially announced... 

Kamoa-Kakula significantly increases imported hydroelectric power to start up new smelter

TSX- and OTCQX-listed Ivanhoe Mines’ joint venture (JV) Kamoa-Kakula copper complex, in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), has reached a major turning point following a significant increase in... 

Precious metals unable to avoid wide-ranging sell-offs amid Trump tariffs

Although precious metals dodged the reciprocal import tariffs that US President Donald Trump announced last week, they were unable to avoid the wide-ranging sell-off that hit most assets, Heraeus... 

Westbrooke seeks to grow its 30 MW renewable energy portfolio further

Alternative investment funds and co-investment platforms manager and adviser Westbrooke Alternative Asset Management says it is seeing strong growth in renewable energy in South Africa and that it... 

South Africa should respond to macroeconomic turbulence with resilience and strategic foresight, Mavuso says

Following last week’s announcement by US President Donald Trump that South Africa will be subjected to 30% tariffs on all imports into the US, alongside the passing of the 2025 Budget that will see... 

Trump tariff policies likely to extend beyond his term, analysts say

Following the announcement by US President Donald Trump on April 2 that South Africa would be subjected to 30% tariffs on its exports to the US, banker and academic Colin Coleman has said there is... 

Despite cautionary indicators, platinum price will rise within a year, analyst says

Although the global economic and industrial “dashboard is littered with red and yellow indicators”, Metals Focus platinum group metals (PGMs) research director Wilma Swarts believes there are... 

Mantashe lauds opening of Seriti’s Naudesbank Colliery, insists coal mining remains critical

“King coal is back!” Mineral Resources and Petroleum Minister Gwede Mantashe exclaimed at the ribbon cutting of coal producer Seriti’s new Naudesbank Colliery, near Carolina, in Mpumalanga, on... 

SABS investigation continues amid unsettling allegations of mismanagement

Ever since allegations of corruption and mismanagement against State-owned entity the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) started to surface late last year, the organisation has been under... 

SABS investigation continues amid unsettling allegations of mismanagement

Ever since allegations of corruption and mismanagement against State-owned entity the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) started to surface late last year, the organisation has been under... 

Despite strong headwinds, Sibanye-Stillwater’s Stewart remains bullish on PGMs' future

Despite the platinum group metals (PGMs) slump brought about by low prices and the advent of electric vehicles (EVs), Sibanye-Stillwater CEO-designate Richard Stewart remains optimistic about the... 

Tau worried about US tariff impact on South African products

Although the announcement of a 30% tariff on all exports from South Africa to the US could have a serious impact on the platinum group metals (PGMs) sector, Trade, Industry and Competition Minister... 

New FNB AgencyPlus service to bring banking services to townships through agent stores

Financial services provider FNB has launched a new service, FNB AgencyPlus, to expand access to basic banking services and cash in close proximity to both unbanked and underbanked individuals in... 

Infrastructure maintenance just as critical as new infrastructure delivery, Ngoma says

While “turning South Africa into a construction site” is a noble goal, Auditor-General of South Africa national executive head of audit Bongi Ngoma has questioned Public Works and Infrastructure... 

Final report on wasteful Telkom Towers project expected by end of April, Macpherson says

The final forensic report on the controversial Telkom Towers project will be delivered by the end of April, Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson has revealed. In August last...