Operation Vulindlela again lists Eskom’s restructuring as a reform area ‘facing significant challenges’

The latest update on progress being made in implementing the structural reforms that have been prioritised under Operation Vulindlela has again identified Eskom’s restructuring as a reform area... 

Draft amendments to B-BBEE codes open way for Transformation Fund

Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau has Gazetted proposed amendments to the existing Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) codes of good practice in a bid to open the way... 

Big decisions loom

South Africa is weighing a range of policy measures as various manufacturing sectors – from ferroalloys and steel, to automotives – face existential threats. The causes of their eroded... 

HOPEFUL NOTE

The seasonally adjusted Absa Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) rose by 8.2 points to 48.7 in January, marking a significant recovery from December’s slump. Although still below the neutral 50-point... 

Ramaphosa intervenes to ensure Transmission System Operator will own grid assets

President Cyril Ramaphosa has directly intervened in the dispute over Eskom’s unbundling plan, announcing in his 2026 State of the Nation Address (SoNA) that the independent Transmission System... 

Eskom says it may take trading rules on legal review, as it calls for material changes

Eskom has raised a slew of legal and technical issues with the draft trading rules being considered for approval by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) and has indicated that it... 

Landmark private solar-battery hybrid project aims to enter into operation in 2028

A large-scale hybrid solar and battery project, underpinned by a landmark 25-year private power purchase agreement (PPA) with Sasol and Air Liquide, has achieved financial close and is targeting to... 

Discovery Green sees trader‑led wheeling becoming dominant commercial model in 2026

The head of Discovery Green, the renewable-energy trading unit of JSE-listed Discovery, is forecasting that trader‑led wheeling will become the dominant commercial model in the South African... 

Rail volumes rising but private impetus needed to reach 250Mt target

Transnet CEO Advocate Michelle Phillips insists there will be no turning back from current yearly railed volume levels of above 160-million tons. But she has also reiterated that private sector... 

Nordex supplying 33 wind turbines to private projects in Western Cape

Wind turbine technology provider Nordex Energy South Africa (NESA) is supplying 33 wind turbines to the Zen and Bergriver wind projects, in the Western Cape, which will have a combined capacity of... 

Cobalt and copper sourced from DRC artisanal miners to be transported on Lobito corridor

In a milestone for the Lobito Atlantic Railway (LAR), which links the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to a deep-water port in Angola, Entreprise Générale du Cobalt (EGC) and Trafigura have... 

Dipak Patel appointed new deputy chair of Presidential Climate Commission

President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed Dipak Patel as deputy chairperson of the Presidential Climate Commission (PCC) for a tenure running from 2026 to 2030 in line with Section 10 (8) of the... 

South Africa and China sign trade and investment framework agreement

South Africa and China have signed a framework trade and investment agreement aimed at providing duty-free access to the Chinese market to more South African products and facilitating Chinese... 

New online tool offers instant assessment of a project’s ‘just transition’ credentials

A new online portal has been launched to enable project originators and/or financiers to determine quickly whether the project being assessed aligns with the principles of South Africa’s just... 

Germany reaffirms €2.68bn commitment to South Africa’s Just Energy Transition

Germany's special envoy for the Just Energy Transition Partnership with South Africa Rainer Baake says his country’s ongoing commitment to the initiative is reflected by the fact that Germany has... 

Welcome visibility

A new data portal made publicly available recently by the National Transmission Company South Africa (NTCSA) provides some encouraging insight into the country’s power generation project pipeline.... 

BLSA Reform Tracker says Eskom unbundling strategy ‘broke with the approved reform plan’

The latest Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA) Reform Tracker Quarterly Review says there has been “concerning backwards movement in the critical electricity sector”, attributing the regression... 

AMSA mulls monetisation options for assets in care and maintenance worth R5bn-plus

In parallel to “expedited” negotiations with the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) over its future corporate structuring, ArcelorMittal South Africa (AMSA) is considering partnership and... 

AMSA narrows loss to R3.4bn as it winds down longs steel unit

Steel producer ArcelorMittal South Africa (AMSA) reported a smaller headline loss of R3.4-billion in 2025 relative to the loss of R5.1-billion posted in 2024 after having closed its long-steel... 

Eskom unbundling plan could be ‘major setback’ for electricity reform – Busa

Business Unity South Africa (Busa) has expressed concern that the Eskom unbundling plan announced in December might represent a “major setback” for the reforms under way in the electricity sector... 

Seriti Green appoints Motloung as COO as projects move into operation

Renewable energy independent power producer Seriti Green has appointed Chabisi Motloung as COO, as the company’s projects, including the giant Ummbila Emoyeni Wind Farm in Mpumalanga, move into... 

New project management office set up to support Sarem implementation

A project management office (PMO) has been established to support the implementation of the South African Renewable Energy Master Plan (Sarem) – the country’s industrialisation strategy for the... 

Infrastructure crisis highlights urgent need for engineers to occupy ‘meaningful seat at table'

Amid a national maintenance “crisis” and slow delivery against government’s R1-trillion infrastructure commitment, Consulting Engineers South Africa (CESA) believes it has now become urgent for... 

Operation Vulindlela again lists Eskom’s restructuring as a reform area ‘facing significant challenges’

The latest update on progress being made in implementing the structural reforms that have been prioritised under Operation Vulindlela has again identified Eskom’s restructuring as a reform area... 

SAWEM market code and rules to be first order of business for new Nersa advisory forum

The immediate priority of the Electricity Market Advisory Forum (EMAF), which was appointed by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) in December, will be to offer input on the... 

Solar body concerned that revised Eskom unbundling plan could stymie crucial grid investment

The South African Photovoltaic Industry Association (SAPVIA) has added its voice to those expressing concern about the potential negative consequences arising from the revised unbundling plan for... 

Central defensive midfield

In his prime, it was typical for fans of those teams in which French international footballer N'Golo Kanté played, including Chelsea, to quip that “70% of the Earth is covered by water, the rest by... 

Draft amendments to B-BBEE codes open way for Transformation Fund

Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau has Gazetted proposed amendments to the existing Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) codes of good practice in a bid to open the way... 

Energy Regulator grants 87c/kWh tariff relief to ferrochrome smelters

The Electricity Regulator has approved an application by Eskom to extend temporary tariff relief to ferrochrome producers Samancor Chrome and the Glencore-Merafe Chrome Venture for a period of 12... 

Sanedi exec floats idea of zero-rated electricity as affordability concerns grow

Amid growing concern over the affordability of electricity for businesses and households, the head of the energy secretariat at the South Africa National Energy Development Institute (Sanedi) has... 

Creation of ‘competitive’ electricity, logistics markets key next priorities for Government Business Partnership

Implementing reforms in the electricity and logistics sectors to facilitate the establishment of “commercially viable, competitive markets in these network industries”, has been identified as a key... 

Nersa mulls interim tariff solution for ferrochrome smelters amid parallel work targeting 62c/kWh

Eskom has requested the energy regulator to approve an interim tariff of 87c/kWh in favour of Samancor Chrome and the Glencore-Merafe Chrome Venture as a temporary measure to sustain smelter... 

New dashboard confirms strong pipeline of advanced grid-connected projects

A total of 332 generation and storage projects with a combined nameplate of 31.7 GW have either received budget quotes for grid connection in South Africa or have budget-quote applications pending... 

Germany reaffirms €2.68bn commitment to South Africa’s Just Energy Transition

Germany's special envoy for the Just Energy Transition Partnership with South Africa Rainer Baake says his country’s ongoing commitment to the initiative is reflected by the fact that Germany has... 

New analysis points to dramatic reshaping of trade lanes amid tariffs and geopolitical tensions

A new scenario analysis of global trade points to ongoing trade growth over the coming decade despite the imposition of tariffs and rising geopolitical fragmentation. However, it also suggests that... 

Stability versus resilience

The revised Eskom unbundling strategy announced is emerging as something of a touchstone for government’s commitment – or otherwise – to reforming the structure of an electricity industry that has... 

Presidency official says unbundling of Eskom should not be pursued ‘half-heartedly’

The Presidency’s Rudi Dicks, who is overseeing the economic reforms being implemented under Operation Vulindlela, says the unbundling of Eskom’s transmission business cannot be done... 

New online tool offers instant assessment of a project’s ‘just transition’ credentials

A new online portal has been launched to enable project originators and/or financiers to determine quickly whether the project being assessed aligns with the principles of South Africa’s just... 

Cost of ferrochrome electricity deal cannot be ‘socialised’, Ramokgopa reiterates

Electricity and Energy Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa has reiterated that the cost of the solution being pursued to salvage South Africa’s ferrochrome smelters, most of which have been closed on... 

IMF forecasts 1.4% growth for South Africa in 2026, while highlighting risks to global growth outlook

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has made a small 0.2 percentage point upward revision to South Africa’s projected growth for 2026 in its January World Economic Outlook (WEO), forecasting that...