Cape Town makes significant gains in taking over PRASA service

The City of Cape Town (CoCT) says it will have business plans in place by the middle of next year to take over the management of passenger rail services in the metro. This follows the city... 

SA–Norway project says tax tweaks can accelerate the SA EV market

A bi-lateral country project by the Electric Mission in South Africa and the Norwegian Electric Vehicle Association has engaged the South African government, including National Treasury and the... 

New-vehicle market on the mend; exports continue to plummet

New-vehicle sales in November continued the positive momentum seen in October  increasing by 8.1%, to 48 585 units, compared with the same month last year. naamsa | The Automotive Business Council... 

Cape Town to see construction of R900m film set

The City of Cape Town has announced the approval of a lease agreement for part of a city-owned property in Paardevlei, Somerset West, which will see the construction of a R900-million film set by... 

Stellantis global group CEO resigns amid financial headwinds

Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares has resigned with immediate effect. The announcement at the world’s fourth biggest car maker comes amid declining profit and sales in its key North America market. 

Cape Town declares dispute over ‘unconstitutional’ District Development Model regulations

Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis says the city has declared a formal intergovernmental dispute owing to what it calls the “unconstitutional and unlawful” District Development Model regulations,... 

Omoda, Jaecoo to roll out six new models in SA in 2025, EVs included

The Chery Group division comprising the Omoda and Jaecoo marques – Brand O&J – entered the South African market in 2023 with the launch of the Omoda C5. Since then, the Chinese manufacturer's... 

Public Works to blacklist ‘criminal’ contractors as delayed projects soar to R3-billion

Out of the 206 infrastructure projects overseen by the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) this financial year, 164 are experiencing delays, says Public Works and Infrastructure... 

Volkswagen rolls out electric tractors in Rwanda

Volkswagen Group Africa (VWA) has announced the start of operations of a modern farming pilot project in Gashora, Rwanda, that will see the roll-out of specially developed VW-badged electric... 

Africa's first biophilic building slowly starts to take shape in Cape Town

Project developer Lurra Capital says work on The Fynbos biophilic building is advancing steadily. The project basement, which officially broke ground in November last year, is now 38% complete. 

Charge opens it first off-grid EV charging station

Charge (formerly Zero Carbon Charge) has cut the ribbon on its first off-grid, public electric vehicle (EV) charging service station in Wolmaransstad, in the North West. The station will form part... 

Indian-built cars lead under-R300k segment in 2023, and have the best resale value – Lightstone

Vehicles manufactured in India accounted for 70% of the 108 000 light vehicles under R300 000 sold in South Africa in 2023 through the dealer network, says market intelligence group Lightstone. The... 

Tap-and-go payment technology installed at N3, N4 toll gates

FNB and Visa have completed the roll-out of tap-and-go payment technology across select toll gates ahead of the December holidays. Motorists at select toll plazas along the N3, TRAC N4 and... 

Used-car sales on the increase, boosted by budget buys – AutoTrader

Based on the latest sales data from AutoTrader, the used-car market is on the mend, with 34 968 units sold in October. This is a 6.5% year-on-year increase from the 32 839 used vehicles sold in... 

R7bn second-phase MyCiTi roll-out 50% complete, features SA’s first-ever sky circle

The R7-billion roll-out of the second phase of Cape Town’s MyCiTi bus service, linking Khayelitsha, Mitchells Plain and other communities across the metro south-east corridor, is 50% complete, says... 

Mining industry vows to ‘push back strongly’ against Eskom tariff hikes

South Africa’s mining industry will “certainly push back strongly” against Eskom’s proposed tariff hikes, says Minerals Council South Africa chief economist Hugo Pienaar. If granted, Eskom’s... 

Chromium secures increased share of SA mining revenue

Chromium accounted for 8% of South Africa’s mining revenue in June 2024, says PWC South Africa lead economist: macroanalysis Dr Christie Viljoen, up from 5% in 2023. Quoting Statistics South Africa... 

World’s largest car-carrier calls at Durban, PE ports; vessel super-sizing to continue

The Höegh Aurora, the world’s newly crowned largest car carrier, has called at both the Durban and Port Elizabeth ports this month as she makes her way around the world. The Aurora started... 

VW Africa expands solar array at Kariega plant to more than 12 000 panels

Volkswagen Group Africa (VWA) has added an additional 3 MW solar power to its local grid, bringing the total output of renewable energy to 5.9 MW. This is enough energy to power at least 2 000... 

Frank discussion needed about 30% local procurement rule – Macpherson

The country must have a frank discussion about the 30% local procurement rule, which has been abused by the so-called construction mafia, says Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean... 

Toyota Gazoo Racing South Africa announces Dakar 2025 line-up

Toyota Gazoo Racing South Africa (TGRSA) has announced that it will field four crews, each driving the latest iteration of the GR Hilux IMT Evo, in the 2025 Dakar Rally. The vehicle won top honours... 

Afrirent secures lease to develop prime site next door to Cape Town convention centre

Afrirent Holdings has secured the winning bid to develop a prime site located next to the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC). The right to construct a mixed-use development, valued... 

Public Works to blacklist ‘criminal’ contractors as delayed projects reach R3-billion

Out of the 206 infrastructure projects overseen by the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) this financial year, 164 projects are experiencing delays, says Public Works and... 

Automotive Industry Transformation Fund distributes R596m to 67 companies

The Automotive Industry Transformation Fund (AITF) has since its inception in 2020 invested R596-million in 67 companies across the automotive value chain, says  CEO Jabu Selumane. “Our goal is to... 

South Africans mostly keen on EVs, but infrastructure concerns persist – Ford study

More than 40% of South Africans are considering purchasing an electrified vehicle (EV) in the next five years. This is according to a survey by Ford Motor Company, with most respondents preferring... 

Kia unveils its long-awaited one-ton bakkie

Korean vehicle manufacturer Kia has lifted the veil on its long-awaited one-ton bakkie, the Tasman. The vehicle, the first of its kind for Kia, had its global premiere at Jeddah International Motor... 

Construction mafia remains a major problem, warns MBA North

The problem posed by the construction mafia on the ground remains a major stumbling block in the recovery of the construction industry, and especially its ability to create more jobs, says Master... 

Volkswagen rolls out electric tractors, with battery swapping, in Rwanda

Volkswagen Group Africa (VWA) has announced the start of operations of a modern farming pilot project in Gashora, Rwanda, that will see the rollout of specially developed VW-badged electric... 

FAW to upgrade Coega truck plant in R200m investment

FAW Trucks Southern Africa will invest R200-million in upgrading its Coega assembly plant, in the Eastern Cape. “We are planning to level up our productivity,” says FAW SA assembly plant GM Peng Lei. 

Cape Town’s Mayco greenlights release of prime Green Point site for mixed-use development

The City of Cape Town’s (CoCT’s) Mayoral Committee (Mayco) has greenlit a public participation process to release prime property in Green Point for mixed-use development, including affordable... 

R5.2bn Potsdam upgrade on track for completion in 2027 – City of Cape Town

Twenty months into the large-scale upgrade of the Potsdam wastewater treatment works (WWTW), the City of Cape Town (CoCT) says the R5.2-billion project is on track to be completed in 2027. The... 

Chery notches up record month as Chinese vehicle sales continue to gain traction

Chery South Africa (Chery SA) achieved a new monthly sales record in October, with 1 831 vehicles finding new owners. This is a 33.7% jump compared with October last year, reports the Chinese... 

Suzuki breaches 6 000 new-vehicle sales mark for the first time

Suzuki Auto South Africa (Suzuki SA) set a new sales record in October, when it breached the 6 000-unit-a-month mark for the first time. The local arm of the Japanese budget brand recorded sales of... 

SA’s ferroalloy industry has ‘entered the final stages of dying’, unless govt, industry step in, says ARM’s Bouwer

While Zimbabwe has taken steps to ban chrome-ore exports in favour of beneficiation, vast ore volumes are leaving South Africa without being beneficiated, says African Rainbow Minerals (ARM)... 

Balancell moves into bigger, new factory, seeks strict regulations on imports

Energy storage company Balancell has cut the ribbon on its new R80-million assembly plant in Ndabeni, Cape Town. The lithium ferro-phosphate battery assembler’s previous facility was limited to 250... 

Ford seeing progress in southern corridor development, albeit slow – Hill

The automotive industry is “definitely seeing progress” in its discussions with Transnet on developing the southern rail corridor between Gauteng and Gqeberha and Coega, in the Eastern Cape, says... 

Nissan is at work to make and sell more vehicles in South Africa – Klenkiewicz

Nissan South Africa (SA) will see production drop to under 20 000 units this year, down from almost 25 000 units last year, but it is not the end of local assembly at the Rosslyn plant, says MD... 

Mining industry to ‘push back strongly’ against Eskom’s proposed tariff hikes – Pienaar

South Africa’s mining industry will “certainly push back strongly” against Eskom’s proposed tariff hikes, says Minerals Council South Africa (MCSA) chief economist Hugo Pienaar. If granted, Eskom’s... 

Chromium secures bigger share of SA’s mining revenue

Chromium accounted for 8% of South Africa’s mining revenue in June 2024, says PWC South Africa lead economist macro analysis Dr Christie Viljoen, up from 5% in 2023. Quoting Stats South Africa... 

Cruise industry gives Western Cape economy R1.32bn boost

The cruise industry contributed R1.32-billion to the Western Cape economy during the 2023/24 season, up from R1.2-billion in the previous season, despite a slight drop in ship calls. This is...