Новости за 08.03.2024

JSE-listed paper and plastics packaging business and recycler Mpact recorded a 3.6% year-on-year increase in revenue to R12.8-billion for the financial year ended December 31, 2023. Its underlying operating profit also increased to R1.21-billion, from R1.16-billion in the 2022 financial year. The operating profit increase was primarily as a result of a recovery in margins, and some of its recently completed projects, despite sales volumes decreasing by 10.7%.

State-owned utility Eskom reports in a statement that it has achieved a significant milestone in its key revision number, or KRN, rollover project, having successfully recoded three-million prepaid meters as of March 1. As previously communicated by the entity, Eskom and all electricity distributors in South Africa have the responsibility to recode prepaid electricity meters.

Business Unity South Africa president Mxolisi Mgojo reports that the collaboration between business and government to turn around the performance of Transnet could result in the struggling State-owned freight logistics group moving significantly more volumes in the year to March than was guided in earlier forecasts. In a briefing this week following the most recent meeting between President Cyril Ramaphosa, his Cabinet and the senior business leaders who have signed up to support government in tackling the triple crises in electricity... Читать дальше...

Through resource efficiency, circular design, water reuse, repair and recycling, African nations can customise their economic systems to maximise social benefits and sustainability, the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) Southern Africa states. Circularity models can foster inclusivity in Africa, address pressing economic and social challenges, while promoting sustainable development, it adds.

The latest ‘National Status of Biological Invasions and their Management in South Africa’ report paints a sobering picture of the multitude of alien species that have taken root in – and threaten – South Africa’s biodiversity ecosystem, Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Minister Barbara Creecy said on Friday. Speaking at the launch of the third edition of the report, she said that stakeholders need to embrace the findings of the report and to unite to resolve the challenges of biological invasions... Читать дальше...

Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Ebrahim Patel and a high-level delegation recently completed a four-day working visit to Shanghai, Nanjing and Beijing, in China, during which they met with government officials, investors and a number of Chinese electric vehicle (EV) and battery manufacturers. China is the world’s leading producer of EVs and batteries and is currently South Africa’s largest trading partner, with bilateral trade estimated at $34-billion in 2022.

Car rental company Avis Car Rental has entered into a partnership with airline CemAir, as part of its commitment to delivering enhanced travel experiences for customers. Central to the partnership is a new offering of a preferential pricing and exclusive specials on car rentals on all CemAir flight routes.

US Department of State acting deputy assistant secretary in the Bureau of African Affairs David Gainer argued that Zimbabwe’s economic woes are not because of US sanctions, but because of the “gross mismanagement and corruption” of the Zimbabwean government and other actors for the past 20 years. On Monday, US President Joe Biden signed an executive order that terminated the Zimbabwe sanctions programme, which had been in place since 2003. He determined that the Global Magnitsky sanctions programme ... Читать дальше...

Johannesburg- and London-listed paper and packaging giant Mondi has reached an agreement in principle on a proposed £5.1-billion merger with London-listed sustainable packaging company DS Smith. Under the terms of the proposed merger, Mondi shareholders would own 54% of the enlarged Mondi group and DS Smith shareholders 46%.

A swathe of Southern Africa suffered the driest February in decades that wiped out crops, precipitated power shortages and threatened to send already high food prices surging further. Last month, large parts of Zambia, Botswana and Zimbabwe had the least rainfall — or close to it — since records began in 1981, early data from the University of California Santa Barbara’s Climate Hazards Center show. The center based its preliminary appraisal mainly on satellite-based rainfall estimates, with a final... Читать дальше...

Minister of Public Enterprises, Pravin Gordhan, will retire after this year's general elections on May 29, he told Reuters on Friday. Gordhan oversees State entities including struggling power utility Eskom and logistics firm Transnet, whose poor performances have dragged down economic growth in Africa's most industrialised economy.

Engineering News editor Terence Creamer discusses the latest meeting held between senior business leaders and President Cyril Ramaphosa and his Cabinet; the feedback provided on efforts to tackle loadshedding; and a report back on the Transnet Recovery Plan and the reforms in the logistics sector.

Diversified mining company African Rainbow Minerals (ARM) on Friday declared an interim dividend for the six months ended December 31, when ARM had net cash of R7.9-billion. The interim dividend of R6 a share is well down on the R14 a share declared in the corresponding period of last year.

Information and communications technology giant Huawei has launched three new data storage solutions aimed at tackling the challenges experienced, amid the rapid development of large artificial intelligence (AI) models. The three innovative solutions, which will aid carriers in building data infrastructure in the AI era, include the AI data lake solution, all-scenario data protection solution and the Datacentre Virtualisation Solution (DCS) full-stack data centre solution.

South African telecommunications giant MTN Group has continued partnering with various global companies it drives its financial technology (fintech) and digital transformation ambitions and modernises its core network. MTN signed a multi-market agreement with global technology company Mastercard to unlock “a new era” of collaboration to connect millions of people and small businesses across Africa with digital tools to transact through secure mobile payments and expand access to the cashless digital economy.

South Africa needs to develop a new funding model to pay for both the acquisition and maintenance of military equipment. So argued South African Aerospace, Maritime and Defence Industries Association (AMD) CE Sandile Ndlovu, in a statement issued on Thursday. This is because the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) is “severely underfunded”, which is preventing it from fulfilling its mandated commitments. It was also beginning to damage the image of both South Africa and the country’s defence industry. Читать дальше...

A video round up of this week’s magazine, highlighting our cover story, features and Business Leader.

Digital transformation is happening in every industry and digitalisation of the economy is intensifying the need for highly available, and sustainable, information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure. Against this background, data centre infrastructure and services company Teraco is undertaking significant construction projects to support the IT loads its data centres are expected to handle and will be building a 120 MW solar power plant to provide renewable power to be wheeled across the grid to its facilities... Читать дальше...