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African News Agency

The African News Agency is a news and content syndication service, focusing on news about Africa written by Africans for an African and international audience.

Telecoms companies, govt sign cooperation agreement

9th October 2019 Seven telecommunications companies have signed a cooperation agreement with the government outlining guiding principles for conduct within the fibre-based connectivity sector, one of the firms said on Wednesday. In a statement Dark Fibre Africa (DFA), which provides open-access fibre... →

Drought conditions persist in some parts of the country – Agriculture dept

9th October 2019 Below normal rainfall is anticipated over the central and south-eastern parts of South Africa during late spring, while above normal rainfall is expected during early summer to mid-summer in the central and eastern regions, the department of agriculture, forestry and fisheries said on Wednesday,... →

Johannesburg council plans to table new draft housing policies

9th October 2019 The city of Johannesburg will in coming months table drafts on three new housing policies to guide processes in allocating reconstruction and development programme (RDP) houses, giving people serviced sites to build their own homes and providing temporary emergency accommodation to those in need,... →

In African first, knee replacement is done with robotic-arm assistance

8th October 2019 In a first for the African continent, a full knee replacement operation has been carried out using the state-of-the-art Mako robotic arm assisted surgery system. According to Netcare, the surgery was performed at its Linksfield Hospital in Johannesburg. →

Court rules Newcastle’s power will stay on

8th October 2019 The Pietermaritzburg High Court on Tuesday granted an urgent interim interdict declaring that state power supplier Eskom should not cut power supply to Newcastle Municipality as it would be “catastrophic”. The municipality and the KwaZulu-Natal department of cooperative governance and traditional... →

Rustenburg taxi associations form transport company, bank

8th October 2019 Six long distance taxi associations in Rustenburg in the North West have clubbed together to establish a transport company and a cooperative bank. The chief executive officer of the newly formed Rustenburg Long Distance Transport Holdings, Bennet Afrika, said the taxi industry had been... →

Safaricom's M-Pesa among top 10 most influential financial projects in last 50 years

8th October 2019 Kenyan mobile network operator 's money transfer service M-Pesa has been recognised as one of the top ten most influential finance projects of the last 50 years by the Project Management Institute, the company said on Tuesday. The 12-year old mobile phone based service was among more than 1 000... →

Egypt urges international mediation over Nile river deadlock

7th October 2019 Seven years of talks between Egypt and Ethiopia in Sudan over a massive dam construction on the Nile river have reached a deadlock with Cairo appealing to the international community to intervene. Ethiopia began constructing the Grand Renaissance dam on the Blue Nile in 2012 saying the... →

Land reform, climate change, cheap imports pose risks to agriculture in KZN – FNB

7th October 2019 Agriculture in KwaZulu-Natal is growing at around 12 percent per annum, driven by diversification, but there are risks to the sector posed by land expropriation, climate change and cheaper imports, First National Bank said on Monday. KwaZulu-Natal is recovering from a severe drought with... →

Numsa, Sacca pledge support for looming SAA pilots' strike

2nd October 2019 The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa and the South African Cabin Crew Association on Wednesday pledged support for a strike planned by pilots over what they say is the lack of leadership at national carrier SAA. In a statement, Numsa and Sacca said they supported the pilots'... →

Ramaphosa to launch health sector anti-corruption forum

30th September 2019 President Cyril Ramaphosa will on Tuesday launch the Health Sector Anti-Corruption Forum, a collaboration aimed at preventing, detecting and prosecute fraud and corruption in the industry, his office said on Monday. The forum was established after the signing of a compact last year which mandated... →

President Cyril Ramaphosa

Ramaphosa to soon announce advisory councils on economy, investment, State firms

27th September 2019 President Cyril Ramaphosa will soon announce three advisory councils to focus on economic growth, investment promotion and state-owned enterprises, his office said after a meeting with business leaders. In a statement on Thursday, the presidency said Ramaphosa had met business leaders, including... →

President Cyril Ramaphosa

Sanco wants government to intervene to halt looming job cut in Marikana

27th September 2019 The South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco) in the North West province on Thursday called for government intervention to avert job losses in the mining sector. This follows a statement by Sibanye Stillwater that at least 5 270 jobs were at risk at its Marikana operations. →

Rand Water reduces supplies to three errant Gauteng municipalities

27th September 2019 Rand Water on Friday said it has formally notified three of its municipal customers of its intention to reduce water pressure due to their non-payment for services rendered. "The water pressure to the Emfuleni Local municipality in Gauteng will be reduced by 20%. The municipality includes areas... →

Interdicted banking strike a warning for SA to plan better – Cape Chamber of Commerce

26th September 2019 The Cape Chamber of Commerce on Thursday said the banking strike which was planned for Friday and which could have resulted in a complete shutdown of systems, including ATMs, should be seen as a warning to South Africa that better planning is necessary to deal with the changes brought about by... →

Sasbo to appeal bank strike court interdict

26th September 2019 Finance trade union Sasbo will launch an urgent appeal against the labour court judgment that barred banking sector members from embarking on a strike. The trade union's mother body, the Congress of South African Trade Unions said the battle against job losses at banks has only been "postponed... →

No room for coal in Africa’s renewable future – AfDB

26th September 2019 The African Development Bank (AfDB) president Akinwumi Adesina this week unveiled ambitious plans to scrap coal power stations across the continent and switch to renewable energy. Speaking during the United Nations climate talks on Monday, Adesina outlined efforts to shutter coal-fired power... →

Numsa says headed for strike in motor retail, components sector

25th September 2019 The National Union Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) said late on Tuesday it was headed for a strike in the motor industry as talks with employers over wages and allowances remained deadlocked. On Monday Numsa said the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) was... →

SA issues US$5 billion bonds in international capital markets

24th September 2019 South Africa has issued two new bonds worth $5-billion in international capital markets, the National Treasury announced on Tuesday. In a statement National Treasury said: "The Republic of South Africa was able to successfully place $5-billion in bonds maturing in 2029 (10-year) and 2049... →

3 500 new bed spaces for Unizulu in next three years, says Nzimande

23rd September 2019 The University of Zululand had been encouraged to urgently start on the construction of 3,500 new bed spaces using the money that had recently been made available to it, Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande said on Monday. Nzimande said that R230-million had been transferred to the university... →

Absa, KCB join global banks committing to climate action

23rd September 2019 East Africa’s largest commercial bank KCB and South Africa's Absa said on Monday they had joined leading global financial institutions in launching principles for responsible banking at the United Nations headquarters, with 130 banks collectively holding US$47-trillion in assets signing up. By... →

Cape Town companies sign export deals worth over R1.8bn, says MMC

23rd September 2019 Over R1.8-billion worth of export deals have been signed by Cape Town-based companies in the 2018/19 financial year, the city said on Sunday. "It is pleasing to note that Wesgro, the City of Cape Town’s international trade and investment promotion agency, has helped to facilitate over... →

Numsa meets motor retail, components companies through mediator

23rd September 2019 The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) said on Monday it was meeting employers in the motor employers through the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration to try and break a deadlock in negotiations regarding wages and other benefits. Numsa said talks with the... →

Marriott International expects to add 40 new properties across Africa by 2023

23rd September 2019 Global hotel group Marriott International said on Monday it expected to add 40 properties and over 8 000 rooms across Africa by the end of 2023 and also announced agreements to open its first property in Cape Verde and expand its presence in Ethiopia, Kenya and Nigeria. In a statement, Marriott... →

Pandor arrives in New York and reaches out to investors

23rd September 2019 International Relations and Cooperation Minister Naledi Pandor has arrived in New York, where where she is leading a South African delegation to the UN General Assembly, where she will, among other things, woo investors. Speaking on arrival on Sunday, Pandor said: "I think South Africa remains a... →

International Relations & Cooperation Minister Naledi Pandor

NHI Bill public hearings to start in October, says Parliament

23rd September 2019 Public hearings on the National Health Insurance Bill will start towards the end of October, Parliament has said. Official communications had been sent to all political parties represented in the National Assembly informing them of the start of countrywide public hearings on the NHI Bill. →

Aarto Act will correct driver behaviour in SA, traffic agency registrar says

20th September 2019 The Road Traffic Infringment Agency (RTIA), which administers the highly contentious Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (Aarto) Act, on Thursday said the new law will change behaviour of motorists in South Africa. Addressing the National Press Club in Pretoria, the agency’s... →

Eskom says DA information regarding imminent load-shedding is not true

20th September 2019 Eskom on Thursday said there was no truth to suggestions from the Democratic Alliance that the power utility would again embark on scheduled blackouts later this month but conceded that the system remained fragile ahead of its summer maintenance programme. "Eskom would like to assure its... →

Johannesburg Metrobus strike continues, millions lost

19th September 2019 An ongoing strike by action drivers at Metrobus could result in loses of millions of rand the company said on Thursday. “This is very costly because we now have to pay the drivers that are not striking,” said Goodwill Shiburi, Metrobus spokesman. →

Main pumping stations affected by sub-station failure – Rand Water

19th September 2019 Rand Water on Thursday said its main treatment plants had not been pumping any water because a veld fire affected an electricity sub-station that supplies power to the plants. "As a result of a veld fire, the 88kV power supply from Eskom’s Snowden Sub-station was impacted last night, Wednesday,... →

SAA aiming to get nine dockets to court – Pikoli

18th September 2019 The forensic task team probing malfeasance at South African Airways is trying to ensure nine criminal dockets reach court and 84 questionable contracts are laid bare, the airline's head of legal and compliance, Vusi Pikoli, said on Wednesday. He noted that the investigations had earlier suffered... →

Rail Enforcement Unit to prioritise safety and security of Metrorail commuters for another year

18th September 2019 The deployment of the Rail Enforcement Unit (REU) that prioritises the safety and security of Metrorail commuters and infrastructure in Cape Town has been extended for another year. On Wednesday morning, Western Cape Transport and Public Works MEC, Bonginkosi Madikizela, Passenger Rail Service of... →

Taps run dry due to low pressure – Magalies Water

18th September 2019 Several municipalities are experiencing water interruptions due to low pressure, Magalies Water said on Tuesday. Spokesperson Mpho Moholo said there was low pressure on the Vaalkop water supply scheme due to high water demand on the system. →

Tongaat Hulett announces its project with Zimbabwe is on track

18th September 2019 KwaZulu-Natal based agroprocessing business Tongaat Hulett on Tuesday announced that Project Kilimanjaro, which will result in the development of a significant portion of land to sugarcane, is on track. The project, which is supported by the government of Zimbabwe and a consortium of banks led... →

City of Johannesburg to revamp Rea Vaya bus depot

18th September 2019 The City of Johannesburg (COJ) has announced plans to revamp the Rea Vaya bus depot. In statement of Tuesday, COJ said the Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA), on behalf of the city's department of transport, will be revamping the existing Selby bus depot. →

ShotSpotter deployed in Kruger National Park to fight rhino poaching

17th September 2019 A global technology company, ShotSpotter Inc. announced on Tuesday that it has deployed gunshot detection systems in the Kruger National Park in South Africa to help combat rhino poaching. The announcement was made ahead of World Rhino Day on September 22. →

Court declares sections of Rica unlawful

16th September 2019 The North Gauteng High court in Pretoria on Monday ruled that bulk surveillance activities done under the Regulation of Interception of Communications and Provision of Communication-Related Information Act are unlawful and invalid. The judge said the act failed to adequately prescribe the... →

Minerals Council SA saddened at death of deputy minister Hlongwa

16th September 2019 The Minerals Council South Africa has expressed deep sadness at the death of Deputy Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Bavelile Hlongwa, who died in a car crash in Limpopo on Friday night. In the months since her appointment in May, Minerals Council leaders and officials had enjoyed a number... →

Photo by Creamer Media's Dylan Slater
Deputy Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Bavelile Hlongwa

Numsa to challenge 'compulsory balloting' before strikes

13th September 2019 The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) on Friday said it intends to challenge the decision by the Department of Labour (DOL) to make balloting compulsory before engaging in any strike. "We believe the changes to the Labour Law are nothing more than a further unjustified... →

SA Express not aware of Mothebe liquidation order, spokesperson says

13th September 2019 SA Express has said it is is not aware of a liquidation order that has been granted against the airline from Mothebe Shuttle Services, as claimed in a Financial Mail article on Thursday. A spokesperson for the airline also said while SA Express had a contract with Mothebe Shuttle Services for... →

Parliament slams cancellation of Rooiwal water treatment contract

11th September 2019 Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation says the cancellation of a chlorine contract to clean the water at the Rooiwal waste water treatment plant without a contingency plan was reckless and negligent and placed the health of the people of Tshwane, especially... →

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