Modernisation will boost Southern Africa rail

Modernisation and digitisation will be critical to driving the future growth of Southern Africa’s railway industry. Key technological developments that will be central to creating interconnected... 

Surging municipal water debt threatens stability of entire water value chain

Urgent action is required to arrest South African municipalities’ ever-rising debt to water boards, which has increased 151% since 2019, highlighting a severe financial crisis within the water... 

New biomass plant in Pretoria in the offing

Bio2Watt Energy Holdings (BEH) has appointed SRK Consulting as the independent environmental consultant to undertake the environmental permitting processes for a new biogas plant near Pretoria. The... 

MTN, ZTE achieve Africa's first 5G ultra-range maritime coverage in South Africa

MTN South Africa and ZTE Corporation have collaborated to develop Africa's first 5G ultra-range maritime offshore coverage at Mossel Bay, in the Western Cape, South Africa. The deployment of... 

Cell C assures licence control transfer to TPC meets criteria, not anti-competitive

Cell C on Thursday assured rivals that it will maintain its holding of its Individual Electronic Communications Network Service and Individual Electronic Communications Service licences, and that... 

DWS needs workable plan to resolve debt to water boards – portfolio committee

The Portfolio Committee on Water and Sanitation has raised concern over the lack of tangible plans to resolve increasing debt owed to water boards by municipalities. To resolve this, it has... 

MTN modernisation increases network availability score, 5G network coverage

Telecommunications group MTN South Africa has increased its network availability score to more than 98% as it modernises its network for resilience. More than 400 site have been modernised this... 

Tetra Pak ups liquid board packaging recycling to over 20%

Food processing and packaging solutions company Tetra Pak Southern Africa had increased the recycling rate of liquid board packaging (LBP) to more than 20% by mid-2024, bringing it closer to its... 

Digital platforms could boost South Africa’s economy by R91.4bn over next ten years

Digital platforms could provide transformative growth for South Africa’s economy, with projections indicating the addition of R91.4-billion into the country’s economy over the next ten years. A new... 

Accenture, MTN conclude ORAN proof-of-concept

Accenture and MTN have embarked on a proof-of-concept in to test the capabilities of open radio access network (ORAN) solution to improve customer experience and optimise costs. Two successful... 

Harmony refurbishes three municipal wastewater treatment plants

Harmony Gold has refurbished three municipal wastewater treatment plants on behalf of the Matjhabeng, Matlosana and Merafong municipalities and has implemented its own water treatment plants at... 

Valhalla Capital Partners, Finnish wastewater pioneer in JV

South Africa-based investment holding company Valhalla Capital Partners has signed a joint venture (JV) agreement with Finnish wastewater treatment technology pioneer EPSE. The JV, which also... 

Comms committee lauds ‘groundbreaking’ Seacom, ICT SMME chamber MoU

The Portfolio Committee on Communications and Digital Technologies has welcomed the signing of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Seacom South Africa and the ICT SMME Chamber. Portfolio... 

GSMA spotlights role of AI in South Africa’s socioeconomic growth

South Africa has emerged as a major player in leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) for socioeconomic development and climate impact. However, unlocking the full potential of AI will require... 

Polihali tunnel completion marks LHWP milestone

After seven months of tunnelling on the Polihali transfer tunnel construction site, the Lesotho Highlands Development Authority (LHDA) has achieved the successful breakthrough of the upper intake... 

Digital transformation must not widen digital divide

Experts have cautioned that as South Africa pursues digital transformation, it must ensure that it does not widen the already significant digital divide and digital inequality in the country. While... 

Competition Tribunal gives green light for Telkom’s masts, towers business disposal

The Competition Tribunal has approved JSE-listed Telkom’s disposal of its masts and towers business housed in Swiftnet. This followed shareholder approval in May for the sale to a consortium... 

Failed Riversands dams not registered, licensed

The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) plans to take action against the current and former owners of the dams that failed earlier in August, subsequently causing flooding that resulted in... 

Vodacom to invest over R500m to expand connectivity in the Eastern Cape

Telecommunications group Vodacom is continuing its plans to modernise its network and accelerate broadband coverage, particularly in townships and deep rural areas, as part of its long-term vision... 

Triple-digit growth projected for global GenAI smartphone shipments

Generative AI (GenAI) smartphone shipments worldwide in 2024 are expected to surge 363.6% to 234.2-million units as the future of the smartphone industry transforms. According to a new forecast by... 

Call centre launched to bridge gap between Unisa and its students

Vodacom Business, in partnership with Anani Technologies and the University of South Africa (Unisa), has launched a call centre to bridge the gap between the university and its students. Since... 

Inquiry into licensing framework for satellite services opens

The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) has launched an inquiry into the licensing framework for satellite services in South Africa. Interested stakeholders have until... 

MTN Group Fintech, Bayobab announce new appointments to their boards

MTN Group has appointed four nonexecutive directors to the boards of its MTN Group Fintech and Bayobab businesses. Appointed to the board of MTN Group Fintech is Herman Bosman as independent... 

New water infrastructure agency gets legislative green light

President Cyril Ramaphosa has assented to the South African National Water Resources Infrastructure Agency (NWRIA) Bill, unlocking the establishment of a new State-owned company responsible for... 

Immediate action needed to arrest municipal debt to water boards

Urgent action is required to stop municipalities’ ever-increasing debt to water boards, the Portfolio Committee on Water and Sanitation said on Wednesday. As at June 2024, the municipal debt to... 

Athlone Waste Water Treatment Works’ multibillion-rand upgrade on track

The City of Cape Town’s R4-billion capital investment programme to upgrade the Athlone Waste Water Treatment Works (WWTW) is under way, with 25% of the first phase of the programme having been... 

Gauteng e-Government Department invests in cybersecurity

Gauteng’s e-Government department is planning to increase cybersecurity for the Gauteng Provincial Government (GPG). The GPG collects, manages and stores significant volumes of sensitive data, from... 

Telcos invest billions to protect networks from theft, power cuts and climate risks

South Africa’s telecommunications groups have struggled to maintain seamless communications amid challenges such as loadshedding and power outages, as well as theft and vandalism. They have had to... 

PPPs to be at core of strategic water management in South Africa

While there is no quick, one-size-fits-all solution for South Africa’s complex, ongoing water challenges, public-private partnerships (PPPs) can serve as a strategic model to address water... 

Telcos invest billions to protect networks from theft, power cuts and climate risks

South Africa’s telecommunications groups have struggled to maintain seamless communications amid challenges such as loadshedding and power outages, as well as theft and vandalism. They have had to... 

LHDA achieves critical milestone in Polihali tunnel construction

After seven months of tunnelling on the Polihali transfer tunnel construction site, the Lesotho Highlands Development Authority (LHDA) has achieved the successful breakthrough of the upper intake... 

GSMA highlights AI’s potential to drive South Africa’s socioeconomic growth

South Africa has emerged as a pivotal player in leveraging AI for socioeconomic development and climate impact. However, unlocking the full potential of AI will require overcoming barriers such as... 

DWS empties fourth Riverlands dam

The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has emptied the fourth dam in Riverlands, in the Western Cape, by means of a side channel spillway to prevent a more catastrophic collapse of the dam... 

MTN Group H1 earnings dip, but underlying operational performance remains strong

JSE-listed MTN on Monday reported double-digit declines in earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda) and service revenue for the first half of 2024. However, the group... 

Seacom celebrates 15th anniversary

Telecommunications and managed services provider Seacom is celebrating 15 years since inception, reflecting back on the evolution of its, and Africa’s, information and communication technology and... 

Department pledges to support municipalities, not interfere in their water provision responsibilities

While several municipalities across South Africa have battled to maintain consistent water services for citizens, the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has said it will not “overtake and... 

Department close to clearing water-use licence applications pile

The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) aims to ensure that all water-use licence applications will be processed within a 90-day period by the end of the current financial year. The... 

Renewables a top priority for Gauteng provincial govt

One of the Gauteng Department of Economic Development’s key strategies for the next year is to “reform the energy sector through a focus on alternative energy to support the growth of a new sector... 

Department of Water and Sanitation owed more than R25bn

Municipalities, companies and water boards collectively owe the Department of Water and Sanitation’s (DWS’s) Water Trading Entity more than R25-billion for water use. This emerged during a... 

South Africa’s newest virtual mobile network operator launched

A new virtual mobile network operator (MVNO), C-Connect, has launched in South Africa, with ambitions of bringing more choice and competition to South Africa’s mobile subscribers. Leveraging...