Partnerships central to the Investing in African Mining Indaba

Mutually beneficial partnerships are at the heart of the Investing in African Mining Indaba, in Cape Town, this year, which has grown from a conference attended by a few hundred attendees to around... 

South32’s South Africa Energy Coal expresses concern about Eskom’s fragile state

Mining and metals company South32 says it is concerned about the challenges that have increasingly threatened the stability of South African power utility Eskom and needs to ensure the continuity... 

Global demand for coal rises despite uncertainty

Despite a move to renewable energy, particularly in Europe, demand for coal globally soared in 2018, led by low calorific value (CV) coal demand. The strongest import markets were China and India,... 

Coal exports have not risen since 2008, with the IRP posing a further threat, says Minerals Council

Coal production, exports and investment in the industry have remained stagnant since 2008, despite higher export prices and South Africa’s abundant coal reserves, says the Minerals Council South... 

Mantashe calls for mining investment amid renewed regulatory certainty

Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe has assured investors it is safe and stable to invest in the South African mining industry, with the return of regulatory certainty and a revised Mining... 

Call made for better connection with mining communities, stable regulation

Stakeholders in the mining industry have called for stable regulation and agreed that there needs to be more collaboration and communication between mining houses, communities and mineworkers.... 

Transnet says coal exports expected to dip this year

Coal exports are expected to drop this year, following a disappointingly slow run over the past few months, says Transnet Freight Rail coal GM Mandisa Mondi. “For the current financial year, the... 

Botswana keen for corridor to link to South Africa’s coalfields

Botswana’s Minister of Transport and Communications, Dorcas Makgato, has revived the need for a new heavy haul railway linking Botswana’s Mmamabula area with South Africa’s Lephalale coalfields.... 

Exxaro upbeat about its coal operations

Empowered coal mining giant Exxaro Resources is confident about its prospects in the coal sector, despite tough conditions and rising cost pressures in South Africa. Exxaro executive head of coal... 

Invest in clean technology to counter the siege on the coal industry, Mantashe implores

The coal industry needs to counter the negative attitude towards the industry by investing in clean coal technology and funding research initiatives to find alternative markets for coal, says... 

Eskom laments poor quality of coal

Eskom COO Jan Oberholzer has called on coal mining companies to "play ball" and improve the quality of the coal they supply to the utility. He has also outlined the massive challenges facing the... 

Organisations criticise ‘untransparent’ and ‘inefficient’ Eskom

The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) has suggested that Eskom should be granted an electricity tariff increase of only 5% over the next three years and pushed for a radical overhaul of the... 

Salga warns of the dangers of raising electricity tariffs

The South African Local Government Association (Salga) has rejected Eskom’s appeal for a 15% tariff increase over the next three years, saying the utility is "out of touch with reality". “There is... 

Eskom warns of ‘debt trap’ as it pleads for 15% hike

Eskom CEO Phakamani Hadebe has apologised for the severe predicament Eskom is in, but has pleaded for an electricity tariff increase of 15% over the next three years.   Hadebe made the call at the... 

Electricity increases will badly hurt poor – community leaders, residents

Community and faith leaders, as well as pensioners and residents, have called on the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) to oppose Eskom’s request for a tariff hike, with a projected... 

Atlantis SEZ seeks to attract yet more green-technology investors

The Atlantis Special Economic Zone (SEZ), which has been launched by President Cyril Ramaphosa, has already attracted R680-million in investment and created 312 jobs.  A large slice of the... 

Ramaphosa launches new Western Cape special economic zone

President Cyril Ramaphosa has officially launched the Atlantis Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in the Western Cape, with the goal of making it "a launching pad for economic growth" in the region. “A... 

Don’t hurt farmers with higher electricity tariffs, says Agri Western Cape

Sharp electricity tariff hikes would have a major detrimental effect on the agricultural sector, Agri Western Cape has said during public hearings into electricity tariffs. In its submission to the... 

Electricity increases will badly hurt the poor, say community leaders, residents

Community and faith leaders, as well as pensioners and residents, have called on the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) to oppose Eskom’s request for a tariff hike, with a projected... 

Organisations criticise ‘untransparent’ and ‘inefficient’ Eskom

The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) has suggested that Eskom should be granted an electricity tariff increase of only 5% over the next three years and pushed for a radical overhaul of the... 

Salga warns of the dangers of raising electricity tariffs

The South African Local Government Association (Salga) has rejected Eskom’s appeal for a 15% tariff increase over the next three years, saying the utility is "out of touch with reality". “There is... 

Eskom warns of 'debt trap' as it pleads for 15% hike

Eskom CEO Phakamani Hadebe has apologised for the severe predicament Eskom is in, but has pleaded for an electricity tariff increase of 15% over the next three years.   Hadebe made the call at the... 

Council for Geoscience to finalise its data policy

The Council for Geoscience (CGS) says it is will be finalising its data policy early next year following a moratorium on its geophysical data. The council put a moratorium on geophysical data after... 

DMR hopeful about shale gas prospects

The Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) and the Council for Geoscience (CGS) are upbeat about the prospect of shale gas in the Karoo. “Gas formations are starting to show already,” Mineral... 

Mantashe wants separated oil and gas Bill fully prepared for sixth Parliament

Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe has announced he will amend the moratorium currently in place for the oil and gas sector, to allow for the processing of applications currently in the... 

Attracting investors to green technology in the Atlantis SEZ

The Atlantis Special Economic Zone (SEZ), which has been launched by President Cyril Ramaphosa, has already attracted R680-million in investment and created 312 jobs.  A large slice of the... 

Education, Health, Public Works finances in a bad state

Auditor-General Kimi Makwetu has warned that the financial health of the provincial departments of health, education and public works are in a bad way and need urgent intervention. “Urgent... 

Audit outcomes of State-owned entities regress

The audit outcomes of State-owned entities (SOEs) have regressed over the past financial year compared with both the previous year and 2014/15. The 2017/18 general report for the Auditor-General... 

Shocking decline in audit results of government departments

The Auditor-General has been given more powers to crack down on national and provincial government department and their entities. This follows another year of overall decline in their audit... 

Ramaphosa launches Atlantis SEZ

President Cyril Ramaphosa has officially launched the Atlantis Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in the Western Cape, with the goal of making it "a launching pad for economic growth" in the region. “A... 

Big plans afoot for training more young people in renewable energy

The South African Renewable Energy Technology Centre (Saretec), which provides training for wind turbine service technicians and which has recently expanded into training solar photovoltaic (PV)... 

SA is making strides in physics, but lags in gender equality

South Africa is making strides in the field of physics, as well as steady progress in developing and appointing black researchers in the field, but is lagging way behind in gender equality, a study... 

South Africa marks ten years of collaboration with CERN

South Africa this week celebrated its ten-year collaboration with CERN, the European Organisation for Nuclear Research, best known for major breakthroughs such as the discovery of the Higgs-Boson... 

Council for Geoscience to finalise its data policy

The Council for Geoscience (CGS) says it is will be finalising its data policy early next year following a moratorium on its geophysical data. The council put a moratorium on geophysical data after... 

DMR hopeful about shale gas prospects

The Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) and the Council for Geoscience (CGS) are upbeat about the prospect of shale gas in the Karoo. “Gas formations are starting to show already,” Mineral... 

Mantashe lifts moratorium on oil, gas applications to kickstart exploration

Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe has announced he will amend the moratorium currently in place for the oil and gas sector, to allow for the processing of applications currently in the... 

Wind energy industry commits to investing in South Africa

South Africa’s wind energy industry has adopted a charter, which commits to long-term investment in the development of the country. A commitment statement drafted by members of the industry was... 

Global body forecasts continued growth in wind energy generation capacity

China, the US, Germany, India and Spain are the top five markets for wind energy in the world, with 19.6 GW of installed capacity in 2017, according to the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC). GWEC... 

Prices for renewable energy likely to drop further, suggests energy expert

Prices for renewable energy are likely to continue to drop, while the next utility-scale renewable energy procurements will probably come sooner rather than later, suggests energy expert, Professor... 

Radebe hints at possible Saudi investment to boost South Africa’s oil refining capacity

Energy Minister Jeff Radebe has called for a collaborative approach to attract investment in oil refining hubs throughout the continent and has hinted that Saudi Arabian investment in refining...