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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.

Eskom defends request for R27bn tariff increase from regulator

4th February 2020 South Africa's cash-strapped power utility Eskom has defended its request for an additional R27-billion in tariffs, saying it needs to recover prudently-incurred costs for the 2018/2019 financial year. Last year Eskom said Nersa's decision to award the utility lower tariff increases than it had... →

Nzimande places Construction Education and Training Authority under administration

3rd February 2020 Higher Education, Science, and Technology Minister Blade Nzimande has placed the Construction Education and Training Authority (CETA) under administration. Nzimande made the decision after he was notified of serious allegations of "governance failure and gross financial mismanagement, including,... →

Transnet appoints Portia Derby as new Group CEO

1st February 2020 Portia Derby has been appointed group chief executive of Transnet, the department of public enterprises said on Friday night. The appointment was made following "an extensive and rigorous search", the department said via an emailed statement. →

MTN announces $1.6bn investment to expand network in Nigeria

30th January 2020 South African multinational mobile telecommunications company MTN said it was making a capital investment of $1.6-billion over the next three years to strengthen and expand its network and operations in Nigeria. MTN issued the statement late on Wednesday after its group chairperson Mcebisi Jonas,... →

SA Express hopes to receive money owed by troubled carrier SAA

29th January 2020 State-owned airline SA Express Airways said on Wednesday it was hoping cash-strapped national carrier South African Airways would prioritise paying money it owes the former. On Tuesday SAA’s business rescue practitioners said the airline would receive R3.5 billion of emergency funding from the... →

Liquidations up 10.7% in 2019 compared with 2018 – Stats SA

29th January 2020 The number of liquidations in South Africa increased by 10.7% in 2019 compared with 2018, the national statistics agency has said. The sharp rise follows annual declines in liquidations in the two previous years, Statistics South Africa said in a report released on Tuesday. →

Ramaphosa calls on SA's business sector to support Africa's economic aspirations

29th January 2020 President Cyril Ramaphosa in a statement on Tuesday has called upon South African business "to form part of the collective national effort to advance the interests of the country and continent". Speaking earlier at the South African Heads of Mission to African countries, he outlined South... →

President Cyril Ramaphosa

Delayed govt payments forcing contractors out of business – Databuild

28th January 2020 The South African government’s failure to pay building contractors on time or to even pay them at all, sometimes, is one of the major causes of job losses in the construction sector, an industry executive said on Tuesday. Databuild CE Morag Evans said many companies, particularly small, medium... →

Numsa mourns death of worker at Tau Lekoa mine

27th January 2020 The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) is mourning the death of a worker during a seismic incident which caused a rock fall at Tau Lekoa mine in North West province. In a statement late on Sunday, Numsa said it had informed management at the mine that it intended to be... →

Eskom seeks contempt of court order against Trillian for its failure to pay the power utility – report

27th January 2020 Eskom has gone to court to ask for a contempt of court order against State capture-linked Trillian Management Consulting, which has allegedly failed to pay back a cent of the money it owes the power utility, Daily Maverick reported. In June 2019, the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria ordered... →

Eskom CEO André de Ruyter

South Sudan's 100 MW Juba power plant to be completed by March

22nd January 2020 South Sudan's Juba power plant will be completed by March, the country's minister of energy and dams has said. "Electricity is a basic need and electricity is the engine of development. If you look into the criteria used to start development, you will see that electricity is at the top," EABW... →

Mantashe confirms new Necsa board members

21st January 2020 Energy and mineral resources minister Gwede Mantashe has appointed seven members to the board of the Nuclear Energy Corporation of South Africa (Necsa). The former board members resigned en masse a week ago, claiming they did not have Mantashe's support. →

Photo by Creamer Media
David Nicholls

Ramaphosa skipping Davos to focus on 'domestic priorities'

17th January 2020 President Cyril Ramaphosa would not be attending the annual four-day World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland, next week, his office said on Thursday. He would be skipping the UK-Africa Investment Summit in London on Monday. →

President Cyril Ramaphosa

No load-shedding expected for the rest of the week, says Eskom

16th January 2020 South Africa's electricity provider Eskom said no load-shedding was expected for the rest of the week as their emergency resources have been used to ensure that there was adequate generation capacity to meet the demand, but warned that the risk remained. "Despite a constrained and vulnerable... →

US-Iran conflict to affect February fuel price adjustment – AA

15th January 2020 Unleaded 95 Octane petrol is expected to drop by eight cents a litre in February, but 93 Octane petrol, diesel and illuminating paraffin are all set to increase at month-end due to the tensions between Iran and the US, the Automobile Association said on Wednesday. Commenting on unaudited... →

UK pledges new aid to help build green cities across Africa

15th January 2020 The United Kingdom has pledged new aid towards building green cities across Africa with quality infrastructure to help the continent reach its economic potential. The announcement from the UK Department for International Development (DFID) came as its secretary Alok Sharma visited Kenya ahead of... →

Cheap cement imports crippling South African industry, says Databuild

15th January 2020 South African cement manufacturers are being severely undermined by cheap imports from countries such as China, Vietnam and Pakistan, an industry official said on Wednesday. The government's failure to stem the influx of these products could have a severe detrimental impact on an already... →

Parliamentary committee welcomes probe into SAAF aircraft crash in the DRC

13th January 2020 Parliament's defence and military veterans portfolio committee has welcomed the investigation into the cause of the South African Air Force (SAAF) aircraft crash at Goma airport in the Democratic Republic of Congo on Thursday, January 9. The SAAF Lockheed C-130BZ Hercules aircraft, which... →

No load-shedding expected on Monday, says Eskom

13th January 2020 Eskom has managed to avoid load-shedding over the weekend and no load-shedding is expected on Monday, the State-owned power utility said. "The power system is showing some improvement as our teams continue to work hard to bring generation units that have tripped or are on maintenance back on line... →

Ramaphosa discusses peaceful resolution to US-Iran tensions in call to Rouhani

10th January 2020 President Cyril Ramaphosa has told Iranian president Hassan Rouhani that South Africa is interested in seeing a peaceful and just resolution to tensions between Iran and the United States. According to Ramaphosa's spokesperson, Khusela Diko, the president phoned Rouhani on Thursday while in... →

President Cyril Ramaphosa

UASA slams Eskom 'incompetence'

10th January 2020 One of South Africa's oldest trade unions, UASA, on Friday slammed state power provider Eskom for its "incompetence". According to UASA spokesperson, Stanford Mazhindu, Eskom having to implement stage 2 load-shedding before industries restarted following the festive break was "a sad state of... →

Ethiopia warns of last chance to reach agreement on $5bn dam

10th January 2020 Ethiopia has warned of a “last chance” to reach an agreement on the filling and operation of the $5-billion dam being built by Addis Ababa (the country’s commercial and cultural hub) on the Nile. According to Anadolu Agency (AA), Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan have been in talks on the Grand... →

Mine security guards arrested for alleged robbery at a gold mine

9th January 2020 Two mine security officers were arrested for their alleged role in a murder, hijacking and attempted robbery at a gold mine, the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (known as the Hawks) said on Wednesday. Spokesperson Captain Tlangelani Rikhotso said the two, aged 31 and 34, were... →

Robotics likely to be a school subject in 2021, says Motshekga

8th January 2020 Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga said on Tuesday night that select schools would be piloting subjects such as robotics this year and if successful, the subjects could be rolled-out to public schools as early as 2021. The minister made the announcement at the Vodacom Dome in Midrand,... →

No rolling powercuts scheduled for Tuesday – Eskom

7th January 2020 South Africa is not expected to experience rotational power cuts on Tuesday although the system remains constrained, State-owned electricity utility Eskom said. Eskom, which implemented load-shedding several times last year and again on Sunday to ease pressure on the grid due to inadequate... →

Absa appoints Daniel Mminele as group CE

6th January 2020 Absa has appointed former central bank deputy governor Daniel Mminele as CE from January 15, replacing Maria Ramos who retired last February, the banking group said on Monday. René van Wyk has been leading the bank on an interim basis since Ramos stepped down. →

Youths suspected of torching 24 Shosholoza Meyl carriages in Bloem

6th January 2020 A case of arson is under investigation after 24 out of order Shosholoza Meyl train carriages were torched on the rails next to the Bloemfontein train station on Saturday. The coaches had been earmarked for refurbishment, the department of transport said on Sunday. →

Sanco wants lifestyle audit for Eskom executives

20th December 2019 The South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco) in the North West on Friday called for lifestyle audits for former Eskom executives. This follows the arrest and court appearance of two senior managers from the power utility and two businessmen on allegations of money laundering, fraud and... →

Sanco wants former executives like Brian Molefe and Matshela Koko (pictured) to subject themselves to a lifestyle audit.

Fire at Majuba power station has been extinguished

19th December 2019 A fire that started at the Majuba power station’s incline conveyer belt system from the rail offloading facility, at around 15:00 on Wednesday, was extinguished by the power station’s fire team, Eskom said. The power utility said that no one was injured in the fire. →

Fitch keeps SA on negative outlook

18th December 2019 Global rating agency Fitch has kept South Africa's long term foreign and local currency debt ratings at BB+ and maintained its negative outlook, national Treasury said on Wednesday. The country remains one notch below investment grade on Fitch's rating. →

DA demands independent forensic audit of Eskom

17th December 2019 The Democratic Alliance on Tuesday called for a "full independent forensic audit" of state power supplier Eskom. "Given the dire state of power utility Eskom, the effect on the economy and the lives of ordinary citizens, the Democratic Alliance hereby calls for a full independent forensic audit... →

Photo by Donna Slater
Eskom COO Jan Oberholzer

Cabinet wants De Ruyter to take over at Eskom sooner

17th December 2019 The final Cabinet meeting of 2019 mandated Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan to negotiate with Andre de Ruyter to take up his duties as the new Eskom CEO earlier than the set date. De Ruyter, currently CEO of packaging firm Nampak, was set to take up the Eskom top job on January 15.... →

Photo by Creamer Media
Newly appointed Eskom CEO Andre De Ruyter

Probability of load-shedding low for this week - Eskom

17th December 2019 No load-shedding was expected on Tuesday and the probability of scheduled power cuts was low for the rest of the week, Eskom said. ''Eskom will continue to use emergency reserves to supplement capacity if necessary over this period," the power utility said. →

SA supports call to lift economic sanctions against Zimbabwe

17th December 2019 National Assembly Speaker Thandi Modise has reiterated South Africa’s stand to support the lifting of the targeted economic sanctions against Zimbabwe. "We stand as South Africa to say to our brothers, our sisters, our neighbours – in fact our family because we have intermarried, to say that your... →

National Assembly speaker Thandi Modise

Eskom continues load-shedding as unplanned breakdowns affect 12 000 MW of capacity

13th December 2019 South Africa's electricity company Eskom said on Friday unplanned breakdowns at its plants were affecting just under 12 000 megawatt of generating capacity, forcing it to burn diesel and use water from pumped storage schemes to augment its base load. "Load-shedding will be required all day to... →

Reliable, affordable data connectivity issues still plague Africa – Seacom

12th December 2019 Despite developments on international subsea infrastructure, reliable and affordable data connectivity issues continue to plague Africa, with internet penetration only increasing in recent years largely due to the roll out of mobile networks, pan-African telecoms company Seacom says. Sixteen of... →

Eskom to continue with rotational blackouts on Thursday

12th December 2019 Power utility Eskom said it would continue with rolling blackouts on Thursday, suppressing up to 2 000 MW of demand on a staggered basis until 11 pm to avoid collapsing the strained national grid. In the latest update on the electricity crisis which saw it implement unprecedented Stage 6... →

Cape Town to spend R65m on new transport facility in Somerset West

11th December 2019 The Cape Town council said on Wednesday it would spend approximately R65-million to construct a new public transport interchange in Somerset West. Mayoral committee member for transport Felicity Purchase said this was the biggest public investment in the central business district in recent years,... →

Newly appointed South African army chief dies

11th December 2019 The chief of the South African army, lieutenant-general Thabiso Collin Mokhosi, died on Tuesday morning at Unitas Hospital following a short illness. Mokhosi was promoted to the position on November 1. →

Blackouts weighing heavily on business cycle - SACCI

11th December 2019 South Africa's rotational blackouts are placing the country's prospects of economic recovery under severe pressure and weighing heavily on businesses, the South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SACCI) has said. "We have received many complaints from businesses in the retail and other... →

Eskom powercuts having devastating impact on small businesses – UASA

10th December 2019 Rolling blackouts by State-owned electricity utility Eskom are hurting small businesses the most, as many cannot afford fuel-powered generators for alternative sources of energy, one of South Africa's oldest trade unions UASA has said. In a statement late on Monday, UASA spokesperson Stanford... →

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