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Construction News

Business sees third-party rail access as crucial to meeting 250Mt volume target

By: Terence Creamer 10th October 2024 An initial assessment by business into what it would involve to raise yearly freight rail volumes to 250-million tons, estimates that Transnet’s recovery alone could lift yearly volumes to about 190-million tons, leaving 60-million tons to be met through reforms aimed at opening the rail network... →

Rail masterplan to be finalised by October next year – DoT chief director

By: Irma Venter 10th October 2024 The Department of Transport (DoT) aims to have the interim National Rail Masterplan (NRMP) ready by February next year, says DoT chief director Jan-David de Villiers. This will be followed by an eight-month consultation process, with the final NRMP to be delivered by October 2025. →

Equites delivers strong interim performance

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 10th October 2024 Property developer Equites Property Fund achieved distributions per share (DPS) of 66.50c for the six months ended August 31, aligned with its market guidance. The group is now targeting full-year DPS at the upper end of its previously guided range of 130c to 135c. →

Equites CEO Andrea Taverna-Turisan

Danish Energy Agency backing project to validate wind resources of South Africa’s coal heartland

By: Terence Creamer 10th October 2024 The Danish and South African governments are partnering on a project to map the wind resources of the coal region of Mpumalanga, where access to the grid for new renewables projects is less constrained and where initiatives are under way to explore alternative livelihoods for workers and... →

Zero Carbon Charge, AIDC-EC launch off-grid EV charger programme in the Eastern Cape

By: Irma Venter 8th October 2024 Zero Carbon Charge (Charge), in partnership with the Automotive Industry Development Centre Eastern Cape (AIDC-EC), and together with the Eastern Cape provincial government, has broken ground on what it describes as an off-grid, ultra-fast, green electric vehicle (EV) charging network. Once... →

Construction begins on Cape Town solar PV plant, battery storage tender released

By: Irma Venter 8th October 2024 The City of Cape Town (CoCT) has started construction on a R200-million, 7 MW solar PV plant, located in Atlantis, with the first electricity to be delivered by the end of next year. The tender for the engineering, procurement and construction of the plant has been awarded to the Lesedi... →

CoCT councillor Moosa Raise, CoCT Energy executive director Kadri Nassiep, Xanthea Limberg, Geordin Hill-Lewis and CoCT councillor Allister Lightburn

Nordex joins industry in call for swift approval of curtailment framework

By: Sabrina Jardim 8th October 2024 Wind turbine manufacturer Nordex South Africa has joined the country’s wind industry members in calling for the swift approval of a curtailment framework. In an October 8 media release, Nordex says the framework, currently under review, is seen as an important step to unlocking greater grid... →

Ramokgopa convinced ‘sweet spot’ will be found to unlock Independent Power Transmission projects

By: Terence Creamer 7th October 2024 Electricity and Energy Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa has expressed confidence that government and the National Transmission Company South Africa (NTCSA) are close to finding the “sweet spot” that will facilitate the integration of private Independent Power Transmission (IPT) projects. Such... →

Eskom Holdings chair Mteto Nyati, NTCSA chair Priscillah Mabelane and Electricity and Energy Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa joins hand in front of a new ceremonial statue displaying a handshake, unveiled during the official launch of NTCSA on October 7

NTCSA chairperson Priscillah Mabelane speaks with Engineering News Editor Terence Creamer about the role of the new State-owned grid company, its immediate priorities, and the approach NTCSA could take to Independent Power Transmission projects. Recording and Editing: Shadwyn Dickinson. Recorded: 7.10.2024

Seifsa president sees new political climate as opportunity to revive metals sector

By: Terence Creamer 4th October 2024 Steel and Engineering Federation of Southern Africa (Seifsa) president Elias Monage has described the establishment of the Government of National Unity (GNU) as an opportunity to revive the metals and engineering sector by fixing the basics and raising infrastructure spend. In an address... →

Steel and Engineering Federation of Southern Africa president Elias Monage

South Africa plans insurance vehicle for infrastructure projects

By: Bloomberg 4th October 2024 South Africa is launching a credit-guarantee facility to boost private sector involvement in the country’s ambitious infrastructure investment plans, reducing the need for public spending. “We are looking to manage levels of risk associated with projects or project sponsors in attracting private... →

Deputy Finance Minister David Masondo

Afrimat Construction Index bounces back in second quarter

By: Irma Venter 4th October 2024 The Afrimat Construction Index (ACI) has managed to bounce back in the second quarter of this year. The ACI is a composite index of the level of activity within the building and construction sectors and is compiled by economist Dr Roelof Botha on behalf of the JSE-listed midtier mining and... →

Multiple projects planned in Sanral’s Western Region

By: Irma Venter 4th October 2024 The South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) has a number of multibillion-rand projects in the pipeline in its Western Region, which includes the Western and Northern Cape provinces. On a project-by-project basis, Western Region regional manager Randall Cable says a 12 km upgrade to... →

R273m govt-funded Orion tank farm in Gqeberha unveiled

By: Darren Parker 3rd October 2024 The Orion Engineered Carbons (OEC) tank farm project, in Zone 7 of the Coega Special Economic Zone (CSEZ) in Gqeberha, in the Eastern Cape, has officially been unveiled. Trade, Industry and Competition chief director of infrastructure Justice Ngwenya, who addressed the official launch, said the... →

Phillips says Transnet not yet on track to meet 193Mt rail ‘stretch target’

By: Terence Creamer 2nd October 2024 Meeting the 193-million-ton rail stretch target set under the newly launched second phase of the partnership between business and government would require a significant amount of work and collaboration, Transnet CEO Michelle Phillips has acknowledged. Speaking at the Joburg Indaba a day after the... →

A Transnet Freight Rail train on the Sishen-Saldanha iron-ore corridor

Gauteng province planning to convert six hostels into 2 000 family units – Kubayi

By: Schalk Burger 2nd October 2024 The Gauteng Department of Human Settlements is undertaking detailed planning for the eradication and conversion of six hostels owned by the provincial department to 2 000 family units, Human Settlements Minister Mmamaloko Kubayi said in a written response to questions in the National Council of... →

Low-emission hydrogen project approvals double, but demand and cost uncertainties weigh

By: Terence Creamer 2nd October 2024 A new International Energy Agency (IEA) report shows that the number of low-emission hydrogen projects to have advanced to a final investment decision (FID) stage doubled over the last 12 months, representing yearly production of 3.4-million tonnes. These FIDs are split between green-hydrogen... →

Growth target of 3% set for 2025 as business and government relaunch partnership under GNU

By: Terence Creamer 1st October 2024 A second phase of the partnership launched between government and business to tackle South Africa’s electricity, logistics and crime crises has been launched under the Government of National Unity (GNU), with an immediate goal of raising growth to over 3% from 2025. Speaking at the launch in... →

President Cyril Ramaphosa addressing the relaunch of the partnership between government and business at the IDC's offices in Johannesburg

Grid and regulatory hurdles stand in way of Ramokgopa’s ‘ultra-aggressive’ renewables vision

By: Terence Creamer 30th September 2024 Electricity and Energy Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa says that government would like to be “ultra-aggressive” in the roll-out of new renewable energy, which he describes as the “future”. However, key structural constraints, including those relating to grid capacity and regulation, had to be... →

Electricity and Energy Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa

PPC reports continued decline in revenue from March to July

By: Darren Parker 30th September 2024 JSE-listed cement company PPC has reported a 2.1% decline in revenue for the four months ended July 31, compared with the same period last year. The decline follows PPC’s recent efforts to stabilise its balance sheet, sell non-strategic assets and improve overall profitability and returns on... →

One of PPC's South African manufacturing plants

Numerous N4 upgrade projects underway, more to follow – TRAC

By: Irma Venter 27th September 2024 Maputo Corridor road concessionaire Trans African Concessions (TRAC) says there are numerous construction and rehabilitation projects underway on the N4 highway between Gauteng and Maputo, with more work to follow in the next three years. Work on the Bossemanskraal intersection to the Mpumalanga... →

Chemicals company unpacks carbon neutrality roadmap

27th September 2024 Multinational chemicals company BASF Performance Materials, the largest chemical producer globally, in August released its strategic roadmap toward achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 and highlighted key milestones on its route toward a circular economy. With that in mind, the division, which... →

A Photo of the BASF Chemicals processing plant at dusk

LOFTY AMBITIONS BASF Performance Materials is well on the way to reaching carbon neutrality by 2050

Gas-to-methanol plant to provide industrial feedstock

27th September 2024 Pan-African development finance institution Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) has announced that it is arranging a project development facility to support Africa’s largest gas-to-methanol plant, with the aim of significantly reducing CO2 emissions by offsetting flaring of natural gas and instead... →

Two men in PPE standing on top of a building looking away and pointing to the horizon

LOOKING AHEAD Plans to offset the flaring of natural gas and instead turning it into a valuable chemical for solvents are underway at Africa’s largest gas-to-methanol plant

We all feel a lot better about South Africa, says construction group WBHO boss

By: Irma Venter 27th September 2024 Wilson Bayly Holmes-Ovcon (WBHO) is currently in “a good space”, says CEO Wolfgang Neff. “We all feel a whole lot better about South Africa.” →

Sanral awards R1.4bn Eastern Cape contracts, R3.8bn pending

By: Irma Venter 27th September 2024 The South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) has awarded 12 road infrastructure contracts to the value of R1.4-billion in the Eastern Cape since the start of the 2024/25 financial year, with contracts worth an additional R3.8-billion expected to be awarded by the end of the year. The... →

Upcoming mini-Budget to include details on Independent Power Transmission pilot project

By: Terence Creamer 26th September 2024 Details on the approach South Africa will be taking to piloting Independent Power Transmission (IPT) projects as part of a strategy to accelerate the expansion of its electricity grid will be included in the upcoming Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS), a senior official in the office of... →

Emira expects liquidity strengthening from disposals

By: Marleny Arnoldi 26th September 2024 JSE-listed Emira Property Fund says its local commercial portfolio has performed well in the five months ended August 31, with total vacancies across the portfolio having increased only marginally to 4.3% from 4.1% at the end of March. This increase was owing to the impact of disposals made... →

Emira Property Fund's Summit Place building

Macpherson, AGSA commit to working together to iron out DPWI financial mismanagement

By: Darren Parker 25th September 2024 Following a meeting between Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson and the Auditor-General of South Africa (AGSA) on September 25, the two parties have committed to working together to assist the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) in improving its performance... →

Photo by Creamer Media's Donna Slater
Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson

AFC signs concession agreements with Angola, Zambia to advance Lobito rail project

By: Darren Parker 25th September 2024 Infrastructure financier Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) has signed concession agreements with the governments of Angola and Zambia for the financing, construction, ownership and operation of the Zambia Lobito rail project. The agreements pave the way for AFC to spearhead and complete the... →

Cape Town to wrap up desalination plant feasibility study in 2025, first water possible in 2030

By: Irma Venter 25th September 2024 The City of Cape Town (CoCT) has started the feasibility study on the proposed Paarden Island desalination plant, says CoCT Water and Sanitation MMC Zahid Badroodien. The study is being undertaken by a “suitably qualified transaction advisory team appointed through National Treasury’s Government... →

The intake options being investigated for the proposed desalination site

Don’t conflate Eskom-Sasol bilateral on LNG with ‘national strategy’ needed to avert gas cliff – IGUA-SA

By: Terence Creamer 25th September 2024 The Industrial Gas Users Association of Southern Africa (IGUA-SA) has welcomed the attention that South Africa’s impending “gas cliff” is finally enjoying from government through Electricity and Energy Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa. The body is cautioning, however, against conflating the... →

Industrial Gas Users Association of Southern Africa executive officer Jaco Human

Civil confidence index reaches eight-year high in the third quarter

By: Darren Parker 25th September 2024 After having slipped to 44 in the second quarter of this year, the FNB/Bureau for Economic Research (BER) Civil Confidence Index reached an eight-year high of 50 in the third quarter. According to the BER, this current reading means that half of respondents are satisfied with prevailing business... →

Hitachi introduces new excavator, backhoe machines in Southern Africa

25th September 2024 Hitachi Construction Machinery Africa has made available to the South African market its Zaxis 7G Series excavator and BX100 Shinrai-Power backhoe loader, which offer higher efficiencies and increased safety for the mining and construction sectors. Marleny Arnoldi visited the showcase. →

Hitachi introduces new excavator, backhoe machines in Southern Africa

Macpherson advertises key Public Works vacancies to drive SA’s rebuild

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 23rd September 2024 The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) has opened applications for several key permanent positions, as part of a move by Minister Dean Macpherson to stabilise the administration and governance of the department. Over the weekend, key vacancies were advertised, including the head... →

Minister Dean Macpherson

South Africa’s coalition government triggers wave of investment

By: Bloomberg 23rd September 2024 The formation of South Africa’s business-friendly coalition government has triggered a wave of investment announcements and positive sentiment not seen in years, spurring hope that Africa’s biggest economy may finally be finding its footing after a lost decade-and-a-half. Within days of the... →

ArcelorMittal South Africa CEO Kobus Verster says there is more positive outlook for the country.

Sasol and Eskom to explore demand anchors for LNG as part of effort to avert ‘gas cliff’

By: Terence Creamer 20th September 2024 Eskom and Sasol have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to jointly explore the potential to introduce liquified natural gas (LNG) to replace natural gas imports from southern Mozambique, which are currently set to decline sharply from 2027. The MoU was signed by Eskom CEO Dan Marokane and... →

Sasol CEO Simon Baloyi presents a slide on the gas cliff during a briefing at Megawatt Park, while Eskom CEO Dan Marokane and Electricity and Energy Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa (seated at far right) listen.

ND Engineering announced the overall winner at this year’s Stainless Steel Awards

By: Marleny Arnoldi 20th September 2024 The Southern Africa Stainless Steel Development Association (Sassda) has announced the winners of its Stainless Steel Awards after a five-year hiatus, with ND Engineering having been awarded the overall winner title owing to its consistent excellence across multiple categories. The South... →

ND Engineering named overall winner at Sassda Stainless Steel Awards

GIC raises R616m for public infrastructure development

By: Schalk Burger 20th September 2024 Social infrastructure developer Gap Infrastructure Corporation (GIC) has successfully raised R616-million in private investment to accelerate the country’s social and public infrastructure development. This is a pivotal step forward in the company’s plans to tackle public infrastructure... →

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