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Infrastructure News

NTCSA says independent transmission projects must not reflect as balance-sheet liability

By: Terence Creamer 21st November 2024 The head of the National Transmission Company South Africa (NTCSA) has confirmed that the entity’s board will insist that any independent transmission projects (ITPs) procured in the coming years should not reflect as a liability on the new entity’s balance sheet. However, interim CEO Segomoco... →

Protectionism not the answer to South Africa’s economic problems, CDE says

By: Darren Parker 20th November 2024 Think tank the Centre for Development and Enterprise (CDE) has called for an overhaul of industrial policy to move it away from protectionism and towards a focus on maximising exports. The organisation on November 20 said a new approach to master plans, tariff-setting and competition policy was... →

Photo by Creamer Media's Donna Slater
CDE executive director Ann Bernstein

Namibia has best roads in sub-Saharan Africa, with South Africa scoring on par with Rwanda, Mauritius

By: Darren Parker 20th November 2024 According to the ‘Global Competitiveness Index’ compiled by the World Economic Forum and hosted on the World Bank's Prosperity Data360 platform, Namibia ranks highest in sub-Saharan Africa for road quality, achieving a score of 5.31 out of seven on a scale used to evaluate infrastructure.... →

Frank discussion needed about 30% local procurement rule – Macpherson

By: Irma Venter 19th November 2024 The country must have a frank discussion about the 30% local procurement rule, which has been abused by the so-called construction mafia, says Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson. Macpherson spoke at the National Construction Summit on Crime-Free Construction Sites, held in... →

Dean Macpherson

African, Japanese institutions sign MoU to accelerate energy investment in the continent

By: Rebecca Campbell 18th November 2024 The Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Japan Institute for Overseas Investment (JOI), aimed at scaling up investment flows into Africa. The AFC is focused on financing the development of core infrastructure (that is, power, natural resources,... →

Public Works to blacklist ‘criminal’ contractors as delayed projects reach R3-billion

By: Irma Venter 15th November 2024 Out of the 206 infrastructure projects overseen by the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) this financial year, 164 projects are experiencing delays, says Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson. Addressing Parliament this week, he said this represented a 79%... →

Dean Macpherson

Umbogintwini bridge to be upgraded with modern construction engineering technology – Sanral

By: Schalk Burger 15th November 2024 The Umbogintwini River Bridge, on the N2 in KwaZulu-Natal, is part of the R50-billion upgrade programme of the N2 and N3 freeways in the province, and advanced engineering technology will in future prevent the kind of failure of concrete bars that led to its temporary closure. “The supports... →

Construction mafia remains a major problem, warns MBA North

By: Irma Venter 15th November 2024 The problem posed by the construction mafia on the ground remains a major stumbling block in the recovery of the construction industry, and especially its ability to create more jobs, says Master Builders Association (MBA) North executive director Mohau Mphomela. “The construction mafia remains... →

Level crossing incidents not only cost lives but also the economy, TFR CEO says

By: Darren Parker 14th November 2024 Railway safety incidents, such as pedestrian and vehicle collisions at level crossings, are not only tragic but are severely undermining South Africa’s rail recovery plans, Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) CEO Russell Baatjies said on November 14. “We’ve had 36 level crossing incidents just this year,... →

Sustained investment in transport infrastructure to drive growth and competitiveness – SAICE

By: Schalk Burger 13th November 2024 Given South Africa's significant infrastructure challenges, sustained investment in transport infrastructure is critical to drive economic growth and improve the quality of life for citizens, says industry professionals' organisation South African Institution of Civil Engineering (SAICE) CEO... →

South Africa declares national disaster after floods, storms

By: Bloomberg 13th November 2024 South Africa declared a national disaster after floods and storms caused widespread damage in the country, allowing the government to free up funds for relief and reconstruction. Disruptive rains, floods, strong winds and hail from October 22 to 29 affected the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Free... →

R5.2bn Potsdam upgrade on track for completion in 2027 – City of Cape Town

By: Irma Venter 12th November 2024 Twenty months into the large-scale upgrade of the Potsdam wastewater treatment works (WWTW), the City of Cape Town (CoCT) says the R5.2-billion project is on track to be completed in 2027. The upgrade is being executed through two construction contracts – one for civil infrastructure and another... →

Construction work at Potsdam WWTW

Transaction adviser to validate strategy for Port of Durban’s liquid-bulk hub

By: Creamer Media Reporter 11th November 2024 South Africa’s Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) has appointed Zutari as the transaction adviser at the Island View precinct, the Port of Durban’s fuels and chemicals hub through which about 74% of South Africa's liquid bulk imports are managed. Zutari will validate TNPA’s ‘Island View... →

Port of Durban

IPP Office to oversee pilot procurement of private independent transmission projects

By: Terence Creamer 8th November 2024 Government has confirmed that the Independent Power Producer Office (IPPO), which has overseen the public procurement of more than 7 300 MW of operational renewable-energy capacity since 2011, will oversee a pilot programme to procure South Africa’s first independent transmission projects (ITPs).... →

Partial collapse of Umbongintwini River bridge highlights need for infrastructure maintenance – CESA

By: Schalk Burger 8th November 2024 The partial collapse of the Umbongintwini River bridge on the N2 southbound, in KwaZulu-Natal, highlights the urgent need for comprehensive infrastructure maintenance across South Africa, industry organisation Consulting Engineers South Africa (CESA) says. “This incident highlights the importance... →

Eskom secures R125m grant from AFD to advance Tubatse pumped storage project

By: Terence Creamer 7th November 2024 Eskom has signed a R125-million grant agreement with Agence Française de Développement (AFD) to support the development of the proposed Tubatse pumped storage system project, located in the Elias Motsoaledi Local Municipality in Limpopo. The 1.5 GW Tubatse project, which would be pursued as a... →

Eskom CEO Dan Marokane

Scatec’s new sub-Saharan Africa head keen to advance 5GW project pipeline

By: Terence Creamer 6th November 2024 The newly appointed head of Scatec’s sub-Saharan Africa business, Alberto Gambacorta, says the group is pursuing a 5 GW pipeline of renewable energy and storage opportunities in the region and especially South Africa, which is already the Norwegian group’s global hub for engineering and... →

Scatec sub-Saharan Africa GM Alberto Gambacorta

M&R foresees more immediate liquidity challenges as Venetia contract ends

By: Marleny Arnoldi 5th November 2024 Engineering and contracting group Murray & Roberts (M&R) has advised that its interim earnings for the six months ended December 31 will be impacted on by the loss of business it had in place with De Beers’ Venetia operation, in South Africa, as well as continued liquidity constraints. M&R’s... →

R7bn second phase MyCiTi rollout 50% complete, includes SA’s first-ever sky circle

By: Irma Venter 5th November 2024 The R7-billion rollout of the second phase of Cape Town’s MyCiTi bus service, linking Khayelitsha, Mitchells Plain and other communities across the metro south east corridor, is 50% complete, says City of Cape Town (CoCT) Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis. Work on the 44-month project started in 2022. →

An artist's impression of the sky circle, once completed

AECI to sell Much Asphalt for R1.1bn

By: Darren Parker 4th November 2024 JSE-listed AECI has announced the signing of a share purchase agreement with a consortium involving Old Mutual Private Equity (OMPE) and Sphere Investments to sell its entire ownership stake in wholly-owned subsidiary Much Asphalt for an estimated R1.1-billion. The deal will be financed through a... →

Creecy encourages road user behaviour change as she discusses Moloto road progress

By: Sabrina Jardim 4th November 2024 Significant progress has been made on the R15-billion upgrade of the Moloto road which, once completed, is expected to help improve safety on one of the country’s most dangerous roads, remarked Transport Minister Barbara Creecy during an inspection of the 138 km stretch of road spanning Gauteng,... →

Transport Minister Barbara Creecy

EPWP open to abuse, must be reformed – Macpherson

By: Irma Venter 1st November 2024 The Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) has become open to abuse, says Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure Dean Macpherson, despite it also being an “important stop-gap opportunity to many people caught in the cycle of poverty”. Macpherson spoke during the launch of the EPWP ‘listening... →

Dean Macpherson

New cold planer sets new standards for road building, rehabilitation

1st November 2024 Used for the first time in South Africa on the rehabilitation of the R21 highway in Gauteng last month, specialised equipment manufacturer Astec’s RX-600ex cold planer is “poised to set new standards in road construction and rehabilitation”. Astec materials and infrastructure solutions product... →

The above image depicts the Astec RX-600ex cold planer

URBAN MANOEUVRABILITY The RX-600ex’s applications include urban road projects, as its features make it suitable for lane profiling and maintenance in urban locations

Rail masterplan to be finalised by October next year

By: Irma Venter 1st November 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. →

New storage, logistics facility exceeding expectations

By: Halima Frost 1st November 2024 The new premises of independent logistics service provider Seabourne Logistics, which was meant to be a 11 000-pallet capacity contemporary office and warehouse complex, is now a comprehensive logistics facility accommodating 13 500 pallets, significantly surpassing all expectations since its... →

BEHEMOTH The new Seabourne Logistics comprehensive logistics facility in Kempton Park, Johannesburg, has surpassed expectations in capacity and flow

Construction mafia remains a major problem, warns MBA North

By: Irma Venter 31st October 2024 The problem posed by the construction mafia on the ground remains a major stumbling block in the recovery of the construction industry, and especially its ability to create more jobs, says Master Builders Association (MBA) North executive director Mohau Mphomela. “The construction mafia remains... →

No one entity can meet South Africa’s energy investment needs, report argues

By: Terence Creamer 31st October 2024 No one entity has the resources, funding or execution capability to address South Africa’s multitrillion-rand energy investment needs, a new PWC report argues, while calling for collaboration between the public and private sectors to address the challenge. The ‘Africa Energy Review 2024’ report... →

Batting away Eskom objections, Nersa approves four new electricity traders and first private import/export licence

By: Terence Creamer 29th October 2024 The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) has approved four new electricity trading licences, the issuance of which had been opposed by Eskom, along with the country’s first-ever private import/export licence. The Energy Regulator, which is Nersa’s highest decision-making body made... →

South Africa to seek rise in yearly climate finance pledge to $1.3tr at COP29

By: Terence Creamer 28th October 2024 South Africa will call for the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) on climate finance to be set at $1.3-trillion yearly during the upcoming COP29 climate negotiations, which will be held in Baku, Azerbaijan, from November 11 to 22. The NCQG is the finance goal that parties to the Paris... →

Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Minister Dr Dion George

New Just Energy Transition matchmaking platform aiming for R600m in grant disbursements in 2025

By: Terence Creamer 25th October 2024 A new matchmaking platform to directly link providers of grant funding pledged to South Africa’s Just Energy Transition Investment Plan (JET-IP) with domestic beneficiaries is aiming to ensure the disbursement of at least R600-million in grant funding to 20 projects in 2025 and facilitate... →

Minister Patricia de Lille spoke at the launch of the JET Funding Platform in her capacity as acting Electricity and Energy Minister

Greater coordination needed to realise green-hydrogen aspirations

By: Darren Parker 25th October 2024 Despite enthusiasm for the development of a hydrogen economy from the public and private sectors, there remains a significant lack of coordination to effectively implement projects and bring the dream of a green hydrogen economy to life, according to energy technology company Mitochondria Energy... →

Surge in Q3 renewables registrations to 2GW may signal market shift from loadshedding to economics

By: Terence Creamer 23rd October 2024 Despite welcome relief from loadshedding in South Africa, a total of 3.3 GW of renewable-energy projects were registered with the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) this year, with more than 2 GW registered in the third quarter alone. Analysis conducted by Gaylor Montmasson-Clair,... →

Photo by Creamer Media
Wind projects feature in list of Nersa registrations during Q3 of 2024

IPP procurement changes mulled to unlock 10 GW of renewables amid grid pressures and green industrialisation ambitions

By: Terence Creamer 21st October 2024 The South African government is considering far-reaching changes to the way public procurement of independent power producer (IPP) generation capacity is being carried out so as to accelerate deployments in a way that navigates the country’s prevailing grid constraints, while also creating the... →

Automotive industry the ‘unsung hero’ of the South African economy – Mavuso

By: Darren Parker 21st October 2024 Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA) CEO Busi Mavuso has described the domestic automotive industry as the “unsung hero of the South African economy” after joining the naamsa | The Automotive Business Council’s 2024 South African Auto Week conference, in Cape Town, from October 15 to 18, where... →

BLSA CEO Busi Mavuso

Scatec making final preparations for construction of R3bn Northern Cape battery project

By: Terence Creamer 18th October 2024 Renewable-energy group Scatec says it is making final preparations to start construction of the R3-billion Mogobe battery energy storage system (BESS) project, which reached financial close on October 16. The 103 MW/412 MWh project is located near Kathu, in the Northern Cape, and has been awarded... →

Scatec has already developed the hybrid Kenhardt project in the Northern Cape, comprising 540 MW of solar PV and a 225 MW/1 140 MWh BESS facility

Nel to retire as WBHO chair, former CFO Henwood to succeed him

By: Marleny Arnoldi 18th October 2024 Construction group Wilson Bayly Holmes-Ovcon (WBHO) has advised that its chairperson and director Louwtjie Nel will retire, effective November 21. He joined WBHO in 1987 having held various key positions in different divisions in the group over the years, including CEO between 2008 and 2019. →

Firm launches 100%- renewable-powered site

18th October 2024 Multinational chemical and consumer goods manufacturer Henkel has achieved what it reports as a ground-breaking sustainability milestone, with its manufacturing site in Nairobi, Kenya, now fully powered by renewable energy. This accomplishment marks a significant step forward for Henkel's... →

An Aerial image of Henkel in Nairobi with soar panels on its roof

MAKING STRIDES The Nairobi branch of Henkel in Kenya has made great strides in being 100% power self sufficient

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