Microsoft to support 30m Africans to develop AI skills

Information technology multinational Microsoft, at its 'AI: A New Era' event on October 30, announced plans to certify 30-million people in Africa in artificial intelligence- (AI-) related skills... 

CSIR launches enterprise to commercialise first set of 18 technologies

The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has launched its intellectual property (IP) commercialisation enterprise CSIR C-Cubed (CSIR C3) with a portfolio of 18 technologies and it... 

FNB launches consumer carbon calculator tool

Financial services firm FNB has launched nav» Earth on its application (app), which uses spending habits to estimate users' carbon emissions and allows them to offset unavoidable emissions. The... 

Africa seen producing 50m tons of green hydrogen competitively by 2035

Harnessing the potential for renewable energy and green hydrogen production, or replacing carbon atoms with hydrogen atoms in the energy value chain, can build peace and stability in Africa,... 

Competition, collaboration needed for an efficient logistics network in South Africa

Competition is important to create efficiencies in the logistics and transport network, but collaboration is similarly necessary to ensure that all the public and private sector role-players can... 

Electric vehicles can have a lower TCO than ICE vehicles

Electric vehicles can have a lower total cost of ownership (TCO) for consumers than internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, but vehicle financing options and automotive manufacturers' business... 

South Africa to motivate for extension of AGOA for itself and other African countries

South Africa will motivate for the extension and renewal of the US preferential trade framework the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) for itself and other African countries on the basis... 

Industries must choose and move on most important hydrogen uses first

Hydrogen can be used in a range of applications and it is important to select the most important use cases for green hydrogen, upon which industries worldwide must then move on. Multinational gas... 

TMM anti-collision system regulations may have implications for mining equipment OEMs

New sub-regulations added in December 2022 under the Mine Health and Safety Regulations, which are binding on the industry, require that an employer at a mine provide anti-collision systems or... 

Vergelegen winery goes off grid

The Vergelegen wine estate, in Somerset West, has installed a solar power plant that has taken it completely off the grid. The plant includes six solar tables, comprising 500 panels that cover 1... 

Green hydrogen needed to decarbonise the world, including Africa

One of the main areas of focus during negotiations between Germany and Namibia to establish green hydrogen production was to create a value chain in Namibia, as the aim is not only the export of... 

Japanese entity, SA partners to launch auto training initiative

The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition's (dtic's) seven National Quality and Productivity Network (NQPN) member organisations and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) have... 

Funding increases for small business energy solutions as investment case improves

Different renewable energy, energy storage and/or generator solutions can partially address small businesses' energy related challenges, and funding to install such solutions in small businesses is... 

Africa must navigate more fragmented, multipolar geopolitics to secure opportunities

Major political actors are increasingly looking at how they can entice African countries to align with various key geopolitical affairs, and African countries are trying to play all sides and have,... 

Rail link to Port Elizabeth port damaged by rough seas

Transnet Freight Rail's (TFR's) rail link into the Port of Port Elizabeth has been heavily damaged by rough sea conditions that caused a wash-away of the track formation on September 16. This is... 

ARC grows intrinsic net asset value by 15.8%, reports portfolio restructuring progress

JSE-listed investment holding company African Rainbow Capital (ARC) increased its intrinsic net asset value by 15.8% year-on-year to R15.3-billion for the financial year ended June 30, while its... 

Public Works details efforts to support energy security

Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Sihle Zikalala on August 20 said the department was supporting efforts by the Electricity Minister to improve energy security. Among its efforts, the... 

Mining companies urged to implement water management strategies as scarcity is forecast to intensify

The water-mining interdependence, or nexus, poses several operational challenges to mining companies, including physical, reputational and regulatory-related risks and, as water-related risks... 

SA Mint launches last coin in second Big 5 series

The South African Mint has announced the final offering in the popular Big 5 Series II coin range, which features the Buffalo and is available in gold, platinum and silver. Series II mirrors the... 

Loan scheme to mitigate impact of loadshedding on households, small businesses launched

The National Treasury has launched the Energy Bounce Back (EBB) loan guarantee scheme to facilitate 1 GW a year in additional generation capacity and mitigate the impact of continuing difficulties... 

A quarter of cyberthreat activity directed at South African govt systems, research shows

Of the cybersecurity threat activity detected by cybersecurity solutions and services company Trellix during the year, 26% was directed towards government systems, while 16% was targeted at... 

Afarak reports solid results in challenging market

Specialist alloy producer Afarak Group increased revenue by 3.6% to €95.3-million during the six months to June 30, up from €92.1-million in the comparable period in 2022. Processed material sold... 

Marikana memorial lecture speakers issue call to rebuild

Speakers participating in the fourth Marikana memorial lecture, on August 14, called on South Africans, including those directly affected by the Marikana tragedy, to remember the struggle in South... 

Sasol to report lower Ebitda, despite operational improvement in H2

JSE-listed energy and chemicals multinational Sasol says it expects to report a 2% to 16% year-on-year decrease in adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda)... 

Water-mining interdependence poses operational challenges, risks to miners

The water-mining interdependence, or nexus, poses several operational challenges to mining companies, including physical, reputational and regulatory-related risks and, as water-related risks... 

Cost of data breaches rising, says IBM Security

Cybersecurity company IBM Security's 'Cost of a Data Breach 2023' report showed that the average total cost of a data breach for South African organisations increased by 8% over the past three... 

AECI commissions 1 MW solar project at Chem Park factory

JSE-listed chemicals group AECI has installed and commissioned a 1MW solar project at Chem Park, its AECI Chemicals manufacturing site, in Johannesburg. The Chem Park project marks the first stage... 

Unido, Hydrogen Council sign hydrogen standards, best practices and dialogue declaration

The United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (Unido) and global private sector hydrogen organisation the Hydrogen Council have signed a joint declaration reinforcing ongoing... 

Africa-made 3D printer for construction launched

14Trees, a joint venture (JV) between construction materials company Holcim and UK governmental development finance institution British International Investment (BII), has launched its new... 

Mintek Metallurgy receives new atomisation, alloy development equipment

Mining and minerals technology research organisation Mintek has received an Amazemet rePowder ultrasonic atomisation and alloy development system, which can be used to create metal powder from any... 

Demand aggregation, pricing clarity, standardisation needed to drive hydrogen infrastructure investment

Infrastructure is needed to enable the global energy transition to meet climate goals by 2050, but commercial banks and senior debt funders are deterred from investing in hydrogen infrastructure... 

PGMs demand to be underpinned by need for green power-to-X

The reduction in demand for platinum group metals (PGMs) owing to the phasing out of internal combustion engines, in response to the need to reduce global greenhouse-gas emissions, should be offset... 

DBSA celebrates four decades of development impact and regional integration

Development finance institution the Development Bank of Southern Africa is celebrating 40 years of delivering progress through critical infrastructure that transforms livelihoods, while sustaining... 

Companies bolstering defences as cyberattack threats rise

Companies across all industries are increasing their cybersecurity maturity across people, process and technology aspects, but are also increasingly looking at how best to respond in the event of... 

Closer dialogue between producers, consumers needed to ensure security of gas supply

The global energy crisis sparked by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 has transformed the structure of natural gas markets, necessitating closer dialogue between producers and consumers... 

Africa urged to strike a balance between green hydrogen exports, developing local industries

Africa has the potential to become a major player in the global green hydrogen economy, with the potential to generate more than 1 000 GW of renewable energy and could produce up to 5 000... 

South Africa, Germany to establish joint initiative to drive green hydrogen production and trade

Electricity Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa has, on behalf of the South African government, signed a joint declaration for the planned establishment of a South African-German Hydrogen Task Force... 

Refurbished Wits innovation bridge marks multimillion-rand Sibanye-Stillwater sponsorship

The refurbished and rebranded Wits Sibanye-Stillwater Innovation Bridge, which links the east and west campuses of the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), marks a further sponsorship from... 

Netherlands, Eskom to cooperate on Grootvlei transition projects

The Kingdom of the Netherlands and South African State-owned power utility Eskom have signed a letter of intent to collaborate on the development and implementation of just energy transition (JET)... 

Dairy commissions second biomass boiler for steam generation

Dairy producer Woodlands Dairy has commissioned a second biomass boiler that will use local sawdust and chip timber waste for steam generation, which will further reduce the company's heavy fuel...