Closing date for rail-slot bids extended to Feb 27

The Transnet Rail Infrastructure Manager (TRIM) has announced an extension, from February 7 to February 27, to the closing date for slot applications under the recently published Network Statement,... 

New Nordex head says South Africa remains key market, despite recent headwinds

Newly appointed Nordex Energy South Africa MD Robert Timmers says that South Africa is poised to be one of the multinational’s largest markets outside of North America and Europe in 2025. This,... 

What next?

Amid much hand wringing over President Donald Trump’s hostility towards South Africa, some clear-eyed analysis has emerged confirming that Trump’s enmity has not been triggered only by the new... 

Budget postponed to March 12 after GNU Cabinet fails to agree on two-percentage-point VAT hike

In an unprecedented development, the speaker of Parliament Thoko Didiza was forced to postpone the 2025 Budget address by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana on Wednesday. This, after Cabinet failed... 

JUWI building 340 MW of solar PV to supply SA corporates

Leading global builder and operator of renewable-energy projects JUWI Renewable Energies has announced that it is building three utility scale solar PV projects in South Africa with a combined... 

Discovery Green concludes five wheeling deals across resources, property and hospitality sectors

South African electricity trader Discovery Green has confirmed that it has signed supply agreements for wheeled electricity with five companies in the mining, property and hospitality sectors,... 

Eskom says delaying update to tariff structure will entrench incorrect price signals

Eskom has appealed to the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) not to again postpone the implementation of a new retail tariff plan (RTP), warning that any delay would further entrench... 

New abnormal

In normal times, the State of the Nation Address (SoNA) would be the dominant political event in South Africa during the week of its delivery. These are far from normal times, however, so the SoNA... 

Steenhuisen urges unity in face of ‘new threat’ from US, while calling for changes to expropriation law and equity rules

Democratic Alliance leader John Steenhuisen has called on the country to unite in the face of a “new threat” of possible US tariffs and even sanctions, following a rapid deterioration in relations... 

Energy council launches ‘Energise Mzansi’ information campaign

The Energy Council of South Africa has launched a communications campaign dubbed ‘Energise Mzansi’, which it says will seek to improve “energy transition literacy” amid rapid structural changes in... 

Mulilo gears up for big year of execution as it accelerates transition to integrated IPP

With several new renewables and battery storage projects under construction or being advanced to financial close, 2025 is poised to be a significant year in Mulilo’s ongoing transition from an... 

Gas markets set to stay tight in 2025 – IEA

Global natural gas markets reached an all-time high last year and are set to remain tight in 2025 despite an ongoing rebalancing following the supply shock of 2022/23, the International Energy... 

Transition momentum

Recent developments in South Africa’s electricity market point to there being growing, albeit still nascent, momentum behind the country’s energy transition. They also suggest that the transition... 

Ramaphosa says South Africa won’t ‘be bullied’ in SoNA overshadowed by tensions with US

In a State of the Nation Address (SoNA) overshadowed by diplomatic tensions between South Africa and  the US over land, social inclusion and climate policies, President Cyril Ramaphosa said South... 

AMSA postpones longs wind down by month amid intense rescue talks with government

Steel producer ArcelorMittal South Africa (AMSA) has postponed the wind down of its longs business by a month to allow talks with government on possible ways to prevent the closure to progress, as... 

Closing date for rail-slot bids extended to Feb 27 after updates are made to Network Statement

The Transnet Rail Infrastructure Manager (TRIM) has announced an extension, from February 7 to February 27, to the closing date for slot applications under the recently published Network Statement,... 

Bate still expects to play role in green transition following IDC departure

Former Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) COO Joanne Bate, who departed the development financier at the end of January, expects to continue to play some role in South Africa’s green energy... 

Ramaphosa responds to Trump’s land-confiscation claims, says he looks forward to bilateral engagement

South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa has issued a swift response to US President Donald Trump’s threat that aid from that country could be withdrawn, owing to his view that South Africa’s... 

Eskom falls painfully short of going 365 days loadshedding-free

After having operated South Africa’s electricity system without resorting to rotational power cuts for 310 days, Eskom declared Stage 3 loadshedding at 17:00 on January 31, after the loss of 3 600... 

Eskom forecasting full-year profit of R10bn, as it digests Nersa decision

Eskom has confirmed that it is forecasting to make a full-year profit of more that R10-billion for 2024/25, having reported a R17-billion profit for the interim period, up from the R1.6-billion... 

Much at stake as Itac moves on ‘flagship’ review of South Africa’s steel tariff structure

The review of South Africa’s steel tariff structure set to be undertaken by the International Trade Administration Commission of South Africa (Itac) has been described as the largest ever and is,... 

Inland port body dubs publication of Network Statement as ‘transformative moment’

The Multi-Modal Inland Port Association (MIPA), which represents six inland ports in South Africa and one in Namibia, has added its voice to a growing chorus of support for the newly released rail... 

Itac expects to finalise review of scrap export regulations during first half of 2025

International Trade Administration of South Africa (Itac) chief commissioner Ayabonga Cawe reports that a summary report relating to the commission’s review of the Price Preference System (PPS) for... 

How should SA respond?

Be it apartheid, State capture or even the government of national unity, South Africans know firsthand the importance and influence of politics on all aspects of life. There is a strong... 

Nersa approves 12.74% tariff hike for April 1, as Eskom reports R16bn interim profit

The Energy Regulator, the National Energy Regulator of South Africa’s (Nersa’s) highest decision-making body, has granted Eskom a 12.74% tariff increase for implementation on April 1. The... 

Hikes alone won’t guarantee Eskom’s viability, warns AGSA as it releases alarming audit findings

On the eve of the highly-anticipated announcement of Eskom’s tariffs for the coming three years, the Auditor-General South Africa (AGSA) has warned that tariff increases will fail to improve the... 

Discovery Green concludes five wheeling deals across the resources, property and hospitality sectors

South African electricity trader Discovery Green has confirmed that it has signed supply agreements for wheeled electricity with five companies in the mining, property and hospitality sectors,... 

Implats signs deal with Discovery Green for supply of wheeled electricity to Springs refinery

JSE-listed Impala Platinum (Implats) has signed a five-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with Discovery Green for the supply of wheeled renewable electricity to its refinery operations in... 

Transnet Rail Infrastructure Manager gears up to allocate first rail slots to private operators

South Africa’s recently established Transnet Rail Infrastructure Manager (TRIM) is gearing up for the allocation of the first route slots to private train operating companies (TOCs) in line with... 

Perfect storm?

There is every reason to expect that 2025 will be a year of disruption. It’s an expectation informed largely by the reality of widespread national political rupture, epitomised by the return of... 

Eskom now targeting full year loadshedding-free milestone as it breaches 300-day mark

Eskom group executive for generation Bheki Nxumalo says the utility is focussed on ensuring that South Africa achieves a full year without loadshedding at midnight on March 26, after the 300-day... 

Senior National Treasury official Lekhethe to lead IDC

Cabinet has approved the appointment of Mmakgoshi Lekhethe, a senior official from the National Treasury, as the first woman CEO of the State-owned Industrial Development Corporation (IDC).... 

Eskom outlines ‘aspirational’ generation vision in meeting with lawmakers

Eskom Group CEO Dan Marokane has outlined an “aspirational” and largely unfunded new generation project pipeline to progressively replace its aged and polluting coal fleet. Having previously... 

100 MW Free State solar project represents IPP empowerment landmark

The selection of Pele Green Energy (PGE) to supply renewable energy to the South African ferrochrome smelters operated by the Glencore Merafe Venture represents an important milestone in the steady... 

Unsurprising yet painful

News that the struggling Newcastle Works will close at the end of this month is yet another painful reminder of South Africa’s ongoing deindustrialisation. The development itself is not surprising,... 

Transnet Rail Infrastructure Manager gears up to allocate first rail slots to private operators

South Africa’s recently established Transnet Rail Infrastructure Manager (TRIM) is gearing up for the allocation of the first route slots to private train operating companies (TOCs) in line with... 

No reprieve likely this time after talks on Newcastle mill’s survival fail

The failure of a task team established to chart a survival strategy for ArcelorMittal South Africa’s (AMSA’s) Newcastle Works, in KwaZulu-Natal, culminated in the JSE-listed steel group notifying... 

AMSA confirms closure of Newcastle Works as it issues profit warning

Steel producer ArcelorMittal South Africa (AMSA) has announced that it will close its long-products business in a move that will affect 3 500 direct and indirect jobs and which is likely to have... 

Updated IRP report to be released ahead of Cabinet approval, Mathe confirms

South African National Energy Development Institute CEO Dr Titus Mathe has confirmed that a report containing a remodelled Integrated Resource Plan for 2024 (IRP2024) and incorporating stakeholder... 

Trading blows

Trade and industrial policy will play a more prominent and potentially more destabilising role given that President-elect Donald Trump has signalled his intention to leverage tariffs as part of his...