Africa urged to unleash private-sector potential

World Bank vice-president, Africa, Callisto Madavo yesterday urged African countries to unleash private-sector potential to change the investment climate on the continent, which is suffering from... 

Fluorspar miner's recovery impeded by rand

South Africa's largest fluorspar producer, Sallies, achieved a further advance in its recovery process during the year to June, but the strengthening rand prevented it from breaking back into the... 

'Africa is a continent of opportunities'

South African Trade and Industry Minister Mandisi Mpahlwa said yesterday that the business case for solving Africa's underdevelopment should be based on the opportunities offered by the continent,... 

Eskom to spend billions to improve reliability of supply

South Africa's Eskom Transmission yesterday officially opened the new 400/88 kV Lulamisa substation - the first of several new capital investment projects undertaken by the power utility to ensure... 

'Mining houses should not be forced to beneficiate'

South African Chamber of Mines acting CEO Dr Frans Barker last week rejected suggestions that mines should be directly involved in the beneficiation of minerals, but said the mining sector would... 

Hope Downs dispute a technicality - Kumba

South African mining giant Kumba Resources is confident that it will be successful in the arbitration of a dispute with its partner in an Australian iron-ore project, saying the dispute arose as a... 

First steps in Kumba-Transnet rail talks

South African transport utility Transnet confirmed last week that it has already held the first meeting with Kumba Resources ahead of negotiations to review their current agreement regarding the... 

Solidarity takes Telkom fight to Parliament

The Solidarity trade union has turned up the heat in its fight against proposed Telkom retrenchments by taking the issue directly to Parliament yesterday. 

Grintek sees big opportunity in telecoms liberalisation

South African technology group Grintek is expecting to reap benefits from the country's recently-announced plans to liberalise its telecommunications sector, and said the move could have a... 

'State to tackle preferential procurement resistance'

South African Minister of Minerals and Energy Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka yesterday said government must sharpen its strategies to tackle certain companies' resistance to preferential procurement and,... 

Wages, safety at root of Sasol strike

South African synthetic fuels maker Sasol said yesterday that about 300 of its workers went on strike yesterday, at the company's Secunda plant. 

M&R withdraws SRP case, Steinhoff exercises Unitrans rights

Construction and engineering group Murray & Roberts last week withdrew its complaint of 'frustrating action' with the Securities Regulatory Panel against Unitrans, in which it holds a 44% stake,... 

Aflease outlines uranium plan

Troubled South African mining group Afrikander Lease (Aflease) said on Friday it is positioning itself to operate within a strong rand environment and outlined its plans to bring its proposed... 

Call to meet WSSD commitments

The international community was yesterday called upon to meet the commitments it made at the World Summit for Sustainable Development (WSSD), in 2002, and was urged to start delivering development... 

Hope Downs dispute a technicality - Kumba

South African mining giant Kumba Resources is confident that it will be successful in the arbitration of a dispute with its partner in an Australian iron-ore project, saying the dispute arose as a... 

First steps in Kumba-Transnet rail talks

South African transport utility Transnet yesterday confirmed that it has already held the first meeting with Kumba Resources ahead of negotiations to review their current agreement regarding the... 

Acsa announces R3,8bn capex plan

The largest airports authority in Africa, Airports Company South Africa (Acsa), announced yesterday that it will invest R3,8-billion in the next five-year period in infrastructure development,... 

Cape chamber adds voice to steel-price fight

The Cape Town Regional Chamber of Commerce has added its voice to the complaints about Ispat Iscor's domestic steel pricing, saying that companies in the Western Cape are being charged for... 

Implats seeks to expand Zim operations, awaits accord

South African platinum major Impala Platinum Holdings (Implats) is seeking to capitalise on the significant expansion potential of its Zimbabwean operations, the group said last week. 

Mid-tier miner Metorex remains acquisitive

Mid-tier South African mining group Metorex yesterday said it would remain acquisitive, but would also pursue growth through mergers and exploration. 

Ispat Iscor denies being served by Solidarity

The scrap between Solidarity trade union and South African steel producer Ispat Iscor continued yesterday, with the two even failing to agree on whether the labour organisation actually served... 

Union squares up for legal action against Ispat Iscor

The Solidarity trade union has indicated that it will most likely launch a legal challenge against Ispat Iscor’s plans to retrench thousands of workers, after the South African steel producer... 

Guinea lifts gold-export embargo

The world’s second-largest gold producer AngloGold Ashanti announced yesterday that the government of the Republic of Guinea has lifted the embargo on the export of gold bullion by the... 

Kumba moves to untangle Hope Downs contractual issues

South African iron-ore giant Kumba Resources expects to make an announcement towards the end of the year about its Australian iron-ore joint venture project, the company confirmed yesterday. 

Union threatens ‘aggressive’ action against Ispat Iscor

Solidarity trade union will take “aggressive” action against steel producer Ispat Iscor following an alleged breach of agreement by the company, the union told Engineering News Online... 

Businesses urged to step up fight against counterfeiting

The Intellectual Property Action Group (Ipact), in conjunction with the Embassy of the US and the US Patent and Trademark Office, yesterday hosted a workshop in Johannesburg on the enforcement of... 

SA and Croatia sign bilateral trade deal

South Africa and Croatia on Friday signed a bilateral trade agreement, marking a significant step towards strengthening trade relations between the two countries. 

Diversified giants expect commodity bull-run to continue

Robust global commodity markets have pushed profits of the world’s largest resources groups to record levels in recent weeks, and it is anticipated that the bullish market conditions will... 

Last corvette sets sail for SA

The South African Navy’s fourth and last corvette, the SAS Mendi, will set sail from Kiel, Germany, today (Friday), the navy said in a statement. 

Commodity bull-run makes acquisitions tough – BHPB

While strong commodity markets pushed BHP Billiton’s earnings to record levels in the financial year to June 30, the world’s largest diversified mining group said yesterday that the... 

Group Five continues cross-border campaign

South African broad-based infrastructure firm Group Five is taking advantage of international opportunities and lessening its exposure to the South African rand by participating in a number of... 

AngloCoal-Eyesizwe mull R1,6bn coal project

Coal mining groups Anglo Coal and Eyesizwe yesterday launched a 50:50 joint venture to develop and mine the Arnot North coal reserve, 30 km east of Middelburg in the coal-rich Mpumalanga Province... 

Commission of inquiry formed to probe Telkom lay-offs

After scoring an early victory in the Labour Court on Sunday, the three-trade-union alliance is now ready to step up its fight against South African telecommunications giant Telkom, which is... 

Era of megamergers is over, claims AngloGold Ashanti

Gold-producing giant AngloGold Ashanti said last week it would pursue future growth through collaboration with gold juniors and local governments in parts of the world that offer exploration... 

Aquarius aims for 700 000 oz in 2007

Platinum producer Aquarius Platinum yesterday said it had achieved “considerable progress” in terms of black economic empowerment (BEE), adding that a credible and bankable transaction... 

No blanket BEE exemption for ICT multinationals

Multinational companies will not be given a ‘blanket exemption’ from equity requirements that aim to boost black ownership within South Africa’s information communication and... 

Union, chamber welcome interest rate cut

The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) commended South African Reserve Bank governor Tito Mboweni’s decision yesterday to cut the repo rate by half a percentage point, to 7,5%. 

NUM calls for Bank intervention on rand

The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), led by general-secretary Gwede Mantashe, yesterday staged a march to the South African Reserve Bank, in Pretoria, in a bid to request the bank to intervene... 

Ekurhuleni sitting on mine-water crisis

The Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Council will urgently call upon President Thabo Mbeki to mobilise government to avert a possible ‘disaster’ faced by Johannesburg’s East Rand, as a... 

Workers and bosses unite against rand strength

The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), led by general-secretary Gwede Mantashe, yesterday staged a march to the South African Reserve Bank, in Pretoria, in a bid to request the bank to intervene...