African SME-focused private capital fund has reached final closure

BluePeak Private Capital (BluePeak) announced on Tuesday that it has achieved final closing of its $156-million inaugural fund, the BluePeak Private Capital Fund SCSp. BluePeak describes itself as... 

Airbus wins major support and upgrade contracts for its military version of the A330

Airbus Defence and Space, part of the Europe-based global major Airbus aerospace group, announced on Monday that it had signed two major contracts with agencies of the French Ministry of Defence,... 

Gap between South Africa food and CPI inflation narrows again

After five consecutive months of decline, South African food and non-alcoholic beverage (NAB) inflation – hereafter to be referred to simply as food inflation – increased again in September, but... 

Embraer wins commercial and defence aviation contracts on three continents

This past week has been a significant one for Brazil-based global major aerospace group Embraer, with it being able to announce a series of commercial and defence aviation contracts, selections and... 

Energy transition in SA will need blended finance, collaboration

A key question facing South Africa, regarding the just energy transition, was how to finance it. So highlighted University of Stellenbosch Centre for Sustainability Transitions co-director Prof... 

Rolls-Royce successfully tests its latest business jet engines with 100% sustainable fuels

UK-based global major propulsion and power systems group Roll-Royce announced on Wednesday that it had successfully tested its latest generation of business jet engines using 100% sustainable... 

Cape Town Air Access wins prestigious award for the second time

For the second year in a row, the Cape Town Air Access (CTAA) initiative has won the Routes World Destination Award at the Routes World Air Service Development Conference (Routes World 2023, held... 

Two major international agencies launch joint ‘Atoms4Food’ initiative

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) launched, in Rome, in Italy, on Wednesday, their flagship Atoms4Food initiative. This... 

Africa needs lots of geological research regarding critical clean energy mineral deposits

The recently developed global need for critical clean energy minerals has created a need for deeper geological research across the continent, including in mature mining jurisdictions. This was one... 

Africa aims to use global demand for critical minerals as a basis for development

African countries were determined to use the opportunity provided by the world’s need for the metals and minerals essential for the clean energy systems of the future to develop their economies... 

Africa not a major player in solar energy – yet

All the critical minerals necessary for all renewable and battery energy technologies are found in Africa, highlighted consultancy and data company Rystad Energy senior partner and head of analysis... 

South Africa airline opens offices in Gaborone and Lusaka

South African private-sector domestic and regional airline Airlink has opened new offices in both Botswana and Zambia, in Gaborone and Lusaka respectively. The purpose of these offices is to... 

Angola’s flag carrier has ordered 787 Dreamliners from Boeing

TAAG Angola Airlines (TAAG), the west African country’s national flag carrier, has announced that it is to acquire four next-generation Boeing 787 Dreamliner widebody airliners. This is the first... 

Global and African nuclear bodies formalise their cooperation

The World Nuclear Association (WNA) and the African Commission on Nuclear Energy (AFCONE) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), covering civil nuclear energy applications, to support the... 

Local health-tech startup attracting attention with its medication app

Startup healthtech company Agile Africa has already secured its first significant client, and is attracting interest from other major health sector entities, only two years after being launched,... 

Africa needs to develop hydrocarbon resources, but must do so responsibly

Understanding was growing that Africa could not go without developing its oil and gas resources, highlighted Africa Finance Corporation senior VP: financial advisory Mohammed Abdul-Razaq. He was... 

African oil and gas projects can need innovative finance, and carbon credits can be an option

“We continue to support the natural resources space,” assured Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) senior VP financial advisory Mohammed Abdul-Razaq, in a panel discussion at the Africa Oil Week... 

ESG important for African hydrocarbon projects but the term covers very different themes

The abbreviation ESG took three very different themes and lumped them all together, cautioned Ernst & Young EMEIA energy and resources partner Jon Clark. He was participating in a panel discussion... 

Nuclear initiative to help decarbonise global energy highlighted at international conference

The International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA’s) second Climate Change Conference, in Vienna, Austria, was, on Wednesday, the platform on which the Net Zero Nuclear initiative updated delegates on... 

Worldwide air cargo demand rose in August, reports IATA

Total global air cargo demand increased by 1.5%, year-on-year (y-o-y) in August, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has reported. (IATA is the global representative body for the... 

Pop-up showcase for Western Cape exporters during October inaugurated

Western Cape provincial trade, investment and tourism promotion agency Wesgro on Friday inaugurated its “Made in the Cape Market”, at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town. The market will run throughout... 

Southern African airlines body elects its leadership for next year

The Airlines Association of Southern Africa (AASA) on Saturday elected its chairperson and deputy chairperson for the next 12 months. The election took place during the association’s fifty-third... 

International Finance Corporation to develop offshore wind power road map for South Africa

The International Finance Corporation (IFC), part of the World Bank group, is to develop an offshore wind power road map for South Africa, IFC Principal Renewable Energy Specialist Sean Whittaker... 

Batteries essential part of solar systems for business customers

A paradoxical risk with regard to the adoption of solar energy as a power source for commercial and industrial customers was loadshedding, vertically integrated independent power producer New... 

Necsa requests to have some nuclear generation capacity assigned to it

The South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) has formally requested Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe to change its mandate, to allow it to become involved in the... 

Academic wind energy conference being held in parallel with industry conference

Running in parallel with the Windaba 2023 conference is WindAc Africa 2023, an academic conference focused on wind power. Hosted by the South African Wind Energy Association, WindAc 2023 is also... 

Many wind turbine components can be recycled

An issue regarding wind farms that will have to be addressed is how to handle their inevitable decommissioning issues, including what to do with wind turbines (towers, machinery and blades) that... 

Wind sector in South Africa at risk of being seen as exclusive

South Africa’s wind energy industry was in danger of being seen as an exclusive sector, Energy and Water Sector Education and Training Authority CEO Mpho Mookapele warned, in her keynote address to... 

Wind power has significant future role in South Africa, affirms association

The South Africa wind power sector now faced a “transformative juncture”, highlighted South African Wind Energy Association (SAWEA) CEO Niveshen Govender in his opening address at the Windaba 2023... 

The just energy transition in South Africa will need blended finance and collaboration

A key question facing South Africa, regarding the just energy transition, was how to finance it. So highlighted University of Stellenbosch Centre for Sustainability Transitions co-director Prof... 

UK seeking to support development of South African space sector

British research and development funding agency Innovate UK has launched a programme to help revitalise the South African space industry. This is part of a wider programme which also seeks to... 

South African food inflation continued its downward trend in August

Food and non-alcoholic beverage (NAB) inflation (hereafter to be referred to simply as food inflation) in South Africa continued to decelerate in August, in year-on-year (y-o-y) terms, the Bureau... 

Public Enterprises seeks to appeal court judgment regarding budget airline Mango

The Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) announced on Monday that it had applied for leave to appeal the Pretoria High Court judgment, and order, regarding State-owned low-cost airline Mango,... 

Startup to offer cervical cancer-related screening and vaccination service

Private-sector healthcare startup CERVI is focused on helping address the scourge of cervical cancer, a disease with a 50% mortality rate. The human papillomavirus (HPV), which is sexually... 

UK agency seeks to develop Anglo-South African technology innovation collaborations

British research and development funding agency Innovate UK participated in the 2023 South Africa Innovation Summit (SAIS), held in partnership with the Technology Innovation Agency, in Cape Town.... 

Denel seeking to rebuild itself after severe collapse

A briefing to Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Public Enterprises by the top management of Denel on Wednesday brought home the scale of the collapse at the State-owned defence industrial group... 

South Africa’s enviro monitoring network celebrates twenty-first anniversary

The National Research Foundation’s South African Environmental Observation Network (NRF-SAEON) celebrated its 21st anniversary on Friday. Organised in “nodes” spread across the country, the... 

The dtic supporting startups at SA Innovation Summit 2023

The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (dtic) is attending the 2023 South Africa Innovation Summit (SAIS), held in partnership with the Technology Innovation Agency, in Cape Town, to... 

Innovative local toilet and basin system winning orders

Innovative Pretoria-based enterprise Loo Afrique is getting a good response from early childhood development centres for its combined toilet cistern and wash basin product, branded as the... 

Local healthtech startup attracting attention with its medication app

Startup healthtech company Agile Africa has already secured its first significant client, and is attracting interest from other major health sector entities, only two years after being launched,...