South African fintech startup gets major investment to scale up its operations

South African startup fintech company Float has obtained funding of $2.6-million (R46-million), to scale-up its local operations, improve its proprietary technology card-linked instalment platform... 

South Africa is developing a major legitimate, regulated, cannabis and hemp industry

With the start of the planting season for hemp and cannabis plants in South Africa, the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic) has highlighted its role in developing and... 

NRF and Mintek to jointly deliver Mintek-SCi 2025 next month

South Africa’s national research funding, facilities and human capital development agency, the National Research Foundation (NRF), and the country’s national minerals research institution, Mintek,... 

New passenger handling managed connectivity service for airlines launched

Global aviation industry IT and technology solutions group SITA has launched a new managed connectivity service, named SITA Connect Fly, to allow airlines to modernise their passenger handling... 

Airbus delivers A330neo wide-body airliner to Côte d’Ivoire

The national flag carrier of the Côte d’Ivoire, in West Africa, Air Côte d’Ivoire, has taken delivery of its first Airbus A330-900 widebody airliner, the airframer has announced. The airline has... 

Embraer’s next-generation airliners certified in South Africa

Brazil-based major global aerospace group Embraer has announced that both its E190-E2 and E195-E2 smaller single-aisle airliners have been type certified by the South African Civil Aviation... 

New nano-reinforced polymer composite material created by CSIR and local company

The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and South African additive manufacturing (3D printing) filament producer Filament Factory have collaborated to develop a new... 

Southern Africa’s first ever materials lifting awards presented

The Southern African materials lifting and handling industry has celebrated its first ever sectoral awards ceremony, the Lifting Awards. Hosted by sector-specialist media platform Lifting Africa,... 

Unctad reports that trade policy uncertainty has 'become the new tariff'

The unpredictability of particularly US trade policy has become a major factor in global trade, UN Trade and Development (Unctad) has highlighted in its latest 'Global Trade Update'. This was on... 

Global total air cargo demand rose strongly in July, reports IATA

The International Air Transport Association (IATA), which is the global representative body for the airline industry, has reported that global total air cargo demand grew strongly, by 5.5%,... 

Worldwide air passenger traffic showed good growth in July, reports IATA

Global total air passenger traffic showed good year-on-year growth in July, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has reported. IATA is the global representative body for the airline... 

Tshwane approves strategic development plan for its Fresh Produce Market precinct

The City of Tshwane (which includes Pretoria) has approved a strategic precinct plan for the Tshwane Fresh Product Market and its surrounding neighbourhoods. The precinct was defined as the area... 

First robotic donor kidney removal surgery successfully conducted in South Africa

Stellenbosch University (SU) has announced that South Africa’s first ever robotic surgery for the removal of a donor kidney has been successfully conducted at Tygerberg Hospital in Cape Town. The... 

Zimbabwean agency signs MoU with Korean group on nuclear power feasibility study

Zimbabwe’s Centre for Education, Innovation, Research and Development (CEIRD) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with South Korea’s biggest energy company, Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power... 

Standard Bank launches platform to help African businesses integrate sustainability and ESG

Leading South African financial institution, Standard Bank, has launched a free online platform, available on the bank’s website, to help and empower African businesses through the provision of... 

South African food inflation continued on an upward path in July

South African food inflation accelerated again in July, the Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy (BFAP) think tank has pointed out in its latest 'Food Inflation Brief'. The increase was 5.7%... 

Digital technology adoption essential to protect borders both today and tomorrow

African countries have to emulate those in other parts of the world and adopt the latest technologies for border control, safety and security purposes, particularly regarding air travel. This was... 

Eastern Cape launches strategy to boost its natural ingredients exports

The Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC) and the Swiss Import Promotion Programme (SIPPO) have partnered to launch the Eastern Cape Natural Ingredients Export Promotion Strategy. Currently,... 

Stellenbosch University launches new Chair, focused on concentrated solar power

Stellenbosch University (SU) has officially launched a new solar energy Chair (Professorship) in its Department of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, and announced the name of the inaugural... 

Cape Town is examining the sale of its majority stake in its International Convention Centre

The Cape Town City Council has decided to start an exploratory public participation process into the sale of the city’s majority shareholding in the Cape Town International Convention Centre... 

Global healthcare group Haleon making major investments into its South African operation

UK-based global consumer healthcare company Haleon is investing R500-million in its South African operation, Haleon South Africa Cape Town site director Cindy Carter highlighted in a media briefing... 

Stellenbosch University opens cutting-edge medical training facility

Stellenbosch University (SU) has officially opened the most advanced and largest teaching centre in Africa for medical morphology. The Medical Morphology Learning Centre (MMLC) is a... 

Airlink donates a retired aircraft to a Gauteng school, to help train future aviation specialists

South African regional and domestic airline Airlink has donated a decommissioned regional airliner to the Rhodesfield Engineering School of Specialisation (SOS), in Kempton Park, via the Gauteng... 

Nigerian company incorporates new LPG tanker into its growing fleet

Nigerian liquid natural gas and petroleum products transport, trade and marketing company WAGL Energy has taken into service its latest ship, the MT Iyaloja (Lagos). The ceremony was held in Ulsan,... 

Concor highlights latest phase of its Conradie Park development

South African construction, project development and mining services group Concor has announced the start of groundwork on the next stage of its Conradie Park development in Cape Town. Conradie Park... 

Kenya eyes green hydrogen to aid farmers

Kenya has made “significant strides” since it launched the Green Hydrogen Strategy and Roadmap for Kenya at the Africa Climate Summit in September 2023, Kenya Electricity Generating Company... 

IATA to reaffirm its commitment to net-zero with its third World Sustainability Symposium

The International Air Transport Association (IATA), which is the global representative body for the airline industry, has highlighted the industry’s commitment to achieving net-zero carbon... 

Intra-SADC tourism development hampered by protectionist aviation policies

Outdated and restrictive policies regarding aviation are hampering the development of tourism within the Southern African Development Community (SADC), it was pointed out by participants in the... 

South African researchers win prestigious international prize for AI-based system

The Institute for Collider Particle Physics (ICPP), which is based at the University of the Witwatersrand, has been named as one of the winners of the international ODESS 2025 prize, awarded by the... 

Armscor has hosted the first supplier day for military veteran-owned businesses

South African defence procurement, disposals and research and development agency Armscor has hosted a supplier information day for military veteran-owned companies. This was the first such event... 

ATNS joins international initiative to reduce carbon emissions by more efficient routing

Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS), South Africa’s air navigation service provider (ANSP), has announced that it has joined the international Green Aviation Insights (GAIN) initiative. GAIN... 

International Council of Beverages Associations launches its African arm

The global representative body for the non-alcoholic beverage industry, the International Council of Beverages Associations (ICBA) has announced the establishment of ICBA Africa. It also announced... 

Competition Commission approves sale of sawmill by Sappi to Normandien Farms

Paper and pulp producing group Sappi Southern Africa has announced that the Competition Commission has approved its sale of the Lomati Sawmill, in Mpumalanga, to another South African group,... 

Agency highlights rapid global progress in SMR development

The Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA), which is an agency of the intergovernmental Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, has published the third edition of its “NEA Small Modular Reactor... 

Airline Airlink and lessor Azorra finalise agreement for ten new Embraer E195-E2 aircraft

South African regional and domestic airline Airlink and US-based aircraft leasing, management and finance group Azorra have finalised their agreement, under which Airlink will lease ten new Embraer... 

IATA agreement with software company makes its emissions data more widely available

The global representative body for the airline industry, the International Air Transport Association (IATA), and software enterprise Chooose, have entered an agreement that will expand market... 

The African Development Bank has achieved significant successes over the past decade

Outgoing African Development Bank (AfDB) president, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, has highlighted the successes of the institution. His term of office ends on September 1. The bank has maintained a AAA... 

IATA reports on the busiest airliners and airport pairs in 2024

The most-used airliners in the world last year were Boeing and Airbus single-aisle (or narrowbody) types, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has reported, in the latest edition of... 

Last year saw strong growth in all air passenger travel, but especially in the premium-classes

Last year, growth in first-class and business-class combined (collectively known as premium-class) international air travel exceeded the growth in international economy-class air travel, the... 

South African space company identified as a world-leader in its segment

South African high-data-rate satellite communication subsystems manufacturer CUBECOM, which specialised in the nanosatellite (“CubeSat”) and microsatellite markets, was celebrating the fact that...