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Legislative Environment News

New consumer campaign launched to assist in the fight against illicit cigarettes

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 11th August 2021 South Africa’s tobacco industry is stepping up its campaign against illicit cigarette producers with a new educational campaign aimed at helping smokers distinguish between legal and illicit products. The ‘Know What You Smoke’ campaign is hinged on an animated video that explains how the price of... →

City of Johannesburg appoints new mayor in wake of Makhubo’s death

By: Donna Slater 10th August 2021 Following the death of City of Johannesburg Mayor Geoff Makhubo on July 9, an extraordinary council meeting on August 10 resulted in Councillor Jolidee Matongo being elected as the new executive Mayor. Matongo, who is the former Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Finance in the current... →

eThekwini municipality approves relief, recovery measures for businesses

By: Donna Slater 6th August 2021 The eThekwini municipality has approved various measures to support business customers that have been affected by the mid-July civil unrest that saw widespread looting and destruction of property and assets in the province.  The rapid implementation of eThekwini mayor councillor Mxolisi Kaunda’s... →

Increased interest in temporary employment services

By: Darren Parker 6th August 2021 More of human capital solutions provider Workforce’s agricultural clients are agreeing to the value that Workforce Staffing – a temporary employment service provider subsidiary of Workforce – can bring to the table. Workforce Africa MD Darren Hollander tells Engineering News that compliance... →

A photograph of Workforce Africa MD Darren Hollander

DARREN HOLLANDER In the agriculture sector, which mostly requires unskilled labour, not enough is being done to upskill workers

Rand Refinery looks back, and forward, as it marks 100 years of operations

By: Cameron Mackay 6th August 2021 Since it began operating in 1921, gold refiner Rand Refinery’s technological pioneering spirit has enabled it to transform into a “global powerhouse with a unique portfolio of products and services”, as it has continuously expanded its product portfolio and technical knowledge. Celebrating its... →

Image of Engineering News and Mining Weekly cover

Busa welcomes easing of restrictions, others caution of damage already done

By: Donna Slater 26th July 2021 President Cyril Ramaphosa’s July 25 address to the nation and the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions from adjusted Alert Level 4, to adjusted Alert Level 3, has been welcomed by Business Unity South Africa (Busa), while the South African Liquor Brandowners Association (Salba) has expressed concern... →

Basa requests urgent meeting with Patel to save industry on the brink of collapse

By: Donna Slater 21st July 2021 In the wake of the recent civil unrest, which resulted in 161 liquor outlets and distribution centres being looted and damaged in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng, the beer industry is urgently calling for the alcohol ban to be lifted so that legal businesses can operate. Enabling liquor business to... →

Contracts need to be examined before declaring force majeure in times of unrest – Webber Wentzel

By: Donna Slater 16th July 2021 Following the looting, violence and vandalism following the imprisonment of former President Jacob Zuma, law firm Webber Wentzel says businesses experiencing disruption may be able to invoke force majeure clauses in contracts, or the law of supervening impossibility, depending on the... →

Industry tech event postponed to next year

16th July 2021 Event organiser Specialised Exhibitions – a division of Montgomery Group of companies – along with other organisers of KwaZulu-Natal’s premier trade show for the industrial technology sector has made the decision to reschedule the KwaZulu-Natal Industrial Technology Exhibition (KITE) that was due... →

THE REAL DEAL Face-to-face events provided numerous opportunities to connect with others in a way that cannot be achieved online

Alcohol industry laments sales ban extension

By: Donna Slater 12th July 2021 The South African Liquor Brandowners Association (Salba) and National Liquor Traders (NLT) note their disappointment in President Cyril Ramaphosa’s decision to extend the current ban of alcohol sales by another two weeks. In a joint statement, the two organisations suggest that the decision to... →

Salba requests excise duties deferment to offset liquor prohibition implications

By: Donna Slater 6th July 2021 The South African Liquor Brandowners Association (Salba) states that the current 14-day ban of alcohol sales declared by government on June 27 has left it with “no choice” but to request that the South African Revenue Service (Sars) provide extended payment terms on the excise duties currently... →

Govt still remiss in its consultation with private sector on Covid-19 lockdowns, says BLSA

By: Donna Slater 5th July 2021 Despite the improvements in government’s approach to tackling the Covid-19 pandemic and associated lockdown regulations, Business Leadership South Africa CEO Busi Mavuso says government has still not embraced consultation with the private sector. She points out this has been a case in point with... →

Commission’s automotive aftermarkets guidelines now effective

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 1st July 2021 The Competition Commission’s Guidelines for Competition in the South African Automotive Aftermarket have become effective as of July 1. The final guidelines were issued on January 29 and are available on the commission’s website. →

Salba requests data that drove latest alcohol sales ban

By: Donna Slater 29th June 2021 The South African Liquor Brandowners Association (Salba) has written to Ministerial Advisory Council (MAC) chairperson Professor Koleka Mlisana, calling for the release of the information that informed the MAC’s recommendation to the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC) to reimpose a ban... →

South African oil law seen unlikely to be approved until 2022

By: Bloomberg 29th June 2021 South Africa’s draft oil exploration and production law is unlikely to be finalized for at least another year, despite the government’s call for the legislation to be expedited. Parliamentary hearings and amendments to the Upstream Petroleum Resources Development Bill published earlier in June... →

New restrictions putting many jobs at risk, commentators warn

By: Donna Slater 28th June 2021 Following President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement of the move to adjusted Alert Level 4 Covid-19 restrictions and the accompanying ban on alcohol sales, the South African Liquor Brandowners Association (Salba) is requesting government to reassess its measures and to focus on its vaccine rollout... →

Vaccine registration for people 50 and over opens July 1

By: Sane Dhlamini 25th June 2021 Acting Health Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane announced on Friday that South Africans aged between 50 and 59 years can register for the Covid-19 vaccine from July 1, with vaccinations for this age group scheduled to begin July 15. South Africa is battling a third wave of the pandemic, with... →

Acting Health Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane announces that vaccine registration for people aged 50 and over opens July 1 (Camera: Kutlwano Matlala, Editing: Nicholas Boyd)

South Africa’s labour law architect Mboweni sees need for change

By: Bloomberg 18th June 2021 Tito Mboweni, the architect of many of South Africa’s labour laws, said it may be time to review them to ensure they aren’t impeding economic growth. South Africa’s current finance minister told an investment conference on Thursday that when he served as the first post-apartheid labour minister... →

Association offers value to stakeholders

By: Nadine Ramdass 18th June 2021 Stakeholders in the biofuels and biogas industry can advocate for better legislation and connect with other stakeholders by being active members of associations such as the Southern African Biogas Industry Association (SABIA). The association also makes it possible for stakeholders and interested... →

BIOGAS FACILITY ON FARM Anaerobic digestion converts hazardous organic waste

APDP Phase 2 to take effect on July 1

By: Marleny Arnoldi 15th June 2021 Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Ebrahim Patel has advised that amendments to the Automotive Production and Development Programme (APDP) will be gazetted on June 25 and implemented from July 1. The APDP is an automotive industry support policy consisting of rebates and refunds of... →

SAHPRA registers Janssen Covid-19 vaccine with conditions

By: Sane Dhlamini 7th June 2021 The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) announced on Monday the registration of the Janssen Covid-19 vaccine on March 31, with conditions. SAHPRA CEO Dr Boitumelo Semete-Makokotlela explained that one of the conditions is that the vaccine be manufactured under conditions... →

Sub-Saharan Africa rebound significantly lower than globally

By: Halima Frost 4th June 2021 A smaller contraction in 2020 and a sharper growth rebound in 2021 have led to predictions of a global rebound of about 5.6%; however, sub-Saharan Africa will lag behind, with the slowest recovery rate of about 3%, said data research and analytics company Fitch Solutions Country Risk & Industry... →

PLUGGED IN The sub-Saharan Africa recovery is on on trend with the rest of the world

Sakeliga starts court proceedings to realign municipal administration

By: Donna Slater 31st May 2021 Independent business community Sakeliga has instituted court proceedings to reverse municipal decline throughout South Africa, proposing a new form of municipal administration, with independent control over electricity and other service charges. In court papers currently being served on two... →

Mboweni appoints ombud council leaders

By: Donna Slater 24th May 2021 Finance Minister Tito Mboweni has appointed the first Ombud Council board and council Chief Ombud, independent consultant Eileen Meyer, giving effect to the new financial ombud system in terms of the Financial Sector Regulation Act. Meyer will serve in her position as a transitional measure,... →

Critical structural reforms taking too long – BLSA

By: Donna Slater 24th May 2021 The structural reform required to transform South Africa’s economy has “frustratingly” progressed very little, even with the establishment of Operation Vulindlela, Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA) CEO Busi Mavuso asserts. She says organised business has consistently argued that South... →

Photo by Creamer Media's Donna Slater
BLSA CEO Busi Mavuso

Busa welcomes BBBEE practice note clarifying collective enterprises

By: Schalk Burger 21st May 2021 Business organisation Business Unity South Africa (Busa) on May 21 said it welcomes the recent publication of the Broad-based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) Act practice note for rules for discretionary collective enterprises, which clarifies how discretionary collective enterprises,... →

DTIC trade policy statement addresses green, labour opportunities

By: Marleny Arnoldi 21st May 2021 The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) on May 20 issued a Trade Policy Statement that reflects its policy objectives for international trade in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. The policy objectives also address emerging opportunities which stem from the signing of the... →

Geospatial issues impact inequality levels in Southern Africa

By: Sane Dhlamini 21st May 2021 Professor Vimal Ranchhod from the Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit at the University of Cape Town (UCT) says data show there is a strong geospatial component when it comes to serious inequality in Southern Africa. He was addressing a virtual debate organised by the Embassy of... →

Construction sector builds hope

By: Darren Parker 21st May 2021 Although there is uncertainty regarding the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the economy and the construction sector, hope remains as long as South African policy makers continue to recognise that the built environment sector is an important pillar in terms of stimulating the economy, says... →

Photo by Adobe
BLUE SKIES AHEAD Hope remains for the construction sector as policy makers seem to be committed to infrastructure spend

Collaborative vision required to overcome current lack of cohesion – WCPDF

By: Donna Slater 20th May 2021 South Africa’s government and private sector need a clear agreement on their collective to bring an end to the trend of working in silos and “talking past each other”, nonprofit property development organisation Western Cape Property Development Forum (WCPDF) chairperson Deon van Zyl has said.... →

Negotiations for new metals, engineering wage agreement to start in June

By: Donna Slater 19th May 2021 With the current wage and working condition agreement in the metals and engineering sector close to expiration, it was agreed at the Metal and Engineering Industries Bargaining Council management committee meeting on May 18 that the main agreement wages and conditions of employment negotiations... →

Elidz hopeful new SIU probe will end corruption, maladministration allegations

By: Donna Slater 19th May 2021 The East London Industrial Development Zone (Elidz) says it “welcomes” a probe into allegations of corruption and maladministration by the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) if the authorities “deem it worthwhile to put resources into these allegations once more”. The new SIU investigation comes a... →

Western Cape asks public for input on Inclusionary Housing Policy Framework

By: Marleny Arnoldi 14th May 2021 The Western Cape government on May 14 published an Inclusionary Housing Policy Framework for public comment. The framework will help municipalities in the Western Cape facilitate the inclusion of more affordable housing units in developments in their municipal areas. →

Raising distributed generator licence-exemption cap to 10 MW ‘does not go far enough’

By: Terence Creamer 3rd May 2021 Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA) says a proposed amendment to Schedule 2 of the Electricity Regulation Act, which would raise the licence exemption threshold for private distributed-generation plants from 1 MW to 10 MW, “does not go far enough”. Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede... →

Low price could boost LNG development

By: Cameron Mackay 23rd April 2021 A decrease in oil demand and, consequently, in prices last year because of Covid-19 also resulted in lower prices for liquefied natural gas (LNG). Business research consultancy Birguid associate researcher Patience Panashe argues that LNG buyers can take advantage of this to import LNG into South... →

GAS CEILING Given the increased LNG exploration in Africa, more acquisition transactions are expected to occur. This will consolidate the African LNG market, bolstering growth and production

Amendments to plastic bag regulations published for comment

By: Simone Liedtke 19th April 2021 Amendments to the Plastic Carrier Bags and Plastic Flat Bags Regulations have been gazetted by Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Minister Barbara Creecy on April 7, in terms of the National Environmental Management Act and the National Environmental Management: Waste Act. The amendments... →

Public have until month-end to comment on new lighting lamp specifications

By: Schalk Burger 14th April 2021 South Africans have until April 30 to comment on the recently gazetted specifications for general service lamps. The specifications are aimed at improving the safety, performance and energy efficiency of lightbulbs approved for use in South Africa by phasing out inefficient and environmentally... →

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