The automotive industry plays an important strategic role in South Africa’s overall economy, contributing 4.90% to gross domestic product – 2.80% from manufacturing and 2.10% from retail – in 2020. The manufacturing sector came to a standstill in March 2020, under Level 5 of the national Covid-19 lockdown restrictions. Production and sales were also severely affected, which industry association naamsa | the Automotive Business Council has described as the most “turbulent year” in the history of the motor industry globally. Commenting on the current state of the industry,  BMW South Africa CEO Peter van Binsbergen has said that “we need to make our industry futureproof, especially now that everything has moved faster than anyone expected . . . [and] where a big part of the automotive industry’s recovery from Covid-19 has been tied to electromobility incentives”. Creamer Media’s Automotive 2021 Report examines the current market conditions in South Africa’s automotive industry, including manufacturing and investment, the role that electric vehicles will play in the country’s future, sector support, transformation and labour, as well as the outlook for the sector.

The June 2021 roundup covers activities in May 2021 and includes details of business organisation the National Employers' Association of South’s comments on the proposed amendments to Schedule 2 of the Electricity Regulation Act; the National Energy Regulator of South Africa’s application to the High Court to oppose State-owned power utility Eskom’s High Court application seeking to review and set aside the energy regulator’s latest regulatory clearing account determination; and Saudi energy generation and desalination company Acwa Power’s 100 MW Redstone concentrated solar power project.

The load-shedding that has plagued South Africa for many years is likely to worsen for some time yet, as State-owned power utility Eskom is struggling to meet demand. President Cyril Ramaphosa noted in his State of the Nation Address in February 2021 that the country would need between 4 000 MW and 6 000 MW of additional generation capacity over the next five years – that is in addition to the capacity to be added under the country's renewables procurement programmes. Eskom has, however, assured South Africans that progress is being made with regard to the utility’s programme to improve the performance of its coal-powered fleet so that load-shedding can be materially reduced from September 2021 onwards. The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy is also preparing to procure electricity under new bid windows of the Renewable Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme, which has stalled for many years. It is also making progress in procuring so-called emergency power supplies that are expected to contribute to electricity supply from August 2022. Steps are also being taken to make it easier for businesses to generate electricity to meet some of their own electricity needs. In that respect, policy discussions and debates within government, regarding reforms in the electricity sector, are also continuing. Creamer Media’s Electricity 2021 Report provides an overview of South Africa’s electricity sector, with a focus on Eskom’s restructuring, generation performance and new build programme, as well as issues of coal management and the contentious issue of electricity tariffs. It also covers the changing electricity landscape, the role of independent power producers in the country’s energy mix, as well as transmission, distribution and electricity planning, besides others.

Creamer Media's Energy Roundup is a monthly report providing a synopsis of energy-related news from South Africa. The May 2021 roundup covers activities in April 2021 and includes details of South Africa’s emerging solar photovoltaic value chain; calls on the Treasury and State-owned power utility Eskom to consider the softening of uneconomic contractual coal-supply obligations; and South Africa’s Hydrogen Society Roadmap, which is planned to be presented for Cabinet approval either before the end of the year or early next year.