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Accenture sales and commerce lead Africa Mushambi Mutuma.

South African companies struggling to keep pace with e-commerce growth

Published: 09 May 24

While the cost of doing business is increasing, as companies grapple with ad hoc systems, legacy technology, skills gaps and poor infrastructure, global e-commerce companies with a “wealth of know-how” are rapidly intensifying competition. Hence, the influx of best-in-class global players into the South African market is reshaping industry dynamics, posing a challenge for local companies across the board, according to a report published by global professional services company Accenture.

AP Ventures Co-Founding Partner Kevin Eggers

Hydrogen’s ‘irreplaceable’ role highlighted by platinum-linked venture capital provider

Published: 09 May 24

The role of hydrogen in the decarbonisation of the hardest-to-abate sectors of the global economy continues to be highlighted as “irreplaceable” by AP Ventures, the independent venture capital fund focused on investing in early-stage companies that use or enable the use of platinum group metals (PGMs). “We remain very excited about the hydrogen sector,” was the comment of AP Ventures co-founding partner Kevin Eggers in a Zoom interview with Mining Weekly. (Also watch attached Creamer Media video.)

Deadline for latest battery procurement also extended as IPPs adjust to Eskom’s new grid access rules

Published: 09 May 24

The deadline for South Africa’s recently launched third battery energy storage bidding round, or bid window three (BW3), has been extended by three months to October 31, following a recent deadline extension for the concurrent second battery bidding round from April 30 to June 6. Independent Power Producer Office head Bernard Magoro indicated during a Battery Energy Storage Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (BESIPPPP) briefing that the BW3 extension had been granted on May 8, following requests from prospective bidders and amid ongoing congestion in securing grid-access cost estimate letters (CELs) from Eskom.

Underspending on repairs, maintenance impacting on Joburg infrastructure – JoburgCAN

Published: 09 May 24

Following a decade of underspending on repairs and maintenance on infrastructure, JoburgCAN, an initiative of the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa), says it is “gravely concerned” over the budget allocations for the maintenance of fixed assets in the City of Johannesburg’s draft budget for 2024/25. “The City of Johannesburg again plans to spend less than the national norm on maintaining its ageing infrastructure,” says JoburgCAN manager Julia Fish.

Genuine progress, not electioneering, behind the easing of loadshedding, council says

Published: 09 May 24

The current loadshedding reprieve is not a result of excessive diesel burning to pacify voters but rather a consequence of government and business coming together to made headway in solving South Africa’s electricity crisis, Energy Council of South Africa (ECSA) CEO James Mackay has said. Sceptical South Africans have been speculating that the weeks-long halt in loadshedding was a ploy by the ruling party to obtain more votes ahead of the May 20 national elections.

Lotus confirms significant uranium potential in updated Letlhakane MRE

Published: 09 May 24

ASX-listed Lotus Resources has published a revised mineral resource estimate (MRE) of 155.3-million tonnes, grading 345 parts per million (ppm) triuranium octoxide (U3O8), for the Letlhakane uranium project, in Botswana. This means the project can deliver 80-million pounds of recovered uranium over its life, based on a 70% recovery rate, the company says.

A Multi-Application Fuel Efficient Cookstove

New clean cooking equipment factory opened in Paarl

Published: 09 May 24

Clean and renewable energy solutions company Ener-G-Africa (EGA) on Thursday officially opened its new biomass stove and cookware manufacturing facility, in the Western Cape province town of Paarl. The factory will produce two different types of stoves, and two different ranges of cooking pots. “Our factory is a stainless steel factory, using only South African manufactured stainless steel, which is world-class,” highlights EGA business development manager Dave Lello. “We have equipped it with the latest technology machines, including a fibre laser cutter, a range of presses, bending machines, and polishing machines, among others.”

Image of Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis.

More than 430 Cape Town households apply to sell their excess power

Published: 09 May 24

A total of 432 Cape Town households have applied to earn cash from selling their excess solar power to the city. These applications will now be assessed to determine their eligibility.

BMW 7 Series clinches 2024 Car of the Year title

Published: 09 May 24

The luxurious BMW 7 Series has been awarded the 2024 South African Car of the Year (COTY) title. In a competition run by the South African Guild of Mobility Journalists (SAGMJ), the the Suzuki Fronx secured second place, with the BMW M2 claiming the bronze medal.

Tertiary granted enviro approval for exploration on second Zambian prospect

Published: 09 May 24

Aim-listed Tertiary Minerals’ environmental project brief (EPB) for the Mupala copper project, in Zambia, has been approved by the Zambia Environmental Management Agency, which allows the company to start mineral exploration on site. The Mupala project is located 12 km west of the company’s Mukai project, both of which are located in the prospective Kabombo Domes region of Zambia, which is reported to host multiple producing copper and nickel mines, including First Quantum Minerals’ Sentinel mining complex.