Young South Africans, aged 35 and younger, are demonstrating a growing preference for private mobility. This is evident in recent WesBank data that shows a consistent increase over the past three years in the number of vehicle finance applications for new and pre-owned cars by Millennials and Gen-Zs.

There is a strong drive in and among rubber companies to exchange fossil fuels for renewable-energy sources, says steam and boiler service provider Associated Energy Services (AES). AES Gauteng regional manager Jordan Smith and AES operations associate director Ray Lund work closely with rubber belting and tyre manufacturers in Gauteng and the Eastern Cape, and  stress that, for decades, South Africa’s rubber has been a major material used in both the mining and automotive sectors.

Property developer Alley Roads has unveiled Riverstone Mall in Meyerton – its first retail development currently under construction – as part of its pipeline of 175 000 m2 of retail space earmarked for township and peri-urban areas across South Africa. The development of the R370-million mall, currently under construction, is financed by Rand Merchant Bank, a division of FirstRand Bank, and is scheduled to open in early-2025.

State-owned Eskom says its key revision number rollover project is progressing well, with 3.61-million, or 52%, of the 6.9-million prepayment meters already recoded as of May 15. The main Eskom meter recoding project in all the nine provinces started in August 2023 after a successful pilot in Gauteng.

The National Council of Provinces (NCOP) has approved the Electricity Regulation Amendment (ERA) Bill, which has far-reaching implications for the future structure and operation of an electricity supply industry that has hitherto been dominated by Eskom. The Bill received support from all provinces besides the Free State, which lacked a mandate to vote, and the Western Cape, which argued that there had been insufficient time for provinces to consult their residents on the contents of the Bill.

During its financial year to February 29, midtier mining and materials company Afrimat invested considerably in projects that are expected to yield fruitful returns and further strengthen diversity and competitive advantage, group CEO Andries van Heerden said. One such project was the Nkomati anthracite mine, which he said delivered a healthy return.

Financial services provider Rand Merchant Bank (RMB) acted as the sole mandated lead arranger and funder of a $100-million funding package for global telematics business Powerfleet. The entity was created from a merger between Powerfleet and Mix Telematics. The combined business aims to become a top-tier global provider of Internet of Things and software-as-a-service solutions that optimise the performance of mobile assets.

Construction at the Msikaba Bridge on the N2 in the Eastern Cape is set to move up a gear this year, with a number of challenging technical activities to be tackled. According to contractor Concor, these include post-tensioning the anchor blocks, installing pylon inserts and building the ladder deck.

In this article, Stellenbosch University PhD student and Centre for Sustainability Transitions junior researcher Alboricah Rathupetsane writes about the impact of extreme weather events on South Africa's infrastructure and the need for increased investment in infrastructure development, as well as to incorporate climate resilience in infrastructure.

Civil society organisations and political parties are threatening legal action following Wednesday’s controversial signing of the National Health Insurance Bill. President Cyril Ramaphosa, who publicly signed the Bill into law amid significant criticism, said the NHI was an opportunity to “break with the prevailing inequality” in South Africa’s health system. He also called on stakeholders to work with government to ensure the NHI operates successfully. The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse wants Ramaphosa to “return to the drawing board” and work with various industry experts to design a “workable” universal health care model. Outa said while it fully supported the constitutional right of all South Africans to proper healthcare, it warned that government was creating “false hope” by signing the NHI Bill into law just two weeks before the National Elections and questioned whether it was an election ploy. Meanwhile, official opposition Democratic Alliance Chief Whip Siviwe Gwarube said that the proposed NHI scheme, touted as the panacea for the country’s healthcare woes, was nothing more than a “political tool” wielded by the African National Congress to “manipulate” voters in the upcoming election. AfriForum is also preparing for a class action lawsuit against the government, Ramaphosa, Parliament and Minister of Health Joe Phaahla, for “the damage that South Africans will suffer under the unaffordable NHI policy”. Non-profit organisation Sakeliga said it opposed the implementation of the NHI, calling it an “unacceptable and irresponsible” legislative proposal. GOOD secretary-general and MP Brett Herron said his party supported the signing of the NHI Bill, describing it as a tool to address inequality and improve health care services for the majority. However, he said that it was “regrettable” that the Bill was being signed now, days before an election.