Union concerned by municipalities’ failure to spend infrastructure grants

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The Independent Municipal and Allied Trade Union (Imatu) on Thursday said it is concerned by reports that municipalities are failing to spend allocated infrastructure grants. This comes after Minister of Finance, Tito Mboweni, this week confirmed that 44 municipalities had their municipal infrastructure grants reallocated to other municipalities.

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Renewal of iconic Joburg high-rise a response to city’s evolving property needs

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In recent years, the Johannesburg central business district (CBD) has been the beneficiary of concerted rejuvenation efforts to assuage the effects of neglect and revitalise the ailing city centre, and the current redevelopment of Absa Towers Main represents a striking manifestation of this. Absa Towers Main, located at the centre of the Absa campus in the CBD, stands in contrast to the rest of the campus – a currently stripped-out, vacant 30-storey building, juxtaposed against four contemporary buildings with modern façades bearing the company’s newly redesigned logo.

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Economy impacts negatively on harbour infrastructure and dredging

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The economic situation and reduced demand for port facilities have led to a general reduction in investment in harbour infrastructure and dredging, says global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright transport head Malcolm Hartwell.

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Transnet launches continent’s first dredging school

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The Transnet Maritime School of Excellence (MSoE) has launched the continent’s first Dredging School to develop and enhance the competencies of new and already employed dredging personnel.

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Egypt seeking to increase trade and investment ties with South Africa

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Egyptian Ambassador to South Africa Sherif Eissa has called for more bilateral trade and investment between his country, as well as closer political cooperation. He was addressing the recent South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SACCI) and Federation of Egyptian Industries (FEI) Trade and Investment Forum in Johannesburg. “We have big economies, we can work together,” he pointed out. “Why should we see such a small volume of trade between our two countries? …. We have never seen Egyptian investment in South Africa.” (And South African investment in Egypt was minor.)

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Japanese capital equipment group remains confident about South Africa’s prospects

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The Japanese head office of the global capital equipment manufacturer Komatsu has recently approved the investment of R300-million by its South Africa-based subsidiary, Komatsu Africa Holdings (KAfH), in a re-manufacturing plant at KAfH’s new complex in Sunnyrock, Germiston (Ekurhuleni), just east of Johannesburg. Construction should start in the near future and the new plant should open in June 2020.

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Nxesi highlights importance of facilities management in property sector

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Public Works Minister Thulas Nxesi on Thursday emphasised the importance of proper maintenance and facilities management in the property sector. In a speech delivered during the Department of Public Works’ inaugural Real Estate Capacity Building colloquium, in Pretoria, he cited the newly opened Booysens Magistrate’s Court as an example of the importance of proper facilities management.  

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Focus on access to opportunity, rather than training – Ceta SMME strategy

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The Construction Education and Training Authority (Ceta) on Wednesday presented a draft version of its five-year small, medium-sized and microenterprises (SMMEs) strategy, which has followed an extensive stakeholder engagement process and aims to support SMMEs past the training stage and into the entrepreneurial stage. “Skills development is not just about training people for employment, it must also empower people to create opportunities to make a living for themselves and perhaps opportunities for others to do so as well,” commented Motheo Construction CEO Dr Thandi Ndlovu.

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Exxaro unveils new ultramodern headquarters

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South Africa’s largest coal producer and black-empowered coal company Exxaro has unveiled its new ultramodern headquarters. The conneXXion, in Centurion, has e-parking bays for employees to charge their electric or hybrid vehicles while they work, and attractive central staircases to encourage lift avoidance.

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Big business aims to ‘scale up’ ten black firms to R500m-plus enterprises in five years

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Big business in South Africa unveiled a new initiative on Thursday aimed at deliberately accelerating, over the coming five years, the expansion of ten established black-owned companies into “substantial” enterprises with yearly revenues of more than R500-million. Discovery CEO Adrian Gore outlined the project at a function in Johannesburg attended by President Cyril Ramaphosa. He said the initiative would seek to leverage the procurement, financial and mentorship muscle of the CEO Circle, which includes business leaders from some of the largest corporates operating in South Africa.

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