Technology coming to the fore in affordable housing sector to beat rising costs

The property sector is adopting new technologies, including property technologies (proptech) and AI systems, to reduce administrative costs and achieve profits in an industry in which many costs... 

Carlton Centre, other Transnet properties put up for sale, lease

State-owned freight operator Transnet has invited requests for proposals (RFPs) for 15 noncore properties, including the Carlton Centre, in Johannesburg; the Bloemfontein Golf Course, in the Free... 

Growthpoint increases asset value by 3.8%, distributable income by 4.3%, dividend by 7.4%

JSE-listed real estate investment trust Growthpoint Properties reported a 4.3% year-on-year increase in distributable income per share (DIPS) to 152.6c and a 3.8% increase in net asset value to... 

Study highlights significant impact of State's procurement practices on local clothing manufacturers

Only 32% of the R7.5-billion a year spent by State organs on clothing, textiles, footwear and leather (CTFL) can definitively be linked to purchases from local CTFL manufacturers, which also means... 

Fires at homes linked to solar generation increase to 25% of all cases – Fire Ops SA

Fire response services company Fire Ops SA reports a sharp increase in structural fires linked to solar-powered installations, with one-quarter of all structural fires it responds to linked to... 

Standard Bank, Java Capital form real estate, infrastructure financing partnership

Financial services firm Standard Bank and corporate finance advisory firm Java Capital have formed a partnership to create an integrated advisory, capital-raising and financing services and... 

Dr Mncane Mthunzi appointed naamsa CEO

Industry organisation naamsa | The Automotive Business Council has appointed Dr Mncane Mthunzi CEO, effective from September 7. naamsa says his appointment comes at a defining moment for South... 

Six Southern African countries launch Vulture Safe Zone Alliance, guidelines

Conservation organisations from six Southern African countries have launched the Vulture Safe Zone Alliance (VSZA) and the Vulture Safe Zone (VSZ) Guidelines, which is an important step towards... 

Services now account for 27% of global exports, developing countries' share falls – Unctad

Services account for a growing share of economic activity and trade globally, although their contribution to countries’ GDP varies widely. In developed economies, services account for about 70% of... 

Businesses not yet feeling the effect of reforms, as confidence drops – BLSA

Businesses are unfortunately not yet feeling the impact of structural reforms on the ground, with felt progress important in the move toward a new operating environment in which electricity is... 

Ford supports TUT student team that built a solar car

Automotive manufacturer Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa is the sponsor of the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) SunChaser IV team, which will participate in the 2026 Sasol Solar... 

Commission recommends approval of EMIF II’s acquisition of Mainstream Renewable Power South Africa

The Competition Commission has recommended that the Competition Tribunal approve, with conditions, the proposed acquisition by Netherlands solar power systems company EMIF II of renewable energy... 

Households continue to face high cost of essentials – Commission

The Competition Commission’s ‘2026 Cost of Living’ (COL) report shows that household budgets are under sustained pressure as electricity, water, petrol, transport, healthcare and communication... 

South African Mint releases Martial Eagle coin collection

The South African Mint has released the full 2026 Martial Eagle collection, which includes coins struck in gold and silver. The 2026 Martial Eagle range is the second in the Odyssey of the Sky... 

New Packa-Ching mobile recycling unit launched in KwaMashu

Producer responsibility organisation Polyco has launched a mobile recycling unit in KwaMashu that will be operated by community-based enterprise Itheku Recycling Group. This expands the Packa-Ching... 

South Africa's tourism sentiment remains positive – Data Appeal

Travel intelligence company Data Appeal says the overall sentiment of tourists from 56 countries who visited South Africa from February to August this year was 85.6, only marginally lower than the... 

World Gold Council launches Gold Dealer Assurance Standard

Global organisation the World Gold Council has launched the Gold Dealer Assurance Standard (GDAS) – a global framework designed to strengthen trust and transparency in the retail gold market. The... 

SolarAfrica completes 342 MW Phase 1 of SunCentral project

Commercial and industrial renewable-energy company SolarAfrica has reached financial close on SunCentral 3 – the third and final 114 MW facility of Phase 1 of its 1 GW utility-scale SunCentral... 

Steel scrap policy distorting local steel market – recycling association

Industry organisation the Recycling Association of South Africa (RASA) has called for the suspension of the Price Preference System (PPS), under which South Africa recyclers must first offer scrap... 

Report identifies extreme poverty, barriers to business growth in townships and rural areas

The Competition Commission’s '2026 Rural and Township Economy Report' finds that township and rural households continue to face severe economic constraints, while businesses face barriers that... 

Asset and process, service and supply chains can be first AI pilots for energy and resources – Bain&Co

Energy and natural resources companies are implementing AI pilot projects, but should focus on a few end‑to‑end domains where AI can have an impact, such as asset and process performance, customer... 

Online constitutes 10% of all retail sales in South Africa

The share of retail sales that are completed online has risen to 10% of all retail sales, and online retail is expected to grow by 22.5% to R159-billion this year, compared with 2025, when the... 

Engineering students recognised in ninth Schneider Electric Automation Student Prize

Two fourth-year students, Keshika Govender and Faatimah Mullah, in the field of Measurement and Control Projects, have received the Schneider Electric Automation Student Prize. This is the ninth... 

South African exporters now able to pursue markets together under new policy – dtic

South African exporters must collaborate to pursue international markets under the Block Exemption for Promotion of Exports, which provides for specified categories of collaboration in export... 

Itac, China’s TRIB renew accord on trade remedy cooperation

The International Trade Administration Commission of South Africa (Itac) and the Trade Remedies Investigation Bureau (TRIB) of China have signed a renewed record of understanding (RoU) on trade... 

Sea Harvest declares maiden interim dividend, reduces debt despite revenue decline

JSE-listed fishing and food business Sea Harvest has reported a 14% year-on-year increase in headline earnings a share to 97c for the six months ended June 30, while revenue from continuing... 

Biomanufacturing training hub for Southern Africa to be established with EU grant – CSIR

South Africa's Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and the German Development Bank (KfW) have signed a grant agreement to establish the Southern African Biomanufacturing Training... 

Absa PMI shows sharp drop in factory output in August

The business activity subindex of financial services firm Absa’s Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) showed a sharp deterioration of 8.6 points to 40.2 in August, which is its lowest level this year... 

Bontebok National Park reopens to the public after May floods

The Bontebok National Park, near Swellendam, in the Western Cape, is again open to the public after the road, chalets and camping area were repaired. Severe flooding on the Breede river in the... 

Growthpoint to complete Walmer Park redevelopment in November

JSE-listed commercial property company Growthpoint Properties has completed phase one of the R75-million redevelopment of the Walmer Park Shopping Centre, in Gqeberha, in the Eastern Cape, with the... 

Up to 28.11% provisional duties imposed on colour-coated steel from China

The International Trade Administration Commission of South Africa (Itac) has requested the Commissioner of the South African Revenue Service to impose provisional measures of up to 28.11% on... 

Bidvest posts higher revenue, all divisions deliver trading profit growth

JSE-listed services and trading group Bidvest has reported a 2.9% year-on-year increase in revenue to R130.3-billion for the financial year ended June, while trading profit increased by 8.4%... 

Limpopo hospital, Magalies water infrastructure to be built with $405m NDB loans

Multilateral development bank the New Development Bank (NDB) and South Africa have signed two loan agreements to support the Limpopo Central Hospital and Magalies Bulk Water Supply Scheme projects,... 

DFFE testing for PHV, investigating new sardine mortality reports

The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) says it is investigating new reports of sardines washing ashore and has secured samples to test for Pilchard herpesvirus (PHV).... 

Stage Zero delivers 100 kW solar and battery system for Addo Wildlife

Distributed energy company Stage Zero has completed a 100 kW solar and battery installation at Addo Wildlife private game reserve, in the Eastern Cape, reducing the reserve’s reliance on grid... 

Dr Ashley Naidoo appointed MD of the NRF-SAEON

Research funding statutory body the National Research Foundation (NRF) has appointed Dr Ashley Naidoo as MD of the South African Environmental Observation Network (NRF-SAEON), with effect from... 

Rainbow Chicken grows revenue, HEPS; declares dividend and special dividend

JSE-listed poultry and animal feed producer Rainbow Chicken recorded a 7.7% year-on-year increase in revenue to R17.1-billion for the financial year ended June 28, while earnings before interest,... 

Independent investigation finds no diesel missing, but identifies governance lapses – Eskom

An independent investigation, commissioned by State-owned power utility Eskom, into diesel procurement and storage contracts under Tender MWP2197GX found no evidence that diesel paid for by Eskom... 

Koeberg takes Unit 1 offline after turbine trip

State-owned power utility Eskom says Unit 1 of the Koeberg Nuclear Power Station was taken offline safely and within procedure early on August 28 following a turbine trip. The cause of the turbine... 

CIPC celebrates fifteenth anniversary, tenth year of clean audits

Regulator the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) is celebrating its fifteenth anniversary serving the South African economy by formalising businesses and promoting investment. It...