Palliative relief

There were relatively high expectations ahead of the publication of the revised electricity pricing policy. Partly because the Minister had flagged it as a key document, but mostly because tariff... 

IDC approaches National Treasury for explicit guarantee to bolster development mandate

The Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) has confirmed that it has approached the National Treasury for an explicit guarantee, which it says will enable it to attract more concessional funding... 

Hormuz-disrupted Foskor to continue to weigh on IDC after contributing to R4.7bn loss

The State-owned Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) slumped to a R4.7-billion loss for its 2025/26 financial year from a profit of R329-million on the back of losses reported by associate... 

New ‘Construction Book’ features 110 projects for procurement in next 12 to 18 months

The third edition of South Africa’s ‘Construction Book’, which lists 110 infrastructure projects that are expected to enter procurement over the coming 12 to 18 months, has been released by... 

Despite record infrastructure spend Cape Town is ‘only just keeping pace’

Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has described the record R12.3-billion spent by the city on infrastructure last year, which he said was the biggest investment yet by a city-government in South... 

Infrastructure South Africa promises quarterly updates ahead of release of third edition of ‘Construction Book’

Infrastructure South Africa has indicated that it plans to offer quarterly status reports on the projects that are included in its so-called ‘Construction Book’, which is published yearly and lists... 

Nersa confirms ongoing flow of electricity registrations but implementation progress less clear

The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) has confirmed that 2 692 electricity generation facilities have been registered since 2018, with another 124 registrations completed between... 

Seriti unpacks big renewables ambition for coal heartland as first 155 MW wind project enters into operation

The first 25 turbines at Seriti Green’s Ummbila Emoyeni Wind Farm, which is rising in the coal heartland of Mpumalanga within site of the giant Secunda coal-to-liquids complex and in close... 

Optimism as a tactic

Few could dispute that Discovery CEO Adrian Gore has emerged as the most influential South African business leader of his generation. Even those, or perhaps especially those, who do everything from... 

Government and business pin hopes of 3% growth on mining, farming, tourism and infrastructure

The four sectors of mining, agriculture, tourism and infrastructure have been selected under Phase 3 of the Government-Business Partnership as the platforms for raising South Africa’s growth to 3%... 

Nersa approves discounted Eskom tariff for Manganese Metal Company

The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) has confirmed the approval of a two-year Negotiated Pricing Agreement (NPA) between Eskom and Mpumalanga-based Manganese Metal Company (MMC).... 

Draft electricity pricing policy outlines support for industry, poor households

The public comment phase for the much-anticipated revision to South Africa’s electricity pricing policy (EPP) has been initiated following Cabinet’s recent approval of the draft framework and amid... 

South Africa poised for strongest-ever year of IPP additions after record first half

South Africa remains on track for a record year of renewables additions this year, new research by the Power Futures Lab at the UCT Graduate School of Business has confirmed. A briefing note... 

Mavuso not confident in commitment of Eskom leadership to reforms

Business Leadership South Africa CEO Busisiwe Mavuso – who has had an ongoing public disagreement with Eskom’s chairperson Mteto Nyati over the creation, with the transmission assets, of an... 

Conflating power and gas cliffs will lead to sub-optimal outcomes, energy specialist warns

South Africa’s response to the gas-supply cliff, which will arise as supply to industrial users from Mozambique falls away later this decade, should be treated separately from the country’s moves... 

Anthem still targets year-end start for 420 MW Northern Cluster of wind projects despite rainfall delays

The giant 420 MW Northern Cluster, comprising three large wind farms under construction in the Karoo, is still anticipated to enter into commercial operation before the end of 2026, despite... 

TSO close, but not yet

There is no question that President Ramaphosa’s endorsement of the Phase I report of the Eskom Restructuring Task Team (ERTT) is a key milestone in the ongoing reform of South Africa’s electricity... 

Ramaphosa outlines next Eskom restructuring objectives, highlights grid industrialisation potential

President Cyril Ramaphosa has reiterated the importance of the creation of a fully independent, State-owned transmission company to the development of a competitive electricity market where there... 

TRIM tests market appetite for branch-line concessions

A new market testing exercise has been initiated to assess interest in partnership opportunities across South Africa’s railway branch lines for freight and passenger trains. This so-called... 

AECI gearing up to invest up to R900m in Modderfontein optimisation

Mining explosives and chemicals group AECI is preparing to invest between R700-million and R900-million to modernise its historic Modderfontein facility, in Gauteng, which the group views as key to... 

Eskom flags further coal-closure delays ahead of official update

Eskom Holdings CEO Dan Marokane says the State-owned utility will outline its proposed approach in September in relation to the decommissioning of coal-fired power stations beyond 2030. Eskom has... 

Rooftop solar could save municipalities billions on bulk electricity purchases

By adopting a cooperative rather than an oppositional stance towards rooftop solar, Gauteng municipalities in particular have an immediate opportunity to reduce the cost of their bulk purchases of... 

Important signals

Recent interventions by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana and the National Treasury have helped shed light on issues that had hitherto been allowed to fester in dark corners. The most high-profile... 

IDC sets R51.5bn disbursement target as it aligns strategy to new industrial thrusts

South Africa’s Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) has set a target of disbursing R51.5-billion in funding over the coming three financial years having aligned its corporate plan to... 

All three components of R16bn Koruson 2 renewables cluster now operational

All three projects that make up Envusa Energy’s giant 520 MW Koruson 2 renewable-energy cluster are now officially operational, after 130 MW of the 140 MW Hartebeesthoek Wind Farm entered into... 

Sasol points to stronger earnings on back of higher sales and prices

Energy and chemicals producer Sasol reports that its earnings for the year to end-June will be higher than the prior year, owing to a combination of higher sales and prices, which more than offset... 

Treasury says infrastructure bonds to become permanent part of funding activity

National Treasury director-general Dr Duncan Pieterse says there is strong interest from institutional investors to support government’s public investment ambitions, citing recent developments in... 

Transmission assets should be transferred to TSO at ‘appropriate point in future’

Eskom board chairperson Mteto Nyati has struck a somewhat cautious tone regarding the timing of the transfer of the utility’s transmission assets to the proposed independent Transmission System... 

Seriti unpacks big renewables ambition for coal heartland as first 155 MW wind project enters into operation

The first 25 turbines at Seriti Green’s Ummbila Emoyeni Wind Farm, which is rising in the coal heartland of Mpumalanga within site of the giant Secunda coal-to-liquids complex and in close... 

Anthem optimistic 420 MW Northern Cluster of wind projects will enter into operation before year-end

The giant 420 MW Northern Cluster, comprising three large wind farms under construction in the Karoo, is still anticipated to enter into commercial operation before the end of 2026, despite... 

75 MW Northern Cape hybrid renewables-battery project enters into operation

A large-scale hybrid renewable energy project able to supply 75 MW of dispatchable renewable electricity to South Africa’s national grid between 5:00am and 9:30pm daily has been officially... 

Missed opportunity

The uptake of rooftop solar in South Africa has increased dramatically over the past five or so years, spurred initially by the extreme loadshedding from 2021 to 2024. Using satellite and other... 

Cabinet approves release of revised electricity pricing policy and market transformation paper for comment

Cabinet has approved the publication of the much-anticipated Revised Electricity Pricing Policy for public comment, amid growing affordability concerns following years of above-inflation tariff... 

AMSA insists ‘profitability within reach’ after reporting R1.49bn interim loss

Steel producer ArcelorMittal South Africa (AMSA) insists that it is fundamentally stronger than was the case 18 months ago and that “profitability is within reach”, after reporting a headline loss... 

Global EV sales recovered strongly in Q2 as war placed spotlight on fuel prices

A new International Energy Agency (IEA) analysis points to a strong second-quarter recovery in electric vehicle (EV) sales globally, as the energy crisis sparked by the war in the Middle East... 

Godongwana warns provinces, departments of possible equitable-share withholding

Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana reports that letters have been written to national departments and provinces warning them that their September equitable-share transfers could be withheld should... 

NTCSA says R1.5bn curtailment claims backlog to be cleared by end of August

The National Transmission Company South Africa (NTCSA) says it expects to finalise all outstanding curtailment claims by independent power producers (IPPs) by the end of August. It also announced... 

SA signals intent to prohibit goods produced by forced labour after new 12.5% US tariff

Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau reports that government will publish a Gazette notice requesting public comments on South Africa’s intent to issue regulations to prohibit goods... 

South African exports to US face new 12.5% tariff, but with exemptions

The US has, from July 24, imposed new tariffs of 12.5% on South African products for the country’s “failure to impose and effectively enforce a prohibition on the importation of goods produced with... 

Distorted lens

Transitions are never easy. They are disruptive and are often fiercely resisted. South Africa navigated its own grand political transition in 1994, following a period of intense uncertainty and...