PBMR to be lifted from care and maintenance by Q1 2026

The process to lift South Africa’s dormant pebble-bed modular reactor (PBMR) project from care and maintenance is at an advanced stage, Electricity and Energy Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa. The... 

Biovac boosts vaccine capabilities with new lab; health tech park to open next door

Biopharmaceutical company, the Biologicals and Vaccines Institute of Southern Africa (Biovac), has opened a product development laboratory at its Cape Town facility. The company says the new... 

Western Cape govt leans on governance record as it courts investors at first ever investment summit

The Western Cape government has invited the private sector to partner with it as it targets a R1-trillion provincial economy by 2035, up from R664-billion in 2024. At the province’s first ever... 

Why it can cost up to 30% more to insure an EV than an ICE vehicle

Electric vehicles (EVs) do not only differ from internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles in the way they are powered and serviced, but also in the way they are viewed by insurance companies. PPS... 

Cape Town’s SeaH4 clinches top honours in the ClimateLaunchpad finale

A Cape Town-based startup that is developing an algae-based replacement for fossil fuels has beaten 40 countries to claim the €10 000 top prize at ClimateLaunchpad's green business idea competition... 

October new-vehicle sales at decade high

South Africa’s new car and truck market notched up another stellar month in October as it recorded the highest monthly sales – 55 956 units – since March, 2015. Naamsa | The Automotive Business... 

UCT, Solarise Africa partner in installing backup power project

The University of Cape Town (UCT) and Solarise Africa, together with partners ACES Africa and WEG South Africa, have launched the UCT Faculty of Health Sciences backup power project at the Health... 

Grindrod opens new Walvis Bay warehouse

Freight and logistics group Grindrod has opened a new warehouse in the Port of Walvis Bay, Namibia. Located near berths 7 and 8, the 4 000 m² facility is designed for cargo movement via conveyor,... 

Mitsubishi Electric acquires minority stake in Intramech

Mitsubishi Electric Hydronics & IT Cooling Systems (MEHITS) has acquired a minority stake in Intramech, its long-standing distributor in South Africa. MEHITS says its strategy is to reinforce its... 

Auto industry set to develop an EV-specific training qualification

South Africa’s automotive industry is developing an Electromobility Occupational Skills Programme, which will be a nationally recognised qualification designed to equip technicians with the skills... 

Growthpoint invests in Cape Winelands airport project

The Cape Winelands Airport project has secured an investment, development and managing partner in the form of Growthpoint Properties, which has made an initial undisclosed investment in the... 

Cape Town mulls rolling out congestion charging, high-occupancy vehicle lanes

The City of Cape Town (CoCT) is mulling a number of measures to ease growing traffic congestion, including the introduction of high-occupancy lanes and congestion charging. This means that, in... 

SPS launches buyout model for existing solar and battery systems

Sustainable Power Solutions (SPS) has introduced a buyout model that can convert existing solar and battery systems into immediate capital for South African businesses. SPS is a pan-African funder,... 

Western Cape government gives Cape Winelands Airport project environmental green light

The R8-billion Cape Winelands Airport project in Cape Town has received environmental authorisation from the Western Cape Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning (DEADP). The... 

Cape Town completes bus depot construction for new MyCiTi route

The City of Cape Town (CoCT) has completed the construction of two new MyCiTi bus depots as part of the new south-east route expansion that will link Khayelitsha and Mitchells Plain with Claremont... 

Solareff sells its majority shareholding in GridCars

Renewable-energy group Solareff has sold its majority shareholding in electric vehicle (EV) charging network operator GridCars. Solareff says this means that the company will also step back from... 

Paruk Group signs order for 100 electric buses from MAN South Africa

The Paruk Group has ordered 100 fully electric city buses from MAN Truck & Bus South Africa (MAN SA). This is the German mobility group’s largest e-bus order outside Europe to date. 

Maersk cuts the ribbon on the final cold store in its R1.7bn investment drive

Logistics giant Maersk has wrapped up a R1.72-billion investment drive in cold-chain infrastructure in South Africa with the opening of the R800-million Maersk Belcon cold store logistics park in... 

Wage talks in vehicle assembly sector deadlocked

The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) says wage talks in the vehicle assembly sector have stalled, with the union and employers at odds over the increases on offer to cement a... 

DoT opens RFI process for passenger rail, including long-distance projects

The Department of Transport (DoT) has kickstarted a request-for-information (RFI) process for private companies interested in investing in South Africa’s passenger-rail system. Speaking at a media... 

New industrial technology, renewable-energy events announced for South Africa

Montgomery Group Africa will stage two new exhibitions in South Africa – one in Johannesburg in 2026, and one in Cape Town in 2027. Montgomery Group Africa commercial director Joshua Low says RE+... 

EV lease company Everlectric expands to the Western Cape

Electric vehicle (EV) full maintenance lease business Everlectric has opened shop in Cape Town. Businesses can lease commercial EVs from the company, which will also provide the charging... 

Extrupet, partners open food-grade PET plastic recycling plant in Cape Town

Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Minister Dr Dion George has cut the ribbon on Extrupet’s new food-grade polyethylene terephthalate – PET – plastic recycling plant in Cape Town. The facility... 

Stellantis launches electric brand in SA

Stellantis South Africa (SA) will start to roll out Chinese electric vehicle (EV) brand Leapmotor at select local dealerships from this month onwards. Leapmotor was founded by entrepreneur and tech... 

VW’s Kariega plant produces vehicle number 3 000 000

Volkswagen Group Africa (VWGA) has celebrated assembling its three-millionth vehicle – a grey Polo Vivo – at its Kariega plant. Production at the Eastern Cape facility started in 1948. 

SA boat builders must find answers to skills, component manufacturing challenges

The South African boat-building industry has to grow the skills available to local manufacturers, while it must also work to attract global component manufacturers to local shores, says Ullman... 

Maker of SA’s cheapest electric car to roll out local charging network

Build Your Dreams Auto South Africa (BYD SA) has announced that will install between 200 and 300 public charging stations across the country in 2026, in a move to make electric mobility more... 

PBMR to be lifted from care and maintenance by end of Q1 next year – Ramokgopa

The process to lift South Africa’s dormant pebble-bed modular reactor (PBMR) project from care and maintenance is at an advanced stage, says Minister of Electricity and Energy Dr Kgosientsho... 

Cape Town’s boat-building industry must act to mitigate effect of US tariffs – Vos

The South African boat-building industry must formulate a response to the 30% tariff levied on all boats exported from South Africa to the US as from August onwards, says City of Cape Town Economic... 

Cape Town mulls rolling out congestion charging, high-occupancy vehicle lanes

The City of Cape Town (CoCT) is mulling a number of measures to ease growing congestion, including the introduction of high-occupancy lanes and congestion charging. This means that car users may,... 

Toyota SA, Durban auto cluster seek participants for SME development programme

Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM) has announced the launch of the 2025 Durban Automotive Cluster (DAC) Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Accelerator. The programme is a public-private partnership... 

Grindrod appoints new CEO from within its own ranks

Grindrod has announced that Kwazi Mabaso will succeed Xolani Mbambo as the JSE-listed group’s new CEO from December 1. Mabaso comes from within Grindrod’s ranks, where he serves as the CEO of... 

September new-vehicle sales at ten-year high, exports up 32.9%

New-vehicle sales last month reached their highest level since September 2015, says naamsa | The Automotive Business Council. Sales were up 24.3%, to 54 700 units, compared with September last year. 

Cape Town’s Potsdam wastewater plant upgrade reaches 60% completion mark

Construction of the Potsdam Wastewater Treatment Works (WWTW) in Cape Town, currently one of the Western Cape’s largest infrastructure projects at a cost of R5.2-billion, has reached 60%... 

First solar wheeling project under Namibia’s MSB programme comes on stream

Sustainable Power Solutions (SPS), in partnership with B2Gold Namibia, the Oelofse family and Fortitude, has commissioned Namibia’s first solar wheeling project under State-owned utility NamPower’s... 

Funky Ouma, Ina Paarman travel to India in new made-in-the-Western-Cape retail deal

India’s largest retailer, Reliance Retail, has added a number of ‘Made in the Cape’ products to its shelves. Wesgro says it is the first time South African goods have been placed in select Reliance... 

Growthpoint invests in Cape Winelands Airport development

The Cape Winelands Airport project has secured an investment, development and managing partner in the form of Growthpoint Properties. Growthpoint has made an initial, undisclosed investment in the... 

New Audi South Africa head led significant change in dealership model in Singapore

Markus Schuster has been appointed as the new head of Audi South Africa (SA). Schuster joins Audi SA with more than two decades of global automotive experience across Germany, Italy and Singapore. 

Grindrod opens Phase 1 of R200m container facility in Cape Town

JSE-listed logistics group Grindrod has started operations at Phase 1 of a new United Container Depots (UCD) facility in Salt River, Cape Town. UCD, which is fully owned by Grindrod, also has... 

SPS launches buyout model for existing solar and battery systems

Sustainable Power Solutions (SPS) has introduced a buyout model that can convert existing solar and battery systems into immediate capital for South African businesses. SPS is a pan-African funder,...