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Business Thought Leadership

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Creamer Media’s Engineering News presents Business Thought Leadership. This is a platform for unsolicited opinion articles written by various thought leaders on topical issues affecting the South African economy and the business environment. Creamer Media retains the right not to publish unsolicited opinion articles, as well as to remove articles from the platform. The opinions expressed are not those of Creamer Media.

As El Niño returns, Africa's food systems need better intelligence
As El Niño returns, Africa's food systems need better intelligence
Updated 3 hours ago

By: Zoë Karl-Waithaka - Managing Director and Partner, BCG Kenya As warnings about a strengthening El Niño mount, governments, agribusinesses and farmers across Africa are once again preparing for... 


How to assess whether your business is ready for AI
How to assess whether your business is ready for AI
Updated 4 hours ago By: Dimpho Madiba

By: Charmé van der Westhuizen - New Business Development Manager at IPT When business leaders ask me where to start with AI, I often find that the pressure to act has arrived before the plan. They... 


Modernising without disruption: The rise of software‑defined brownfield automation
Modernising without disruption: The rise of software‑defined brownfield automation
13th August 2026

By: Sydney Higgo - Industrial Automation Business Developer & Engineer at Schneider Electric Brownfield industrial sites have for decades relied on hardware‑centric automation architectures built... 


Operational Resilience Requires More Than Recovery Plans
Operational Resilience Requires More Than Recovery Plans
13th August 2026

By: Bryan Hamman - Area Vice President, Africa at NETSCOUT Boards and regulators expect organisations to demonstrate control during a disruption, rather than only after it has ended. Yet, many... 


The Silent Shockwave: Why Trade Risk Is Rising Across South Africa
The Silent Shockwave: Why Trade Risk Is Rising Across South Africa
13th August 2026

By: Thabiso Tsoledi - General Manager: Risk and Business Development, CGIC South Africa entered 2026 with cautious optimism. Inflation had moderated, interest rates appeared to be stabilising, and... 


Rick Grantham, Joint Chief Executive of Deal Leaders International
Four signs the highest offer isn’t the right one when selling your business
13th August 2026

There is a moment in most exit processes when a business owner receives a number larger than they expected, and every instinct says: take it. That instinct is dangerous. A term sheet tells you... 


Johannesburg’s tech brain drain raises the stakes for IT talent
Johannesburg’s tech brain drain raises the stakes for IT talent
12th August 2026

By: Neil Lund - Managing Director at Paracon by Adcorp New data suggests that South Africa’s technology brain drain is becoming more prevalent, with Johannesburg emerging as a key source of... 


Almost Half of South Africa's Treated Water Never Reaches a Tap
12th August 2026

By: Junaid Kader - Head of Public-Private Partnerships and Infrastructure, Tsebo When the world meets in Stockholm from 23–27 August for World Water Week 2026 under the theme "Water for People and... 


Strategic service partnerships will form the backbone of tomorrow’s data centre infrastructure
Strategic service partnerships will form the backbone of tomorrow’s data centre infrastructure
6th August 2026

By: Meryl Eckersley - Secure Power Sales Manager, Global Services, Southern Africa at Schneider Electric Operational continuity has become a defining measure of organisational resilience, and... 


The value of advisory services for critical infrastructure in West Africa
The value of advisory services for critical infrastructure in West Africa
6th August 2026

By; Nnadozie Ogbuehi - Vice President for Services, SSA at Schneider Electric As West Africa’s industrial and digital landscape expands at pace, organisations are facing a new reality:... 


South Africa's Mining Sector Faces an Existential Threat from Crime
South Africa's Mining Sector Faces an Existential Threat from Crime
6th August 2026

By: Lubabalo Cengani South Africa's mining sector is a cornerstone of the national economy. It supports hundreds of thousands of jobs and generates billions in exports. However, it continues to... 


Connectivity as critical infrastructure: What the KZN floods taught us about climate resilience
Connectivity as critical infrastructure: What the KZN floods taught us about climate resilience
6th August 2026

By: Takalani Netshitenzhe - External Affairs Director for Vodacom South Africa As we head towards what climate scientists are warning will be a super El Niño in 2027, I've been considering our... 


Why great banking apps no longer win customers
Why great banking apps no longer win customers
5th August 2026

By: Nitesh Singh - Financial Services and Communications, Media & Technology Lead, for Accenture South Africa For many years, digital banking was defined by one question: does your bank have an... 


The age of AI data centres – respecting nature while embracing innovation
The age of AI data centres – respecting nature while embracing innovation
5th August 2026

By: Canninah Dladla - Cluster President for Sub-Saharan Africa, Schneider Electric Artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing and advanced analytics are accelerating demand for data centre... 


Red Tape Is South Africa's Biggest Job Killer
5th August 2026

By: Jane Sithole MP -  is Deputy Minister: Department of Small Business Development  Every day, across our cities, townships and rural communities, people wake up determined to build businesses,... 


How Short- To Medium-term Power-system Planning Is Strengthening South Africa’s Energy Security
4th August 2026

By Professor: Sampson Mamphweli South Africa faced a lot of issues with security of energy supply with specific reference to the supply of electricity, leading to sustained load shedding that at... 


East Africa – electrification succeeds when it includes all
East Africa – electrification succeeds when it includes all
4th August 2026

By: Symphrose Ochieng - Infrastructure Segment  & Power Systems Business Leader at Schneider Electric There is a lot to be said for a region that leads by example and East Africa’s renewable energy... 


Leading with Purpose: Shaping a Stronger Safety Culture in Construction
Leading with Purpose: Shaping a Stronger Safety Culture in Construction
4th August 2026

By: Chadé Bowles - Regional SHEQ Manager at GVK-Siya Zama "Ultimately, I look forward to the day when a woman leading a high-risk construction site is no longer a headline-worthy novelty, but a... 


The liquid cooling imperative – how to navigate the high-stakes economics of AI Infrastructure
The liquid cooling imperative – how to navigate the high-stakes economics of AI Infrastructure
3rd August 2026

By: Canninah Dladla - Cluster President for Sub-Saharan Africa at Schneider Electric Nearly 60% of operators are expected to adopt liquid cooling within five years as AI-driven economics reshape... 


Powering the future: Why women must be central to South Africa’s energy transition
Powering the future: Why women must be central to South Africa’s energy transition
3rd August 2026

By: Mamiki Matlawa - Group Business Development Executive at ACTOM While South Africa’s transition to a more reliable, inclusive and sustainable energy sector is too often viewed through the lens... 


Why real‑time monitoring has become the new backbone of data centre resilience
Why real‑time monitoring has become the new backbone of data centre resilience
29th July 2026

By: Wiaan Vermaak - CCO at Digital Parks Africa The modern data centre has become a fundamentally different environment from what it was even a decade ago. High-density computing, AI‑driven... 


South Africa's digital future depends on cyber resilience
South Africa's digital future depends on cyber resilience
28th July 2026

By: Kgomotso Lebele - Country Managing Director for Accenture, South Africa South Africa's data centre sector is expanding rapidly. New investment is creating opportunities for economic growth,... 


Koreshini Pillay, product manager at Lula
How manufacturing SMEs are funding Industry 4.0 on their own terms
28th July 2026

South Africa’s manufacturing sector contributes close to 11% of the country’s GDP[1] and was one of only three industries to add jobs in the first quarter of 2026[2], yet output has contracted for... 


The most expensive weld is the one you have to do twice
The most expensive weld is the one you have to do twice
28th July 2026

By: Hendrik du Toit - Managing Director: Plant Services, Babcock In fabrication, maintenance and manufacturing environments, one of the most expensive activities is often the one that was never... 


Gold is the world's ultimate financial safety net. Our BRICS partners understood this. South Africa did not
27th July 2026

By:Dr Duarte F da Silva -  is a capital markets strategist and managing director of Northbound Processing One morning in February 2022 a G20 central bank woke to find roughly $300bn of its reserves... 


Managing direct liquid cooling deployment risks in AI data centres
Managing direct liquid cooling deployment risks in AI data centres
27th July 2026

By: Canninah Dladla - Cluster President for Sub-Saharan Africa at Schneider Electric AI infrastructure has arrived, and with it the reality: power-hungry chips like NVIDIA’s Blackwell have pushed... 


The most expensive weld is the one you have to do twice
The most expensive weld is the one you have to do twice
24th July 2026

By Hendrik du Toit, Managing Director: Plant Services, Babcock In fabrication, maintenance and manufacturing environments, one of the most expensive activities is often the one that was never planned. 


Turning machine data into better business decisions
Turning machine data into better business decisions
24th July 2026

By: Tim Ward - Managing Director: Equipment, Babcock For many years, equipment management was largely reactive. Fleet owners focused on keeping machines running, scheduling maintenance at fixed... 


AI – how the next moon race is right here on Earth
AI – how the next moon race is right here on Earth
23rd July 2026

By: Steven Santini - Vice President for Secure Power, SSA at Schneider Electric In 1969, the world watched in awe as Neil Armstrong took “one small step for (a) man, one giant leap for mankind”, a... 


The Military as a Catalyst for Industrialization - Holomisa's proposed PPP Action Plan
23rd July 2026

By Bongani Mankewu - is the Director of the InfraFIN We should applaud General Bantu Holomisa's suggestion to seek cooperation with the commercial sector to bolster SANDF. He stated that these... 


When Good Oils Go Bad Part 3 Nitration: The Acid You Didn’t See Coming
When Good Oils Go Bad Part 3 Nitration: The Acid You Didn’t See Coming
22nd July 2026

By: Steven Lumley - technical manager, WearCheck The third article in WearCheck’s series “When Good Oils Go Bad” features a discussion around nitration. 


Long Walk to Power Resilience – Unlocking LNG into South Africa
Long Walk to Power Resilience – Unlocking LNG into South Africa
21st July 2026

By: Paul Eardley-Taylor, Gas Sector Lead, Standard Bank Group Gas means different things in different geographies. In the United States of America (USA), “Gas” means natural gas or gasoline.  In... 


South Africa's automotive ambitions are being held back at the port
South Africa's automotive ambitions are being held back at the port
21st July 2026

By: Mignon Fishburn - Automotive Vertical Lead at C Steinweg The South African Automotive Masterplan (SAAM 2035) sets ambitious targets for production growth, localisation, competitiveness and... 


Our next generation of engineers building living labs of innovation
Our next generation of engineers building living labs of innovation
21st July 2026

By: Ifeanyi Odoh - Country President, Schneider Electric East Africa When people talk about the future of engineering in Africa, the conversation often centres on potential, the promise of a young... 


AI at work: Why productivity gains depend on people, not just platforms
AI at work: Why productivity gains depend on people, not just platforms
21st July 2026

By: Ntsako Baloyi - Data & AI lead for Accenture, South Africa Across South Africa, organisations are accelerating their investment in artificial intelligence (AI), deploying copilots, automation... 


R600m recovered, and counting: the hidden cost of SA’s energy complexity, and the system built to solve it
21st July 2026

By: Manie de Waal - CEO of Energy Partners South African organisations have recovered more than R600 million in unverified and over-billed energy charges and closed out over 350 disputed billing... 


What ADNOC really bought for a billion US dollars
What ADNOC really bought for a billion US dollars
20th July 2026

By: Jeremy Sampson - Chairman: Brand Finance Africa Earlier this month, the retail arm of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) agreed to pay approximately US$1 billion (more than R16 billion)... 


Building the future of learning – How modular construction is helping South Africa’s private schools expand
Building the future of learning – How modular construction is helping South Africa’s private schools expand
20th July 2026

By: Brennan Heugh - Rentals and Sales Executive at Waco Modular South Africa’s private school sector is experiencing steady growth as increasing numbers of families seek alternative education... 


Confronting South Africa’s drug challenge with consistent workplace testing
Confronting South Africa’s drug challenge with consistent workplace testing
20th July 2026

By: Rhys Evans - Managing Director at ALCO-Safe South Africa faces a growing drug crisis that is affecting workplaces across the country. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime... 


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