ISA unveils its seven priority projects for 2025/26 fiscal year

Infrastructure South Africa (ISA) has unveiled the seven projects it has selected under Bid Window 1 for priority project preparation. The list was announced at the Sustainable Infrastructure... 

Ramaphosa seeks trillions from private sector as he acknowledges past infrastructure failures

As government prepares to spend more than R1-trillion on infrastructure over the next three years, President Cyril Ramaphosa wants the private sector to quadruple that to R4-trillion. “I want... 

AAAM, Afreximbank and AfCFTA Secretariat launch policy course to advance industrialisation

The African Association of Automotive Manufacturers (AAAM), in partnership with Afreximbank and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, have launched the inaugural Industrial... 

Cape Town adds 86 000 jobs in one year

The City of Cape Town has added 86 000 jobs in a year, reaching a record level of 1.827-million people now in jobs – this according to Statistics South Africa’s (StatsSA) Quarterly Labour Force... 

Nissan to close seven plants, not known if SA site will be affected

Nissan has announced that it will close seven plants out of a global network of 17 manufacturing sites, with 20 000 jobs on the line. It is not clear if the South Africa operation will be affected. 

Bank data reveals sharp rise in vehicle ownership cost

When combining the monthly instalment, fuel, insurance and running costs, the total price tag to own and run one of the best-selling new hatchbacks in South Africa comes to about R11 760.29 a... 

New-vehicle sales up 12% – but did consumers rush to beat the now scrapped VAT hike?

Total April new-vehicle sales, at 42 401 units, were up 11.9% compared with the same month last year, reports naamsa | The Automotive Business Council. The new-passenger-car market gained 16.9% in... 

Moody’s upgrades Cape Town’s credit rating

Moody's Ratings (Moody's) has upgraded the City of Cape Town’s credit rating from Ba3 to Ba2, with the outlook regarded as stable. Moody’s notes that the upgrade reflects what it calls the city’s... 

Resurgent Hyundai appoints new CEO, adds Alcazar to its model line-up

Hyundai Automotive South Africa (Hyundai SA), a Motus group company, has appointed company stalwart Stanley Anderson as its new CEO, effective July 1. Anderson currently serves as sales and... 

Audi blames economic pressure, poor govt support for market strain, MISA says four dealerships closing doors

Audi South Africa (SA) says buy-down trends, high inflation and interest rates have placed significant pressure on the domestic premium car market. The local arm of the German carmaker says these... 

Newcomer Jameel Motors to (re)introduce Changan cars, bakkies to the SA market

Distribution group Jameel Motors will launch China’s Changan vehicles in the local market towards the end of the year. Technically, Changan Automobile is not an entirely new face in South Africa,... 

Mahindra hits second sales record this year

Mahindra bakkie and sports-utility vehicle sales jumped to 2 253 vehicles in March, setting a new monthly record for the Indian brand. This number is almost 40% higher than Mahindra’s previous... 

TNPA finally upgrades automotive berth at East London port

Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) has completed a R60-million project to deepen and strengthen the automotive terminal berth at the Port of East London. The State-owned entity says the... 

Terminal operator sought for Port of Durban

Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) has started a request for proposal (RFP) process for the appointment of a terminal operator to design, develop, fund, construct, operate, maintain and... 

1 MW solar plant to power Darling Green Country Estate, Swartland municipality

Sustainable Power Solutions (SPS) has, in partnership with Darling Green Country Estate and TouchPoint Energy, commissioned a 1 MW solar plant in Darling, in the Swartland municipality, in the... 

Keren Energy seeks customers for its Western Cape green hydrogen project

Keren Energy has made significant progress in the development of its green hydrogen (GH2) production facility near Vanrhynsdorp, in the Western Cape, says CEO George van Rensburg. The project aims... 

Auto component tariff impact to be felt in US ahead of South Africa – Naacam

The immediate impact of a raft of new import tariffs on direct component exports from South Africa to the US is most likely to be felt there first, rather than here, says National Association of... 

VW’s Kariega plant readies for new small SUV introduction

Volkswagen Group Africa’s (VWGA’s) Kariega plant will halt production for four weeks as the facility is readied for the addition of a third entry-level model to its production line-up in 2027.... 

AGL Terminals docks in Cape Town

AGL Terminals, part of Africa Global Logistics (AGL), and its partner, BALSA, have announced that they have started operations at A-Berth, Duncan Docks, at the Port of Cape Town, following the... 

APPO urges continent to exploit its vast gas and oil reserves, echoing Trump’s energy nationalism

The current estimates of Africa’s oil and gas reserves of 120-million barrels of crude oil and 632-trillion cubic feet of natural gas are considered “grossly conservative”, says African Petroleum... 

Cape Town proposes record infrastructure investment, addition of 700 law enforcement officers

Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has announced a record infrastructure investment of R39.7-billion over three years as part of the metro’s proposed ‘Invested in Hope’ Budget 2025/26. He says the... 

Cape Town’s R8.5bn water plan moves to tap seawater and wastewater

Seven years ago, Cape Town made global headlines for all the wrong reasons. The city faced the very real possibility that its municipal water supply would run dry amid a severe, multiyear drought,... 

VW’s Kariega plant readies for new small SUV introduction

Volkswagen Group Africa’s (VWGA’s) Kariega plant will halt production for four weeks as the facility is readied for the addition of a third entry-level model to its production line-up in 2027.... 

Ardagh adds MAN dual-fuel trucks, smart trailers to its fleet

Ardagh Glass Packaging-South Africa has introduced five MAN dual-fuel trucks to its fleet. The performance-based standards (PBS) smart trucks – abnormal-load vehicles – will strengthen the... 

Maserati MC20 sets new autonomous world speed record

The Indy Autonomous Challenge (IAC) has set a new autonomous – in other words, there is no human in the car – driving world record at the Space Florida Launch and Landing Facility (LLF) at the... 

Vector Logistics acquires its first two fully electric trucks – from tractor to trailer

Volvo Trucks South Africa has delivered two battery electric FH 6x4 truck-tractors to cold-chain specialist Vector Logistics. These truck-tractors form part of the logistics company’s roll-out of... 

Volvo Car SA cuts dealerships, chases 20% premium-market share

Volvo Car South Africa (VCSA) is rolling out a five-year programme to “Restart” the Swedish premium brand in South Africa. Part of this process is to whittle down its 19 Volvo Car dealerships... 

Barloworld’s Russia, Southern Africa businesses feel the heat as Mongolia delivers some cheer

In a five-month trading update published at the end of March, JSE-listed Barloworld said the performance of the group’s Mongolia business managed to somewhat counteract the contraction of its... 

New-vehicle sales up 12.5%, exports surge by impressive 31.1%

March new-vehicle sales jumped by 12.5%, to 49 493 units, compared with the same month last year. The new passenger car market led the charge, accelerating by 25.3%, to 33 447 units, driven by... 

Three bids received as government’s efforts to host F1 race in South Africa advance

The Department of Sports, Arts and Culture’s (DSAC’s) F1 Bid Steering Committee says it has received three bids from parties interested in hosting a Formula One race in South Africa. “As a... 

O’Flaherty signs up for another two years at recovering Metair

Metair CEO Paul O’Flaherty has agreed to extend his term until December 31, 2028. “We are very pleased that Paul has agreed to extend his tenure,” says Metair chairperson Thandeka Mgoduso. 

Western Cape, Cape Town welcome move to seek private-sector investment in rail, port sectors

Western Cape premier Alan Winde says he welcomes the recent announcement by Transport Minister Barbara Creecy regarding the initiation of a request for information (RFI) process for private-sector... 

Off-grid toilet-tech project in Cape Town adds new pilot sites

Off-grid sanitation technology is now operational at two pilot sites in Strandfontein and Macassar, with three new sites to be added by the end of June, says the City of Cape Town (CoCT). The city... 

Golden Arrow rolls out first 20 electric buses, remaining 100 to follow by end-2025

Cape Town’s Golden Arrow Bus Services (GABS) will have 120 BYD electric buses on the road by the end of the year, says company engineer Gideon Neethling. GABS has already deployed the first 20... 

RFP deadline for State properties redevelopment extended

The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) has extended the deadline for requests for proposals (RFPs) on the redevelopment of 31 State properties, owing to “the immense interest... 

New technology-enhanced athletics track at Stellenbosch high school

Hoërskool Stellenbosch has opened its new multimillion-rand World Athletics Class 2 certified track, built with funding from the Athletics Cycling Education (ACE) Trust. Architect Sam Pellissier... 

Western Cape could start exporting renewable power by 2032

The Western Cape government says it remains on track to reach its target of generating 5 700 MW of its own energy by 2035, and could even become a net exporter of renewable energy by 2032. Premier... 

February sales up, exports down, Suzuki moves into second spot

February new-vehicle sales in the domestic market improved by 7.3%, to 47 978 units, compared with the same month last year. It is also the second month this year that importer Suzuki has taken... 

Cape Town hot spot for building opportunities, Gauteng market softening – WBHO

The building and civil engineering market in Gauteng continues to soften, but Cape Town is still offering “huge opportunities”, says WBHO CEO Wolfgang Neff. Announcing the construction giant’s... 

Grindrod to roll out R8bn capital programme to scale up its business

Grindrod will roll out an R8-billion multiyear programme to scale up its business in South Africa and Mozambique. This comes amid a softening in the global commodity cycle, as well as social...