Nuclear engineering research in South Africa awarded further funding

The North West University (NWU) Potchefstroom campus announced recently that the National Research Foundation (NRF – a major agency of the Department of Science and Technology) had awarded its... 

South African astronomers help unveil obscured galaxies

Astronomers from the University of Cape Town (UCT) and the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) have played a leading role in a successful international cooperative programme to locate... 

Strike over bonuses hits Vale’s Mozambique operations

Some 1 400 employees of Vale Mozambique, the subsidiary of Brazilian mining major Vale operating in the south east African country, went on strike last week over bonus payments, the Mozambican news... 

Mining seen as option to cut Angola’s oil dependence

The West African country of Angola has been badly hit by the decline in oil prices. In 2012, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS), Angola was responsible for 2% of global oil output and oil... 

Mining seen as major option to reduce Angola’s dependence on oil

The West African country of Angola has been badly hit by the decline in oil prices. In 2012, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS), Angola was responsible for 2% of global oil output and oil... 

South African researchers photograph rarely observed upper atmosphere phenomenon

Images of Sprites were captured from the ground for the first time in South Africa, the South African National Space Agency (Sansa) announced recently. Sprites are visible gas discharges triggered... 

Air travel demand rose significantly last year

The International Air Transport association (IATA) has reported that last year saw the strongest demand for air travel in five years. Measured in revenue passenger kilometres (RPKs), global air... 

New-generation air traffic control radar developed by European group

Worldwide, air traffic control (ATC) is facing an increasing number of major challenges. These include the continuing increase inner traffic; an increase in the variety of aircraft types to be... 

Science department, offshore oil industry set up joint research forum

The South African Marine Research and Exploration Forum (Samref) was recently launched by Science and Technology Minister Naledi Pandor. The Forum is a joint initiative of the Department of Science... 

Denel sets up new international joint venture in Asia

South Africa’s State-owned defence industrial group, Denel, has set up another international partnership, based in Hong Kong. This new subsidiary is Denel Asia and it is a joint venture (JV) with... 

Discussions under way on Rooivalk attack helicopter upgrade

South Africa’s State-owned defence industrial group Denel is in advanced discussions with the Department of Defence and the South African Air Force (SAAF) for upgrading the latter’s Denel Aviation... 

Mozambique heavy minerals operation in financial noose, but creditors not pulling yet

Irish domiciled miner Kenmare Resources has technically been in default since January 31, the Mozambican News Agency AIM has reported. As a result, the company’s shares fell in value by almost 20%... 

Meeting airline safety and security challenges amid big regional disparities

Every day, some 100 000 commercial aviation flights take-off and land, transporting on average one million people and 150 000 t of cargo, over a global network of 54 000 routes. These figures were... 

SA defence group promoting high-tech education, training

The Acting CEO of South Africa’s State-owned defence industrial group Denel, Zwelakhe Ntshepe, is “delighted” at his company’s role in helping prepare young South Africans to participate in the... 

Southern African Large Telescope confirms discovery of huge supernova

The Southern African Large Telescope (SALT), based at Sutherland in the Karoo region in the Northern Province, has played a key role in the discovery of what could the biggest ever supernova... 

German company develops integrated border surveillance systems

Comprehensive land and sea border surveillance and security systems are entirely feasible with today’s technology. So assures specialist German-based Airbus DS Electronics and Border Security, part... 

China seeks to create a ‘new normal economy’

China is seeking to reform its economy by means of its 13th Five-Year Plan, to create what is being called the New Normal Economy. This is intended to address the challenges facing the country,... 

China aims to create more jobs, cut poverty by 2020

China is seeking to become what its government calls "a modestly prosperous society" by 2020. The instrument to achieve this will be the 13th Five-Year Plan, which starts this year. Beijing has... 

Legal, illegal Mozambique rubies and legal Angola diamonds in the spotlight

Mozambican mining company Montepuez Ruby Mining Limitada has made public its concerns about unfair competition by illegal miners. The company operates a ruby and corundum mine at Namanhumbir in the... 

African carriers still hampered by national policies

The fact that North American carriers are currently driving global airline profitability cannot simply be ascribed to the fact that they are private-sector companies, International Air Transport... 

Global airline profitability hits new levels, driven by North American carriers

Strong growth in passenger travel has resulted in record profitability for the global airline industry. "Our outlook for this year [2015] has improved to a $33-billion net profit expectation, for a... 

Airbus reports good progress with its flagship wide-body airliner programmes

European major airliner manufacturer Airbus, part of the Airbus Group, announced significant developments in its two most recent wide-body airliner programmes, the A350 XWB and A380 Superjumbo at... 

British, Chinese companies to develop Moz coal mine, power station project

London Stock Exchange AIM-listed company Ncondezi Energy has announced that it has entered into a binding Joint Development Agreement (JDA) with China’s Shanghai Electric Power Company (SEP) to... 

SA industry to benefit from new nanotechnology centre

The Nanomaterials Industrial Development Facility (NIDF), a joint initiative of the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), that... 

Pandor highlights importance of new nanotechnology centre

Science and Technology Minister Naledi Pandor has hailed the new Department of Science and Technology (DST) and Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Nanomaterials Industrial... 

Global air transport body expects continuing difficulties for air cargo

The global air cargo industry has experienced a difficult 2015, despite the drop in the fuel price. While the first quarter had seen growth, the rest of the year has not lived up to that promise.... 

Deal to give SA access to satellite-based air traffic surveillance

South Africa’s air traffic control and management agency, Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS), has entered into a data services agreement with specialist US company Aireon LLC, the two... 

SA radio astronomy observatory developing new scientific research instrument

The Hartebeesthoek Radio Astronomy Observatory (HartRAO) is in the process of constructing a Lunar laser rangefinder, to widen its area of scientific research. The project is being developed with... 

Work under way to validate numerical simulation of aircraft fuel behaviour

The University of Pretoria is well advanced in a programme to experimentally validate numerical simulation software developed by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to... 

SKA South Africa set to help expand Africa’s data processing capabilities

SKA South Africa, the organisation responsible for South Africa's participation in the international Square Kilometre Array (SKA) radio telescope project, and for the country's own MeerKAT radio... 

Indian states to sell off mines and orebodies

n India, nine of the country’s mineral-rich States are anticipated to sell as many as 70 mines and mineral blocks by the end of this fiscal year, according to the national government’s Mines... 

With the A400M now operational in Europe, export sales targeted

Airbus Defence and Space (Military Aircraft) is highly optimistic for exports sales of its A400M military transport and air-to-air refuelling aircraft, outside the programme’s seven European core... 

South Africa aiming to become a leader in additive manufacturing

Around the world, additive layer manufacturing, also known more simply as additive manufacturing and popularly called 3D printing, is a technology that is rapidly growing in usefulness and... 

Mining, hydrocarbons can create many indirect jobs in Africa

The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (Unctad) believes that the mining and hydrocarbons industries in Africa can do more to create jobs and push economic growth while also... 

Passive radar now becoming a practical technology, Airbus claims

German-based company Airbus Defence and Space (part of the Airbus Group), has made major progress in the development of passive radar for tracking aircraft. This is the third and most recent... 

European defence aerospace group also involved in civilian research projects

European defence aerospace company Airbus Defence and Space (Airbus DS), part of the Airbus group, is involved in research and development (R&D) projects beyond the defence and security realm as... 

Mozambique has low tax intake from mining, high-quality graphite deposit unveiled

Although the Mozambican government has given fiscal incentives to multinational mining and hydrocarbons to encourage foreign investment in the country, its Prime Minister, Carlos Agostinho do... 

Airbus highlights commonalities of multirole tanker with SAA fleet

Airbus Defence and Space: Military Aircraft has highlighted that its A330 Multirole Tanker Transport (MRTT) has significant commonalities with the Airbus A330-200 commercial airliner, upon which it... 

Denel wins major vehicle contract from Middle East

South Africa’s State-owned defence industrial group Denel has announced that its recently acquired subsidiary, Denel Vehicle Systems (DVS – previously BAE Systems Land Systems South Africa or LSSA)... 

Additive manufacturing will bring product power to the individual

Additive manufacturing, better known as 3D printing, has the potential to completely change the relationships between individual consumers, professional designers and manufacturers. So argued...