Erection of Karoo telescope dishes to start in early 2024

The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) radio telescope project is, in terms of scale, undoubtedly the biggest astronomy programme in the world today. What was once a dream, and then a hopeful project, is... 

Chinese communications company considering assembly operations in South Africa

China-based mission-critical communications hardware and software company Hytera Communications is in early-stage discussions to hopefully start basic assembly operations in South Africa. Based in... 

Rolls-Royce says all its commercial aero engines can run on 100% green fuels

UK-based global major propulsion and power systems group Rolls-Royce announced on Monday that it has successfully tested every one of its current production commercial (including business) aircraft... 

Cape Peninsula University of Technology’s fourth CubeSat project well on track

The Africa Space Innovation Centre (ASIC) of the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) is currently busy with its fourth nanosatellite programme, ASIC Chief Engineer Nyameko Royi tells... 

Satellite constellation project to support African farmers highlighted

South African space infrastructure company SCS Space, based in Stellenbosch in the Western Cape, is highlighting its SCS-Agrisense project at the 2023 Group on Earth Observations (GEO) Week and... 

GMES Africa initiative stimulating use of satellite data on the continent

Intergovernmental organisation the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) Africa is attending the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) Week and Ministerial Summit 2023 (being held at... 

Africa aims to use global demand for critical minerals as a basis for development

African countries were determined to use the opportunity provided by the world’s need for the metals and minerals essential for the clean energy systems of the future to develop their economies... 

Energy transition in SA will need blended finance, collaboration

A key question facing South Africa, regarding the just energy transition, was how to finance it. So highlighted University of Stellenbosch Centre for Sustainability Transitions co-director Prof... 

Africa needs lots of geological research regarding critical clean energy mineral deposits

The recently developed global need for critical clean energy minerals has created a need for deeper geological research across the continent, including in mature mining jurisdictions. This was one... 

Africa aims to use global demand for critical minerals as a basis for development

African countries were determined to use the opportunity provided by the world’s need for the metals and minerals essential for the clean energy systems of the future to develop their economies... 

Africa not a major player in solar energy – yet

All the critical minerals necessary for all renewable and battery energy technologies are found in Africa, highlighted consultancy and data company Rystad Energy senior partner and head of analysis... 

Local health-tech startup attracting attention with its medication app

Startup healthtech company Agile Africa has already secured its first significant client, and is attracting interest from other major health sector entities, only two years after being launched,... 

Batteries essential part of solar systems for business customers

A paradoxical risk with regard to the adoption of solar energy as a power source for commercial and industrial customers was loadshedding, vertically integrated independent power producer New... 

Necsa requests to have some nuclear generation capacity assigned to it

The South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) has formally requested Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe to change its mandate, to allow it to become involved in the... 

Denel seeking to rebuild itself after severe collapse

A briefing to Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Public Enterprises by the top management of Denel on Wednesday brought home the scale of the collapse at the State-owned defence industrial group... 

South Africa’s enviro monitoring network celebrates twenty-first anniversary

The National Research Foundation’s South African Environmental Observation Network (NRF-SAEON) celebrated its 21st anniversary on Friday. Organised in “nodes” spread across the country, the... 

US solar energy company launches ambitious minigrids initiative for Africa

US-based rural Africa and Asia-focused net-zero energy company Husk Power Systems (Husk) announced on Tuesday the launch of its “Africa Sunshot” solar minigrid roll-out initiative. The initiative... 

Hydrogen-powered aviation company ZeroAvia secures support from major groups

Zero emission aviation company ZeroAvia announced on Monday that its latest funding round has been led by major international groups, namely Europe-based global aerospace group Airbus, UK-based... 

Kenya Airways unit pushing use of drones and other emerging aviation technologies

With new technologies promising to transform commercial aviation, Kenyan national flag carrier Kenya Airways is determined to be an active participant in this revolution and so make the East... 

Nasa initiates study into airliners capable of flying at four times the speed of sound

The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) has announced that it is now initiating the next phase of its Advanced Air Vehicles Programme (AAVP). This is focused on developing... 

DRDGold to list on A2X

The A2X stock exchange has announced that gold producer DRDGold is to list its shares on it. This additional listing will not affect the gold company’s issued share capital. Currently, DRDGold has... 

Aviation company announces compressor breakthrough

US-UK zero-greenhouse gas emission aviation company ZeroAvia announced on Friday that it had developed a high-performance compressor for hybrid-electric aircraft propulsion systems (that is,... 

New boards announced for nuclear agencies

The South African government has announced the new boards of directors for both the National Nuclear Regulator (NNR) and the National Radioactive Waste Disposal Institute (NRWDI). The NNR serves to... 

Firms form aviation emissions partnership

International air transport industry company SITA has announced that it has entered a partnership with Singapore-based Artificial Intelligence of Things (AIoT) technology company Envision Digital.... 

Western Cape to develop low-carbon energy system

Western Cape Premier Alan Winde on Friday highlighted that his administration had assigned R7-billion, over the next three years, to create an “ecosystem” that would facilitate private sector... 

Cape Town startup seeks to replace plastics with home compostable biomaterials

Cape Town-based young-woman-led award-winning biotech startup BAOM eco solutions (BAOM), which has developed compostable cellulose-based alternatives to plastics and other packaging materials, is... 

UK-SA Tech Hub renews funding for South African startups group

The UK-SA Tech Hub, an initiative of the British High Commission (Embassy) in South Africa, has announced that it will provide a second round of funding for South Africa’s Startup Act Movement... 

International panel seeks to protect Earth from extra-terrestrial contamination

A theme that has been expounded more than once in science fiction is of alien organisms being brought back to Earth, endangering human life. In reality, scientists have long been concerned with... 

Airlink leases additional airliners to meet growing demand

South African regional airline Airlink has announced that it is expanding it fleet by leasing three Embraer E195 aircraft from AerCap. Airlink is Southern Africa’s biggest regional carrier, and the... 

Localised weather stations for SA farms launched

The Technology Innovation Agency (TIA), which is an agency of the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI), has highlighted the launch of a programme to deploy localised weather stations to... 

Sasol and Deutsche Aircraft deepen cooperation on green aviation fuels

German aircraft manufacturer Deutsche Aircraft and Sasol ecoFT, the sustainable fuels development business of South African petrochemical group Sasol, have announced a deepening of their... 

Vulindlela reforms will not be minor, assures Presidency

The South African government’s Operation Vulindlela (“opening up”) is intended to result in major reforms to key sectors of the economy, Presidency Project Management Office head Rudi Dicks assured... 

Transport network holding back SA’s economic growth

South Africa’s transport modalities – all of them – are currently unable to support greater economic growth in the country. So warned South African Association of Freight Forwarders CEO Juanita... 

Business sector can be a beacon of hope for South Africa

South Africa’s business sector can provide the country’s people with hope for the future, retired Exxaro Resources CEO Mxolisi Mgojo told the 2023 SAPICS Conference in Cape Town on Monday. (SAPICS... 

New space agency CEO outlines vision for stimulating local space industry

The South African National Space Agency’s (SANSA’s) recently appointed and third confirmed (as distinct from acting) CEO, Humbulani Mudau, is determined to use the solid “launch pad” created under... 

Awareness of cybersecurity within SANDF ranks low

Although the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) as an organisation was, and senior SANDF officers individually were, aware of the importance of cybersecurity, awareness of, and education... 

SA company appointed regional distributor for international aircraft maker

Slovenia-based light aircraft manufacturer Pipistrel, part of the Textron eAviation business unit of US aerospace group Textron, has appointed South African company Absolute Aviation as its... 

Private-sector climate investments in Africa low, but growing fast

Although climate change-related finance in Africa still comes overwhelmingly from public institutions, such funding from the private sector is growing fast. This was highlighted in the 'Climate... 

Defence Minister reveals possible industrial partnership with Brazil’s Embraer

Addressing Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans in Cape Town on Tuesday, Defence and Military Veterans Minister Thandi Modise stated, almost in passing, that she hoped... 

3D printing has huge potential to help decarbonise manufacturing

Additive manufacturing (AM), popularly called 3D printing, has an important role to play in greatly reducing the global manufacturing industry’s carbon emissions, Cape Town-based Evanswerks Labs...