Metair to acquire AutoZone chain

Metair is set to acquire the entire issued share capital of AutoZone Holdings. The JSE-listed Metair is a manufacturer, distributor and retailer of automotive components and energy storage solutions. 

Cape Town to wrap up desalination plant feasibility study in 2025, first water possible in 2030

The City of Cape Town (CoCT) has started the feasibility study on the proposed Paarden Island desalination plant, says CoCT Water and Sanitation MMC Zahid Badroodien. The study is being undertaken... 

Eskom’s proposed tariff hikes untenable, reduction mechanisms being weighed – Ramokgopa

Electricity and Energy Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa is confident that government will be able to positively intervene in Eskom’s tariff-hike application for the 2025/26 financial year at the... 

New-vehicle sales down 4.1%, exports plunge by 38.1%

New-vehicle sales in South Africa in September dropped by 4.1%, to 44 081 units, compared with the same month last year. naamsa | The Automotive Business Council reports that the new-passenger-car... 

SAS partners with Fincantieri, Vard Marine to build offshore patrol vessels in South Africa

Sandock Austral Shipyards (SAS) in Durban has signed a technology partnership agreement with Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri and its Canadian subsidiary Vard Marine to construct the Afrika class... 

BMW Group South Africa starts production of the new plug-in X3

BMW Group South Africa’s (BMW SA’s) Rosslyn plant, in Tshwane, has started production of the fourth-generation BMW X3, following a R4.2-billion investment. It is the only facility in the BMW global... 

Selling Mutlu, stabilising Hesto key as Metair moves towards new strategy

Selling the troubled Mutlu battery business in Türkiye and continuing stabilisation efforts at Hesto Harnesses are key in returning Metair to solid ground, says CEO Paul O’Flaherty. Announcing the... 

Belgian team claims 2024 Sasol Solar Challenge title

Belgium’s Innoptus team has secured the 2024 Sasol Solar Challenge title, with the team breaking the daily distance record twice in a row during the competition. The Innoptus team consists of... 

VWA operating normally amid rumours of plant closures at German parent company

Volkswagen Group Africa (VWA) says its Kariega assembly plant, in the Eastern Cape, is operating as normal amid possible plant closures and job cuts at its parent company in Germany. In fact, the... 

Grindrod to acquire remaining stake in Matola Terminal

Ports and logistics group Grindrod will acquire the remaining 35% shareholding in Terminal de Carvão da Matola (TCM), at the Maputo port, from Vitol Mauritius for $77-million. The JSE-listed... 

Afrimat Construction Index bounces back in second quarter

The Afrimat Construction Index (ACI) has managed to bounce back in the second quarter of this year. The ACI is a composite index of the level of activity within the building and construction... 

Cape Town proposes new CBD spatial plan, expects up to 50 000 new inner-city residents by 2040

The City of Cape Town (CoCT) has invited the public to comment on its 2040 local spatial development framework (LSDF) for the central business district (CBD). The LSDF will guide decisions about... 

Multiple projects planned in Sanral’s Western Region

The South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) has a number of multibillion-rand projects in the pipeline in its Western Region, which includes the Western and Northern Cape provinces. On... 

Sanral awards R1.4bn Eastern Cape contracts, R3.8bn pending

The South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) has awarded 12 road infrastructure contracts to the value of R1.4-billion in the Eastern Cape since the start of the 2024/25 financial year,... 

East London port welcomes two new tugs as TNPA completes fleet renewal

The Port of East London has taken ownership of two new tugboats, marking the end of Transnet National Ports Authority’s (TNPA’s) R1-billion marine fleet renewal programme, aimed at boosting tugboat... 

We all feel a lot better about South Africa, says construction group WBHO boss

Wilson Bayly Holmes-Ovcon (WBHO) is currently in “a good space”, says CEO Wolfgang Neff. “We all feel a whole lot better about South Africa.” 

Demand for used cars streaks ahead, Asian newcomers big new-car winners

The prolonged economic downturn experienced across multiple sectors in South Africa has resulted in markedly depressed sales in the new-car segment over the past 12 months, says finance group... 

August new-vehicle sales 4.9% lower as exports nosedive by 34.3%

August’s negative new-vehicle sales numbers dashed any hope of a sustained upward trend in the market following July’s 1.5% increase. Total new-vehicle sales in August dropped by 4.9%, to 43 558... 

BMW SA halts third-generation X3 production, gears up for new model next month

BMW Group South Africa (BMW SA) has halted production of the third-generation X3 at its Rosslyn plant, in Pretoria, and will now gear up for production of the new-generation model. The last vehicle... 

Diversification rescues Motus as SA economy struggles

Motus’s Import and Distribution business took a significant bite out of the automotive group’s profit in the financial year ended June 30, says CEO Osman Arbee. “Minus the importers, we had a great... 

Grindrod acquires rest of shareholding in Matola Terminal

Ports and logistics group Grindrod will acquire the remaining 35% shareholding in Terminal de Carvão da Matola (TCM), at the Maputo port, from Vitol Mauritius for $77-million. The JSE-listed... 

NDB approves $1bn loan for SA, inks deal for more billions with Transnet

The board of directors of the New Development Bank (NDB) has approved a loan of up to $1-billion for the development of water and sanitation infrastructure in South Africa under government’s... 

R50-billion in tenders out to market, another R1.8bn to follow – Sanral

The South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) says it is currently evaluating 96 tenders worth R35-billion, while 86 contracts worth R15-billion have already been awarded since the start... 

Expansion of Infrastructure SA central to DPWI’s strategy, Telkom Towers deal to be probed – Macpherson

The expansion and capacitation of Infrastructure South Africa (ISA) is central to the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure’s (DPWI’s) strategy for increased infrastructure investment, says... 

UK govt financier pledges $35m towards construction of DRC deep-water container port

British International Investment (BII) says it has committed up to $35-million for the construction of the initial phase of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC’s) first deepwater container... 

Challenging trade environment dents Grindrod’s profit

Grindrod encountered a “very challenging environment” in the first six months of the year, says CEO Xolani Mbambo. “It’s been difficult.” 

Sanral announces start of new R2.2bn phase of the N2 Wild Coast Road project

South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) CEO Reginald Demana has announced the start of Package 4 of the N2 Wild Coast Road (N2WCR) project in the Eastern Cape. The R2.2-billion phase... 

Ogihara SA breaks ground on new R1.2bn auto body-part plant in Durban

CFAO South Africa (SA) subsidiary Toyota Tsusho Africa and Ogihara Thailand have started construction of a new R1.2-billion plant that will produce vehicle body parts for Toyota South Africa Motors... 

NDB signs R5bn loan agreement with Transnet

The New Development Bank (NDB) on Friday signed a R5-billion loan agreement with State-owned freight transport and logistics group Transnet. The agreement was signed during the NDB’s ninth yearly... 

Akademia unveils R3.2bn plan for private higher education campus

Privately owned Afrikaans, Christian higher education institution Akademia has announced the development of a R3.2-billion campus in Pretoria East. The campus will be developed by real estate... 

PRASA terminates Matthews’ contract, sticks with Emeran as CEO

The board of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) has terminated Zolani Matthews’ employment with immediate effect. PRASA fired Matthews as CEO in 2021 for failing to disclose that he... 

Golden Arrow, Eskom in electric bus deal

Golden Arrow Bus Services (GABS) and power utility Eskom have signed a memorandum of cooperation (MoC) which sets out the terms for ongoing engagement related to GABS’ planned introduction of... 

WesBank introduces residential solar finance of up to R500 000

WesBank has added residential solar finance to its portfolio, extending its product mix beyond vehicle and leisure finance products. The new addition gives personal clients in South Africa access... 

N3 freeway truck chargers MoU signed

Zero Carbon Logistics (Zero CL) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Chinese heavy equipment manufacturer Sany to be the technology provider for its proposed off-grid electric truck... 

New-vehicle sales finally tick upwards

Total new-vehicle sales in July inched up by 1.5%, to 44 229 units, compared with the same month last year, driven by an improvement in the passenger-car market. July was only the second month,... 

Electric SUV under R400 000 launched

Pretoria-based importer and distributor of battery electric vehicles (EVs) Enviro Automotive has launched the Dayun Yuehu S5 mini sports-utility vehicle (SUV) in South Africa. The 3.6 m S5 is... 

Golden Arrow to acquire 120 electric buses from BYD

Cape Town’s Golden Arrow Bus Services (GABS) has signed a deal to acquire 120 electric buses from Chinese automotive powerhouse BYD, following four years of testing. Delivery of the 65-seater units... 

What auto industry wants from government to keep the wheels turning

South Africa’s seventh administration has taken office amidst a flagging domestic economy desperately seeking traction. The automotive industry, South Africa’s biggest manufacturing industry, has... 

Cape Town wants GNU to give it more policing powers, right to run passenger rail and more

The City of Cape Town’s top requests to the Government of National Unity (GNU) are for municipal police to have the powers to investigate crime; the devolvement of passenger rail to the city; the... 

Vayu Robotics launches autonomous delivery robot in the US, signs deal for 2 500 units

California-based Vayu Robotics has announced the real-world deployment of an autonomous on-road delivery robot. The robot, combining AI models with low-cost sensing, is being rolled out in the US...