AIDC-EC enters into global partnerships to make auto sector more competitive

The Automotive Industry Development Centre Eastern Cape (AIDC-EC) has entered into partnerships with the Automotive Component Manufacturing Association of India (ACMA) and the Japan International... 

Thermal sensors for four Cape Town pedestrian crossings

The City of Cape Town has implemented thermal sensors at four pedestrian crossings in Blaauwberg, the first time this has been done in South Africa.  The sensors have been installed along Marine... 

New milestone for R1.9bn C Town wastewater plant upgrade

The R1.9-billion upgrade at Zandvliet Wastewater Treatment Works, in Cape Town, has seen the completion of a new membrane biological reactor (MBR).  Membrane technology is capable of treating... 

MBA North says its members being forced to condone unethical contractual practices

The Master Builders Association (MBA) North has issued a practice note for its members aimed at helping them fight back against what it calls unethical contractual practices that have become... 

Volvo Trucks SA plant starts Euro 5 assembly

Volvo Trucks South Africa (SA) has started assembly of Euro 5 specification trucks at its plant in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. Euro 5 truck variants have been available in South Africa since 2012, but... 

Fuso’s new electric eCanter unveiled, first test units to arrive in SA next year

Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation (MFTBC) has unveiled its next-generation all-electric light-duty eCanter truck. Since its launch in 2017 as the first series-produced truck of its kind in... 

PRASA being ‘totally rebuilt’, not rehabilitated, says the State-owned entity’s strategy GM

The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) is being totally rebuilt, says PRASA strategy GM Anna-Marie Lubbe. “We are hard at work rebuilding PRASA. It is not a recovery, it is not a... 

Transnet strike deprived South Africa of opportunity to move R65.3bn worth of goods

South Africa lost the opportunity to move R65.3-billion worth of goods during the recent 11 days of industrial action at the country’s ports, says South African Association of Freight Forwarders... 

Sanral appoints Wescoal ex-CEO as new boss

The board of the South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) has announced the appointment of Reginald Lavhelesani Demana as the entity’s new CEO. Demana’s appointment is subject to... 

Shoprite increases solar capacity by 82% in 12 months 

The Shoprite group says it increased its installed capacity of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems by 82%, to 26 606 kWp over the past 12 months. The 143 674 m2 of solar panels at 62 sites is... 

Ecolabelling system for South Africa’s construction sector launched

Agrément South Africa (ASA) has launched an ecolabelling system for building materials and products sold and used within the country, known as the ecoASA label. ASA is an entity of the Department... 

Windaba panel asks: Jobs first, or energy first?

Manufacturing is responsible for only one-third of jobs within the wind energy sector, says Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy Africa area director Marcel Cabral. Speaking at Windaba 2022, held... 

Three-year auto sector wage deal signed

The Automobile Manufacturers Employers Organisation (AMEO) and the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) have signed a new three-year sector wage deal. The agreement will see... 

New Cape Town distribution centre to be built for Truworths

The Atterbury group and Truworths have inked a deal for the creation of a new distribution centre in Cape Town. The clothing retailer’s new facility will be built in King Air Industria, which is an... 

Recovering traffic volumes, new modi operandi fingered as incidence of vehicle crime returns to pre-Covid levels

Gauteng remains South Africa’s vehicle crime hot spot. This is according to Tracker’s latest Vehicle Crime Index (VCI), covering the six months from January to June 2022.  With national incidents... 

SA consumers delaying EV purchase decisions to see what ‘the future holds’ – AutoTrader 

Digital automotive marketplace AutoTrader and Smarter Mobility Africa have produced their third study that focuses on South African consumers’ perceptions of electric vehicles (EVs), as well as... 

EVs drive Europe’s new-car emissions down

Average carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from new cars registered in Europe dropped by 12% in 2020, compared with the year before, says a new report from the European Environment Agency (EEA).  The... 

Court orders govt to draft action plan to stop attacks on long-distance bus company Intercape

A judgment handed down by the Makhanda High Court on October 7 found that Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula and his Eastern Cape counterpart have failed to fulfil their legal obligation with regard... 

Cars.co.za buys into Karoo off-grid solar project through Sun Exchange

Global solar leasing platform Sun Exchange has announced that South African automotive platform Cars.co.za has bought into a project that provides off-grid solar power, as well as battery storage,... 

Zero Carbon Charge aims to start roll-out of solar-powered electric vehicle charging stations in 2023

Zero Carbon Charge (ZeroCC) is unashamedly pro-electric vehicle (EV), but believes that driving an EV only makes a difference when charged by renewable energy. ZeroCC director Andries Malherbe says... 

Barloworld says Russia order book in sharp decline, Avis to exit group this year

Barloworld’s Caterpillar equipment trading business in Russia is starting to feel the heat from international sanctions imposed on the country on the back of its invasion of Ukraine. This is... 

Harbour Arch’s live-work-play concept includes refreshing affordable component

The first phase of the Melrose Arch mixed-use development opened in Johannesburg in 2001, more than 20 years ago. Since then, the concept of a city-within-a-city has gained traction, with the idea... 

September vehicle sales 10.8% higher year-on-year

Total domestic new-vehicle sales in September, at 47 786 units, were 10.8% higher than in the same month last year, while year-to-date sales, at 391 396 units, were 13.4% up on the figure for the... 

Nine firms respond to Naamsa’s EV charging network roll-out tender

Naamsa | The Automotive Business Council has received nine bids from companies interested in rolling out public charging infrastructure for electric vehicles (EVs) in South Africa. The council... 

South Africa ‘painfully slow’ in drafting new-energy vehicle policy – Naamsa

The South African government is “moving painfully slowly” in finalising its policy on new-energy vehicles (NEVs), says Naamsa | The Automotive Business Council CEO Mikel Mabasa. Since the unveiling... 

Automobile Association denounces new tyre duties as ‘a major blow’ to road safety

The higher excise duties to be provisionally levied on tyres imported into South Africa from China “is a major blow” to road safety in the country and should be reversed immediately, says the... 

Shoprite clinches R3.5bn in sustainability-linked loans

The Shoprite group has finalised R3.5-billion in sustainability-linked loan agreements, with the aim to expand its key environmental programmes as part of a wider sustainability strategy.  The... 

Cape Town to build first solar plant in Atlantis next year 

The City of Cape Town plans to build its first grid-connected solar plant next year as one of its interventions to end load-shedding over time.  The city has issued the tender for the engineering,... 

Volvo Trucks starts production of heavy electric trucks, first SA units to arrive next year

Volvo Trucks has started series production of the battery electric versions of the company’s heavy-duty FH, FM and FMX ranges. These trucks can operate at a total gross combination weight of 44 t. 

Audi SA, GridCars wrap up initial EV charging network roll-out

Audi South Africa (SA), in partnership with GridCars, has finalised the installation of 33 electric vehicle (EV) new charging stations across the country.  The chargers include four 150 kW (dc)... 

Supply chain hiccups prevent Bell from fully capitalising on post-Covid demand growth

The growing demand for commodities, post-Covid-19 stimulus packages and increased infrastructure spend in a number of markets all stimulated demand for Bell Equipment’s products in the six months... 

Metair grapples with hyperinflation, flood impact in ‘interesting six months’

“It’s been an interesting six months,” says Metair CEO Riaz Haffejee as he reflects on his company’s financial results for the six months ended June 30. CFO Sjoerd Douwenga is perhaps a bit less... 

Overseas teams shine in Sasol Solar Challenge

The Brunel Solar Team from the Netherlands has won the 2022 Sasol Solar Challenge, followed by the Agoria team, from Belgium, with the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) team placed third.... 

Shoprite to acquire 240 Scania Euro V trucks in next 18 months 

Retail giant Shoprite has acquired 100 Euro V trucks from Scania Southern Africa, with another 140 units be delivered by the end of next year. The Euro-scale refers to the level of tailpipe... 

New-vehicle sales stats show promise, but used-car allure waning

The sales statistics for August indicate that “some form of stability” is returning to the new-vehicle market, says WesBank. August delivered the second-best performing sales month for the year... 

Vehicle production, exports hard-hit by KZN floods

The KwaZulu-Natal floods, along with the associated disruption in the movement of automotive components and vehicles through the Durban port, as well as the ongoing global semiconductor shortage,... 

SA has only 18 months to make strong move to new-energy vehicles – Naamsa CEO

If South Africa does not start “to shift and change” to support the increased local production of new-energy vehicles (NEVs) in the next 18 months, the future of the industry is “absolutely under... 

Association takes SATMC, Itac to court as tyre battle intensifies

The Tyre Importers Association of South Africa (TIASA) has applied to court to compel the International Trade Administration Commission of South Africa (Itac) and the South African Tyre... 

Auto sales return to pre-Covid levels, but storm clouds are gathering – TransUnion

South Africa’s automotive industry continued its recovery from Covid-19 in the second quarter of the year, with vehicle sales reaching levels last seen before the pandemic. A growing number of... 

Tower 1 at Cape Town’s R16bn Harbour Arch development reaches its highest point

Tower 1 at Cape Town’s new Harbour Arch mixed-use precinct has topped out on the twenty-third floor, 95 m above ground – 30 months after breaking ground in January 2020.   “Reaching the highest...