Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana reports that work is under way with the private sector to unblock the remaining obstacles to investment of about R54-billion in embedded generation projects. Speaking during a presentation of Operation Vulindlela’s first quarter progress report, Godongwana said he was aware of frustrations over the slow pace of the structural reforms being championed under the initiative, including those designed to address the electricity crisis.
The newly rebranded UK government’s development finance institution (DFI) British International Investment (BII) was launched on May 12 at the British High Commissioner’s residence in Nairobi, Kenya – one of the DFI’s most important markets. The event was attended by BII CEO Nick O’Donohoe and British High Commissioner to Kenya Jane Marriott.
South Africa must accelerate plans to generate more electricity itself, buy more energy from private producers and make it easier for power-hungry mining companies to build their own plants, according to a draft economic policy document compiled by the nation’s governing party. Projects outlined in the government’s Integrated Resources Plan won’t be sufficient to end rolling blackouts, and the energy blueprint should be reviewed, the African National Congress said in the document seen by Bloomberg. It called for privately built plants to be designated as strategic infrastructure projects, which would make it easier for them to get environmental approval, and for registration requirements to be streamlined.
A potential food crisis may be brewing in South Africa as domestic coal consumers face increasing difficulty in securing coal supplies at a fair price to fire their processing plants, says commodity insights and marketplace company African Source Markets CEO Bevan Jones.
He tells Mining Weekly that, currently, South African producers of high-quality coal are increasingly neglecting the domestic industrial sector as a result of high US Dollar export coal prices.
State-owned utility Eskom says the National Treasury’s relaxation of some procurement and supply chain management rules and processes contained in the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) will assist it in speeding up critical and urgent procurement. The amendment, which is outlined in an instruction note that became effective in April, will also empower it to engage directly with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and maintenance suppliers.
Stage 2 load-shedding will be implemented for the fifth time this week, running from 17:00 to 22:00 on Friday, Eskom said in a statement. Several generating units are expected to return to service starting on Friday afternoon and through the weekend, however.
State-owned power utility Eskom has acknowledged and welcomed the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy’s (DMRE’s) extension of the commercial close timelines for the 25 preferred bidders announced under the Renewable Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP) Bid Window 5 (BW5), with all projects expected to sign project agreements by no later than the end of September. Eskom’s Grid Access Unit (GAU) has also reiterated its support for the REIPPPP and has also made some clarifications regarding the REIPPPP BW5, as well as the Risk Mitigation Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (RMIPPPP) and the non-DMRE electricity generation projects.
Infrastructure investment mobilisation organisation InfraCo Africa will provide $15-million by way of convertible loan notes to decentralised solar-powered systems company Bboxx to enable it to accelerate its provision of clean energy solutions to millions of people in existing and new markets across sub-Saharan Africa. To date, Bboxx has successfully delivered clean energy solutions for more than 2.5-million people globally, with substantial operations in countries including Rwanda, Kenya, Togo, Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Heavy lifting and rigging specialist Lovemore Bros added four new trucks from global truck manufacturer Volvo to its heavy lifting and materials handling fleet. Lovemore Bros heavy rigging manager Shane Hawyes says the benefit of the acquisition is threefold.
The South African Industry Adaption (SAIA) project was launched last month to accelerate South African industry’s energy and water transition to a decarbonised, green and inclusive economy, as well as a vibrant job market. SAIA is a collaboration between the governments of South Africa and Flanders, in Belgium, and the United Nations Industrial Development Corporation (Unido).
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