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Already green V&A Waterfront eyes starting up desalination plant, building second seawater cooling plant

Published: 21 Jun 24

Since embarking on its sustainability journey in 2008, the V&A Waterfront (V&A) in Cape Town has reduced its energy use by 40%, with 2 MW of photovoltaic (PV) solar panels generating 1 640 000 kWh of clean energy a year. The precinct has also diverted 62% of its waste from landfills. This includes more than 2 300 t of organic waste and 2 100 t of recycling every year.

Streamlined PPP framework could unlock infrastructure investment

Published: 21 Jun 24

In February, the National Treasury asked for public comments to be submitted in respect of the newly drafted amendments to the National Treasury Regulations (NTR) 16, and key elements of municipal public-private partnerships (PPPs) legislation, to bring it in line with recommendations based on a complete review of the PPP framework. The closing date for public comments was April 15, with efforts being made to promulgate the new regulations before the close of the current financial year, the National Treasury tells Engineering News & Mining Weekly.

A photo of the new Cape Town Station which has been re-imagined to house over 3 000 students and has sports grounds, a shopping centre and cinemas

Mixed-use project completed

Published: 21 Jun 24

Privately owned construction company GVK-Siya Zama has worked “around the clock” to complete the redevelopment of Cape Town Station, in the Western Cape, into a mixed-use residential and retail space. This despite experiencing one of Cape Town’s wettest winters in ten years last year, which threatened to derail the process.

A road in Africa taken from a lower angle with a yellow line painted through it and a Cats Eye reflector in the tar

Eastern Cape road projects planned

Published: 21 Jun 24

The South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) announced in March that it expected to inject close to R2-billion into the Dr AB Xuma local municipality, in the Eastern Cape, when it implements its road maintenance projects over the next three years. The roads agency said it will implement two road infrastructure development projects in the municipality, which include the road improvements of the R61 National Road between All Saints and Bayiza, as well as road improvements of the R61 National Road between Qumanco and eNgcobo.

A man’s arm holding a hard hat wearing other PPE in the foreground of a construction site

Fatalities draw attention to health and safety standards

Published: 21 Jun 24

Recent tragic events, resulting in the loss of over 40 construction workers' lives across three sites last month, have brought heightened attention to both the wellbeing of construction personnel and the effectiveness of regulatory oversight. The fatal construction-related incidents were recorded at a new apartment building in George, in the Western Cape; a residential construction site in Ballito, in KwaZulu-Natal; and a previously constructed retaining wall at a shop in Ngcobo, in the Eastern Cape.

Institutes promote sustainable development

Published: 21 Jun 24

Members of welding professional body the Southern African Institute of Welding (SAIW) stress the importance of high-quality welder education and training strategies to help catalyse the “reindustrialisation” of developing countries – including many of the countries on the African continent – and empowering impoverished and underprivileged communities by creating employment in the welding sector. The education and training initiatives established by the SAIW to improve the overall value of the welding industry by enhancing the national welding capability also aligns with the United Nations’ (UN’s) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), notes a report on the 17 SDGs written by SAIW executive director John Tarboton and veteran SAIW and International Institute of Welding (IIW) member Chris Smallbone.

New-vehicle sales down 14.2% as consumers suffer from election jitters

Published: 21 Jun 24

April’s 2.2% bump in new-vehicle sales proved to be an anomaly as new-vehicle sales again returned to negative territory in May, with the market down 14.2%, to 37 105 units, compared with the same month last year. April’s positive blip followed eight months of market decline.

Airbus has identified unserved air routes to, from and within Africa

Published: 20 Jun 24

On Thursday, at the AviaDev Conference in Windhoek, Namibia, Airbus released its latest report on commercial aviation in Africa. The 53-page report is titled Exploring the horizons: A study of unserved air routes to, from and within Africa. “Despite significant traffic between certain city-pairs, some identified routes still lack regularly scheduled non-stop flights,” pointed out Airbus Market Intelligence and Consulting Director Geert Lemaire. “Factors such as restrictive bilateral air service agreements, economic variables, and challenges and capacity, frequency and operating cost efficiency contribute to these routes remaining unserved.”

A Skydio drone and Boston Dynamics robot dog

Dwyka highlights new drone technology at showcase

Published: 20 Jun 24

Mining technology company Dwyka Mining Services has announced the launch of several new drone technology services through its partnerships with drone technology companies Wingtra, Emesent and now Skydio. At a showcase event hosted at the FNB Stadium, in Gauteng, on June 20, Dwyka announced its newly signed strategic partnership and reseller agreement with Skydio, one of the largest artificial intelligence- (AI-) powered drone technology companies in the US.

This Prieska mine chamber was blasted in the 1970s.

Green copper, vapour refining envisaged at Orion’s Northern Cape base metals mines

Published: 20 Jun 24

Green copper and clean smelting and refining are envisaged at Orion Minerals’ quickly advancing base metals mines in South Africa’s well-endowed Northern Cape province, which has historically produced 2.5-millon tons of copper until base metal mining ceased there several decades ago. The fully permitted and already reviving Prieska mine will begin producing its first saleable copper and zinc 12 to 18 months after finalising its total funding requirement, which is estimated at from R3-billion to R4-billion.