MyZA
News, Directory, Events and Other Stuff
Dear Editor As soon as Parliament opens next year, the DA will request that Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu and her acting director-general Linton Mchunu account to the parliamentary portfolio committee on social development regarding their role in failing to distribute R100 million from the criminal assets recovery account (CARA) to programmes for survivors of …
Hold onto your crayons, folks! @Sandton Kids is turning up the excitement dial as it officially welcomes mini-geniuses up to Grade R and launches personalised tutoring services for the pint-sized scholars cruising from Grade R to Grade 7. Get ready for a rollercoaster of reading, writing, spelling, and homework galore! Located smack dab in the …
It was a successful year for Suzuki, one of South Africa’s favourite car brands. The company introduced several new models, including one of South Africa’s most affordable commercial vehicles, and set a number of new sales records along the way. While this would be enough for any company, Suzuki Auto South Africa also set a …
Dear Editor The DA mourns the death of afro-soul singer Bulelwa Mkutukana, popularly known as Zahara. Her music touched many South Africans through her raw sincerity, storytelling and uplifting lyrics. Her incredible musical rise from oblivion to superstardom captivated South African music lovers. During her 12-year music career, Zahara scooped multiple awards, including 17 South …
Dear Editor The DA expresses deep concern over the abrupt resignation of Bongani Mabaso, CEO of the State IT Agency (SITA), after just eight months in office. This year, SITA experienced significant instability, including the controversial firing of six board members in July, allegedly due to their disagreement with the decision to raise Mabaso’s remuneration …
The colours we choose for our home significantly impact its aesthetics and the mood of the spaces within. This guide explores a range of colours to help you decide the best hues for your home. Diverse Hues for Creative Spaces: A touch of Blue Chalk Paint can bring a calming atmosphere to your room, …
Cranes added at Transnet’s Cape Town Container Terminal to boost productivity
Transnet’s Cape Town Container Terminal (CTCT) has received a delivery of seven pre-used rubber-tyred gantry cranes (RTGs).
The acquisition of the RTGs is part of the State-owned entity’s turnaround plan, whose key priorities include equipment availability, in order to support operational efficiencies.
Western Cape Terminals Managing Executive, Andiswa Dlanga, said: “The acquisition of additional RTGs in our terminal will go a long way in offering a reliable service to our customers, a much-needed boost for the growth of the Western Cape and South Africa's economy.
“As a business, we are committed to deliver on our promise to customers and industry, thus equipment availability and reliability are at the core of what we do. These additional machines will enable us to improve operational performance and turn-around vessels on time”.
In a statement, Transnet Port Terminals [TPT] explained that the new cranes will bring the number of TRGs operating at the CTCT to 27 – a timely boost as ahead of the peak of the deciduous season which is the terminal’s busiest time.
“Out of the 20 RTGs, seven of them were recently fitted with new engines and three with generators. CTCT is currently completing maintenance repairs on two additional RTGs, which will bring the total number to 29. Over the next few days, the engineering team will spend time commissioning all the seven RTGs to ensure readiness before they are officially handed over to operations. Concurrently, the operations team will roll out training to operators who will be working on the additional RTG machines.
“The acquisition of RTGs is a display of TPT’s commitment to the industry and stakeholders as more reliable equipment directly leads to improved productivity while also ensuring seamless vessel movement within the port,” the statement read. – SAnews.gov.za
NeoB
Tue, 12/12/2023 - 11:29
Tasneem Motala is a Senior Lecturer: Operations Management at Stellenbosch Business School and one of the researchers who reviewed South Africa’s first four-day week trial. For the South African results released visit https://www.4dayweek.com/sa-2023-pilot-results When the four-day week trial started, there was a healthy scepticism about whether it could work in South Africa. This question was …
Dear Editor The recent cabinet decision to endorse the appointment of Gazprombank as the preferred investment partner to rebuild PetroSA’s mothballed refinery in Mossel Bay, and today’s announcement of a 2500MW nuclear new build determination, raise the ugly specter of further state capture – this time at the hands of a foreign government – in …
The monthly Sweetdale Night Market hosted at The Packshed restaurant in Margate on the last Friday of every month has become a firm calendar favourite owing to its stunning forest setting, family-friendly environment and wide range of high-quality offerings. This December, KZN Mid-South Coast residents and holidaymakers are in for a treat as there will …
Process to procure nuclear energy to begin
South Africa will soon begin the procurement process for some 2 500MW of nuclear energy.
Minister in The Presidency responsible for Electricity, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, announced this during a media briefing on Tuesday.
The Minister explained that the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) had to satisfy a raft of rigorous National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) suspensive conditions, which take into account various factors before the go-ahead could be issued.
“The DMRE submitted a report to the regulator addressing suspensive conditions in July of 2023. NERSA still had an obligation to satisfy itself if the response from the DMRE to the suspensive conditions are sufficient for NERSA to consider giving this process the greenlight.
“I am happy to indicate that… NERSA considered the DMRE submission… and concluded that the suspensive conditions had been satisfactorily addressed. We are triggering now... essentially a procurement process. We are going out to ensure that we are able to get that additional 2 500MW of nuclear capacity to ensure that we are able to meet issues of national security and energy sovereignty,” Ramokgopa said.
During the briefing, the DMRE said it is looking to release requests for proposals for nuclear by March 2024.
The Minister emphasised that the move is a significant milestone because historically, "the process was mired in controversy".
“We are happy that we’ve been able to iron out the issues related to how the procurement process needs to unfold. We have met the regulatory requirements as per… the legal requirement and now we have the concurrence of NERSA, we are able to proceed.
“This is profound and what it does is to cement our unassailable position as a country, as a leader on the continent in relation to nuclear generation capacity and also the skills profile that we have,” he said.
The Ministerial determination and NERSA’s concurrence is expected to be gazetted soon.
Ramokgopa assured that while government continues to build towards energy security in the future, energy continues to be poured into addressing the immediate challenge of load shedding.
“Nuclear… gives us a significant and important platform for us to be able to ensure that we are able to secure a energy future for ourselves, energy sovereignty for ourselves. Of course, we continue to make every effort to address load shedding because the benefit of what we are announcing, you are not going to see it tomorrow, in a year’s time, you won’t see it in two years’ time… [In] three to four years, that’s when you’ll begin to see the benefits.
“But in the meantime, it’s important that we address the challenges with regards to the immediate problem of load shedding, whilst we secure the energy future, we don’t run into the same problem again in the future and nuclear has proven to be a reliable source of energy,” he said.
South Africa currently has one nuclear power station, Koeberg, located in the Western Cape. The station has two units, which produce 980MW, according to the Minister.
Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) 2019
During the briefing, Ramokgopa highlighted that Eskom’s current power station fleet is ageing – meaning that South Africa will have to generate additional sources of energy.
In this regard, the Minister alluded to the IRP 2019’s call for the commencement of “preparations for a nuclear build programme… at a pace and scale that the country can afford”, in anticipation of the need to supplement future energy demand when power stations reach their end of life.
Nuclear energy forms part of the IRP 2019’s future envisaged energy mix for South Africa.
“Part of the reason we are here with regards to the energy crisis is that generation can’t meet demand and therefore we need to have additional generation capacity… to help us to ensure that we are able to secure the country’s future,” Ramokgopa said.
According to the DMRE website, South Africa only generates about 6% of its electricity from nuclear energy generated at the Koeberg power station.
The Minister emphasised that the power station has been in operation for about 40 years, “incident free”.
“Now we are in the period of extension of life of Koeberg. We want to secure another 20 years of life of Koeberg. Unit 1 had gone out to meet the regulatory requirements for purposes of meeting the conditions for extension of life. After a significant amount of delays of about four months, now Unit 1 is running on full load.
“Yesterday [Monday], we then removed Unit 2 for purposes of meeting those regulatory requirements and… we are expecting that by August of next year, Unit 2 should come back,” Ramokgopa said. – SAnews.gov.za
NeoB
Tue, 12/12/2023 - 10:41
Black Sash predicts “devastating” effect on grant recipients in rural areas
Passenger rail services were suspended at the station in 2021 due to vandalism and theft
Ndenzeni Njwenene first applied in 1999
Exploring the Heart of South Africa: A Journey Through Soweto Soweto, located to the southwest of Johannesburg, is not just South Africa’s most populous township; it’s a place brimming with historical and cultural richness. With a population estimated between two to four million, it encapsulates a spectrum of socioeconomic backgrounds, from areas of poverty to …
A smart light switch is an advanced version of a traditional light switch, enhanced with connectivity features. By connecting to your home Wi-Fi network, it allows you to control your home’s lighting remotely using a smartphone app, voice commands through smart home assistants like Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant, or even through other smart home …
The terms “home theater” and “home cinema” are often used interchangeably, but there can be subtle differences. Home theaters and home cinemas both aim to bring the magic of movie-watching into the comfort of a home, but they do so at different scales and levels of immersion. A home theater system, often a …
Watch this iconic ‘Throwback Cinema’ release for only R50 at Ster-Kinekor Celebrating its 20th anniversary seemed a fitting time to bring back the timeless romantic comedy, Love Actually – it’s the perfect movie with all the right feels for the festive season. As part of its Throwback Cinema campaign to bring back some of the …
EXCLUSIVELY IN STER-KINEKOR IMAX THEATRES IN SA, LIMITED SCREENINGS FROM 18 JANUARY 2024 IMAX and Pathé Live in partnership with Mercury Studios and Queen Films has announced that, for the very first time, one of the world’s biggest bands will perform on cinema’s biggest screens with the global release of “QUEEN ROCK MONTREAL,” exclusively in …
Logistics software is designed to manage, execute, and optimize the movement and storage of goods, from the point of origin to the point of consumption. This encompasses a range of activities including transportation management, warehouse operations, inventory control, order fulfillment, and shipment tracking. Key Features of Logistics Software: Transportation Management: Streamlines shipping processes, carrier selection, …
Storage facilities offer space, typically in the form of storage units, where individuals or businesses can store their belongings. These facilities vary in size, type, and the amenities they offer, catering to a wide range of storage needs. Types of Storage Units: Self-Storage Units: These are the most common type, offering a range of unit …
Meanwhile the community is being serviced by a 24-hour patrol and a mobile unit
Johannesburg’s diverse and dynamic nature is reflected in its storage unit offerings. From basic self-storage units in the suburbs to more sophisticated, climate-controlled facilities in the business districts, there’s a solution for every need. These facilities cater to a wide range of clients, including individuals, families, students, and businesses. Key Features to Look For: Security: …
Freight Logistics Roadmap approved to be published
The Freight Logistics Roadmap – aimed at addressing the serious challenges in that industry – has been approved for publication by Cabinet.
The roadmap also sets out to reform the logistics system in the long run.
Over the past few weeks, Transnet – South Africa’s government owned freight rail, ports and logistics company – has been hard at work to resolve severe truck congestion challenges at its Richard’s Bay port, including ramping up the number of locomotives available on its lines servicing the port.
Speaking during a post-Cabinet media briefing on Monday, Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said the current challenges in the industry “pose a significant constraint” on the South African economy, its growth prospects and job creation.
“The immediate priority is to stabilise and improve the operational performance of the freight rail network, which presents a severe constraint on exports.
“The main implementation mechanism for the short-term interventions will oversee operational improvement through five corridors, with full alignment with the Transnet board approved turnaround plan which identifies short and medium term actions to improve operations and stabilise the company’s finances,” she said.
The three areas of intervention proposed in the roadmap include:
“In addition, the roadmap outlines a path to implement the commitments made in the National Rail Policy and the National Commercial Ports Policy and plans for the reform of the freight logistics system,” she said.
Meanwhile, the Draft Rail Private Sector Participation (PSP) Framework has been considered and approved by cabinet.
According to Ntshavheni, the framework aims to “provide an interim approach to and a model for future decision-making to enable private sector participation in the railway infrastructure system”.
“Given the current challenges within the railway infrastructure, the Rail PSP Framework proposes the commencement of private sector participation through opportunities that are aimed at fixing the railway infrastructure first.
“The Rail PSP Framework recommended the adoption of the cooperative governance and integrated approach to rail private sector participation for implementation.
“Accordingly, this approach is fully compliant to the PFMA and Company’s Act and will require the PSP unit within the Department of Transport and the Rail SOC to publish a network statement for endorsement by the Rail Economic Regulatory Capacity (interim),” Ntshavheni said.
The Department of Transport is expected to establish a PSP unit to identify and prioritise projects and develop an implementation plan to facilitate PSP initiatives. – SAnews.gov.za
NeoB
Mon, 12/11/2023 - 11:36