Chef Bertus Basson launches Staycold’s Capture the Cool competition, with one example of a photo entered and caption: “With Staycold, we can Trust the Experience.”
Staycold International, a commercial refrigeration manufacturer based in Parys, Free State has just launched their photo competition called “Capture the Cool” at FRIGAIR 2025. The competition encourages anyone who spots a Staycold cooler or freezer out in the trade, to take a photo and send to Staycold with a creative caption. The purpose is for Staycold to collect and showcase these photos in their showroom, for all to see the diverse areas where Staycold units are, and reward the most creative sender.
Staycold management decided to run this competition, as staff members always receive images from various clients ie Dealers, Bottlers or Corporates and even suppliers and family members when a Staycold unit is seen. Images are taken in different restaurants, supermarkets, garage shops, bars, university canteens, cricket stadiums, quick service restaurants etc across South Africa, and sent to their contact at Staycold. These different candid photos impress Staycold staff, so the competition was conceptualized to collect each one and create a collage.
This will be displayed in the showroom, to further motivate the committed staff who manufacture the units in the factory, from when the steel arrives to when the cabinet is transported out to its new location.
Celebrity and renowned Chef Bertus Basson, Staycold’s Brand Ambassador was present at their stand at FRIGAIR and assisted with launching the competition. Different people took selfies with Chef Bertus standing next to a Staycold unit, either at their stand, another stand, or in the canteen at Gallagher Convention Centre and entries started being submitted.
The winner will win a trip for two to the Cape Winelands, to see more Staycold units in action in the culinary capital of South Africa. The prize also includes lunch at Chorus, Chef Bertus Basson’s fine dining restaurant located in Somerset West with views of the vineyards and False Bay.
Sebastian Hills, Sales Director at Staycold commented: “We enjoy seeing our Staycold units out in the trade and how they are trusted with their lasting performance, to help run many businesses and contribute to their bottom line. There are many opportunities to enter, as we have hundreds of thousands of Staycold units in operation across multiple countries — from South Africa to Nigeria, UK, to Hong Kong to New Zealand. We look forward to receiving entries, which have already started coming in showing how Staycold’s are integrated into diverse and dynamic spaces throughout the country.”
Entries can be submitted via WhatsApp, email, or through the dedicated competition page on Staycold’s website. Submissions to include the sender’s full name, the location of the sighting, and a relevant caption. Entries will be judged on how creatively the unit is captured, including visual appeal, originality, and how effectively the Staycold product is showcased in its environment.
First graduates of the Polyoak Plastics Manufacturing Machine Setter Qualification: Deon Cupido (Technical Training Manager), Reyaaz Southgate, Shane Pieters, Zainoedeen Valentyn, Lee-Roy Petersen, Gakhiem Stemmet, Noerjah Mathews, Tauqir Adams, Alistair Kannemeyer, Michelle Moller (Polyoak Business School Manager).
A standing ovation for local innovation! Plastics industry frontrunners Polyoak Packaging and Zerocrete were honoured with top accolades at the Cape Chamber’s Industry Innovation Awards, held in grand style at Cape Town’s historic City Hall on 10th June 2025.
The glittering event celebrated visionary businesses whose innovations are reshaping the economy and driving real-world impact.
The awards were designed to spotlight breakthrough ideas that fuel economic growth, generate jobs, and strengthen public services—while offering guests a dazzling night of inspiration and entertainment. From innovative technologies to bold sustainability efforts, the evening reminded everyone that business growth is not just good—it’s essential for a thriving society.
Zerocrete, led by Johan Coetzee, stole the spotlight with its revolutionary low-carbon concrete. By cleverly incorporating non-recyclable plastic and fabric waste, Zerocrete’s eco-smart solution not only diverts tons of waste from landfills but also tackles South Africa’s housing crisis—all while creating jobs. With an impressive 80% lower carbon footprint, this material is already earning future carbon credits.
Polyoak Packaging, based locally in Diepriver, wowed the judges with a world-first multilayer polypropylene (PP) bucket which incorporates a virgin plastic inner and outer layer, rim, and lid for secure sealing and to prevent leakage, while the middle layer utilizes recycled PP. This approach allows them to use recycled plastic while retaining the essential technical functionality of the container. This innovation proves that recycling and quality can go hand in hand, delivering environmental benefits without compromising performance.
Together, these two trailblazers are redefining what’s possible in the plastics and construction industries—leading the way to a more sustainable, inclusive, and prosperous South Africa.
Polyoak’s Plastic Setter Trade Test Centre, which opened its doors in Diepriver on 1st June 2022, was also nominated in the category of ‘Tertiary Education Best Aligned to Market Needs’. It is South Africa’s first Trade Test Centre, accredited to assess machine setters working in the plastic manufacturing industry.
The Trade Test Centre is situated on the premises of rigid plastic packaging manufacturer, Polyoak Packaging, who developed the curriculum for the Plastics Manufacturing Machine Setter Qualification with a focus on action-based learning to ensure its employee apprentices are fully equipped to step into qualified roles as Plastics Machine Setters.
Polyoak Diepriver’s Trade Test Centre.
Polyoak’s in-house training division, Polyoak Business School has been working closely with merSETA for accreditation of Polyoak’s programmes and certifying its learners since 2008. (MerSETA is the Manufacturing, Engineering and Related Services Sector Education and Training Authority established to promote skills development in terms of the South African Skills Development Act.)
Eight Polyoak apprentices started the theoretical component of this qualification in 2017. At the time, no Test Centres were able to conduct the trade test, so Polyoak embarked on the journey to get its own on-site Technical Centre accredited as an official Trade Test Centre for this specific qualification.
Polyoak is now working with the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO) to verify learning and ensure correct assessment and moderation of the qualification.
Apprentices who have completed the theoretical and practical components can undertake their trade test to officially qualify as the first accredited Plastics Manufacturing Machine Setters in South Africa. The programme proudly graduated South Africa’s first female Plastic Manufacturing Setter in 2021.
The fact that this qualification is now a recognized professional trade, will inspire future generations to become highly skilled Plastic Manufacturing Setters, empowered to make a valuable contribution to South Africa’s manufacturing industry.
This is a clear testament to the entire plastic manufacturing industry that women can also participate and indeed succeed in this specialist technical field, traditionally dominated by men. Overall, there is a critical shortage of skilled plastic manufacturing setters in South Africa. This represents lost job opportunities and upward social mobility. The shortage is also an impediment to the growth and competitiveness of our local plastics industry.
The fact that this qualification, made possible by the Trade Test Centre, funded and managed by Polyoak Business School, is now a recognized professional trade, will inspire future generations to become highly skilled Plastic Manufacturing Setters, empowered to make a valuable contribution to South Africa’s manufacturing industry.
“The opening of the first Plastics Manufacturing Machine Setter Occupational Qualification Trade Test Centre in South Africa was a significant achievement for Polyoak and the entire plastics sector. Polyoak has been involved in skills development from the start and has never shied away from a challenge. Therefore, today they have a thriving Business School and can now add the abovementioned trade test centre to their baskets of offerings,” said Bronwin Abrahams, Client Relations Manager for MerSETA.
Polyoak Packaging’s Managing Director, Karl Lambrecht concludes: “Investing in our people is a core value at Polyoak, along with helping to uplift the communities in which we operate. We are immensely proud of our expertise in plastic manufacturing, and we are honoured to be able to make this Trade Test Centre available for future Plastics Manufacturing Machine Setters to get officially certified. This will help to build much needed technical skills to support inclusive economic growth for South Africa. We are hoping that this qualification will also help to attract people to this field where they can build a career as a qualified artisan.”
Round 1 of the 2024 South African Rally-Raid Championship (SARRC) began with the Nkomazi 400 in Malalane, yet another Mpumalanga town given over to rallying. TOYOTA GAZOO Racing SA entered four crews, all driving the latest version of the GR Toyota Hilux EVO, pictured here, which was used during the Dakar Rally. [Photo: Toyota.]
The National Department of Tourism will host a Tourism Investment Conference in Mpumalanga in September 2025 to coincide with the visit of G20 ministers to South Africa.
The venue is no surprise as Mpumalanga has several incomparable tourism jewels: the world-class Kruger National Park is among at least 70 parks and reserves, the remarkable Barberton Makhonjwa Mountains UNESCO World Heritage Site and the awe-inspiring Blyde River Canyon are among others. The Innibos Lowveld National Arts Festival has become a fixture and a very popular festival, with music at its heart.
Among the plans to further enhance the province’s tourism sector are a three-country promotion campaign, TRILAND, a public-private partnership to build an International Conference Centre and the improvement of tourism infrastructure across the province. The Provincial Government of Mpumalanga aims to increase the tourism industry’s contribution to GDP from 5.8% to 8% and declared that the sector is among those that it counts as a priority sector.
Sports and adventure tourism play a key role in the province’s offering. The 43 000-seater Mbombela Stadium, built to be one of the venues when South Africa hosted the 2010 FIFA World Cup, has become a firm favourite with soccer fans and Springbok rugby supporters love the place. The atmosphere for each of the South African team’s wins against Scotland, Wales, Argentina (twice) and New Zealand has been electric.
Outdoor pursuits
For many years, Mpumalanga has been synonymous with motor rallying. The transition from Highveld to Lowveld no doubt has something to do with the popularity of the province for rally riders, with steep inclines and tough gradients to test competitors.
One of the province’s public roads even has a reputation for excitement. Among motorcyclists, there is a 22km stretch of the R536 between Salie and Kierpersol that is known as the “Infamous 22”. This part of the Bergvliet Pass, which passes through the Bergvliet plantation, has curves that motorcycling enthusiasts love.
Moving on to motor cars, the multi-event South African National Rally Championship (SANRC) often holds more than one event in Mpumalanga with venues such as Dullstroom, Ermelo and Secunda. Not all rallies are part of the Championship. The 2024 NRC season comprised five events which culminated in Dullstroom. The final event was held over two days with 22 teams in various classes competing across 14 challenging stages.
The South African Rally-Raid Championship is part of the World Rally-Raid Championship (officially abbreviated as W2RC). Round 1 of the 2024 South African Rally-Raid Championship (SARRC) began with the Nkomazi 400 in Malalane, yet another Mpumalanga town given over to rallying.
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing SA entered four crews, all driving the latest version of the GR Toyota Hilux EVO, pictured above, which was used during the Dakar Rally. An 11km race determines the starting positions for Loop 1, the first of two loops of 169km that pass through farmlands and the mountainous terrain surrounding the town of Malalane in the far-eastern part of the province.
South Africa vs Thailand, Mbombela Stadium. [Photo: Mbombela Stadium]
Leg power
Tourists can hire quad bikes or go on cycle tours organised by tour operators. For example, one can experience the banks of the Sabie River on a quad bike or explore a macadamia plantation from a similar vantage point. Tripadvisor lists Mankele Adventures and Kaapsehoop Scootours as options for bicycle tourism.
Alternatively, serious cyclists can saddle up and sign up for any one of several events held in the province. These include the Sabie Classic, described as “an experience you won’t forget” in the “stunning forests of Sabie”, which has four options ranging from 10km to 65km routes and was held in April in 2025.
The rather more challenging Sabie Cycle will happen in October 2025. Held over three days and 364km, the route rises more than 7 000 metres as it passes over Spitzkop and the Long Tom Pass and through Graskop, Pilgrims Rest and Lydenberg before returning to Sabie via the “Infamous 22”.
Hikers and walkers are also spoilt for choice in Mpumalanga.
This description of the Beestekraalspruit Hiking Trail at Sudwala appears on the Forestry in South Africa website: “This route gently climbs through pine plantation, indigenous scrub forest and grassland to the cliff edge of the Beestekraalspruit, after which it descends gradually into the gorge with its riverine forest. The route follows the Beestekraalspruit for about 4km and crosses the stream 20 times by means of wooden bridges.”
This trail is on SAFCOL land and is available for hiking. Another major land owner, Sappi, decided some years ago to formalise its relationship with the people who use its land. With about one-third of its landholdings unplanted, the company wanted to promote healthy lifestyles by encouraging non-motorised sports such as running, walking and mountain biking.
The Sappi Trails Programme was initiated in 2011 to minimise risk while maximising the benefits for both trail users and for Sappi. Partnerships have been developed with so-called trail custodians. In Mpumalanga that includes Mankele Mountain Biking (near Sudwala Caves, north-west of Mbombela) and Tranquilitas Adventure Farm (Slaaihoek Road, Emgwenya).
On top of the world. [Photo: Sappi]
Hotels and lodges
The Provincial Government of Mpumalanga intends asking national government for a fourth casino licence for the province.
Radisson Hotels has introduced a Sports Approved programme which is available at its Hoedspruit property. The recently launched Radisson Safari Hotel Hoedspruit represents the group’s first safari hotel on the continent and illustrates the variety of types of accommodation options on offer by Radisson. Altogether the hospitality company offers 10 brands.
The Sports Approved programme targets sports teams with up to 15% in discounts and flexible cancellations among the special offers designed to attract sporting groups. The International Sports Travel Agencies Association (ISTAA) has established a partnership with Radisson in relation to Sports Approved. ISTAA is a partnership of travel agencies working in sport with members in more than 50 countries on six continents.
Tsogo Sun Hotels has again adopted the Southern Sun brand. With the acquisition of the Hazyview Sun, the group has a total of seven properties in the province, ranging from two StayEasys to Southern Sun Emnotweni in Nelspruit.
Tsogo Sun, as distinct from Tsogo Sun Hotels which is no more, has interests in casinos and gaming and runs two hotels in Witbank. Protea Hotels by Marriott has two properties in Mpumalanga. At White River, Premier Hotel The Winkler is 20 minutes’ drive from the Numbi Gate of the Kruger National Park.
Forever Resorts has a big presence in the province, including the four-star Forever Resorts Mount Sheba. The Graceland Hotel Casino and Country Club is a Peermont resort in Secunda.
Four nature reserves under the control of the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA) now have accommodation facilities, after upgrades to Songimvelo-Kromdraai Camp, Andover, SS Skosana and Manyeleti.
In 2024 MTPA signed a strategic partnership with the Aspinall Foundation to elevate the Loskop Dam Nature Reserve to a Big Five game reserve. A collaboration with Greater Kruger Environmental Protection Foundation to fight poaching in Manyeleti has also been initiated. This collaboration includes establishing new pickets, the maintenance of fences and the training of field rangers. Tourism Safety Monitors have been introduced at key points around the province.
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The Northern Cape Rural TVET College comprises five campuses.
When Northern Cape Premier Dr Zamani Saul delivered the State of the Province Address (SOPA) at the Mittah Seperepere Convention Centre in March 2025, he not only inaugurated the seventh administration of the provincial government, but also fired the starter gun on a campaign to focus on skills and jobs.
Dr Zamani Saul, Premier of the Northern Cape.
As one would expect from a man with a strong academic background, Dr Saul gave special attention to education as the basis on which training for skills is built.
In the five years of the previous term of office, more than 900 teachers were added to the cohort of educators. For the 2025 year, the Premier announced that close to 300 bursaries would be granted, at a cost of R17-million. By targeting the study of certain subjects, the priorities of the Provincial Human Resources Development Strategy are to the fore: “address the skills mismatch” in the province.
Subjects chosen are Agriculture, Computer Science, Engineering, Science, Law, Commerce, Education, Fine Arts, Humanities and Health Sciences.
An “Access for Success” university preparation programme is underway in the !Kheis Municipality, enabling pupils from economically disadvantaged areas to study STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics).
Leading an article on jobs and skills with reference to university studies might seem strange, but Sol Plaatje University (SPU) has an understanding that it needs to be relevant to the needs of the province where it is located, and that includes preparing people for the jobs market.
SPU is decidedly not neglecting its higher educational responsibilities, and Premier Saul proudly noted in his speech that the university has 13 nationally recognised researchers, but the launch of the Centre for Entrepreneurship Development and Research (CEDAR) and the establishment of the Centre for Entrepreneurship and Rapid Incubator in Upington indicate a willingness to help prepare young people for running businesses.
The university’s Talent Pipeline Programme (TPP) helps to prepare matriculants from local schools for university education and the Lesedi La Afrika Fund supports scholarships and social-impact projects. The fund recently received R20-million and R5-million from Kumba Iron Ore and the De Beers Group respectively.
Other options that SPU offers that are highly relevant to Northern Cape realities are the Risk and Vulnerability Science Centre where climate change is a key focus, in a hot province which is getting hotter. The Department of Computer Science and Information Technology is highly relevant in a province hosting one of the world’s great astronomy projects, the Square Kilometre Array (SKA).
From unemployed to graduates in solar panel maintenance, De Aar. Photo: DLO Skills Initiative
National and provincial plans
A Provincial Skills Development Forum is to be established which will operate within the framework of a national target of 2.5-million new jobs by 2030. The Northern Cape has set a target of 60 000 in five years.
This will be the end goal of the “Northern Cape 60 000 Jobs Plan 2025-2029”, a roadmap in which the priority sectors will be mining, agriculture, renewable energy, manufacturing, tourism and the oceans economy.
In SOPA, Dr Saul noted that in the five years to 2025, the province had created 27 000 jobs and that the figure for current employment (on the March morning on which he was speaking) was 355 000, the highest number ever achieved in the province. A total of 80 000 new jobs had been created between June 2020 and March 2025.
Central to achieving these goals are the Sector Training and Education Authorities (SETAs) and the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges, which have a tight focus on the acquisition of skills that will enable employment. Finding the correct and relevant courses are critical if the skills gap is to be closed.
There are two TVET colleges in the Northern Cape but both have multiple campuses. The Northern Cape Rural TVET College consists of five campuses located in Upington, Kathu, Kuruman, Namaqualand (Okiep, pictured) and De Aar while the Northern Cape Urban TVET College comprises three campuses in Kimberley: City Campus, Moremogolo Campus and Phatsimang Campus. In 2022, a total of 11 897 students enrolled to study at these facilities.
The Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) has partnered with the Northern Cape Provincial Government in rolling out skills programmes. The UIF Fund’s Labour Activation Programme invested R725-million aiming to benefit 23 000 unemployed young people. So far, 11 083 youth have been signed up and are studying construction, enterprise development, ICT, agriculture, security, mining and hospitality on a three-year programme.
In 2025, 800 people will study subjects such as arc welding, electrical engineering, renewable energy and mechanical workshop assistant.
Other notable contributors highlighted by the Premier include:
merSETA: skills and bursaries, R210-million, 2 000 beneficiaries
Services SETA: skills and bursaries, R45-million, 755 beneficiaries
The province’s big mining companies invest heavily in skills development and have formed a significant part of the training landscape for many years.
Minerals Council South Africa reports that 26 mining companies spent about R500-million in the Northern Cape in 2015 on various socio-economic development initiatives, including education and skills training. This spending continues in the present day.
The province’s newest big sector, renewable energy, is similarly investing in training. The DLO Skills Initiative, which aims to ensure that local adult workers, youth and women are not left behind in the Just Energy Transition, has partnered with Chinese renewable energy company Longyuan South Africa Renewables to provide 100 unemployed youth in De Aar with a three-month training course in solar panel cleaning and maintenance.
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The 4th Annual Women & Leadership in Mining conference will take place on 27 and 28 August 2025 and is THE gathering of industry leaders across various- mining commodities, levels and roles.
Meet 12 “new” speakers in SA mining, nominated to present on industry best practices to Develop, Unite and Empower Women- It’s DUE. Early registration discounts before 19 July.
The internal investment by Manganese Metal Company (MMC) to enable it to produce the high-purity manganese sulphate monohydrate that is used in batteries for electric vehicles, is significant. Not just for the company and its more than 400 employees on its Mbombela site (pictured above), but for Mpumalanga and South Africa.
MMC has been a world leader in high-grade electrolytic manganese metal (EMM) for more than five decades and is currently the only facility outside of China to still be producing it. The R150-million investment in a new plant positions MMC to take advantage of a market that is growing, and which must keep growing if the world is to reach carbon-emission targets. Despite reduced enthusiasm in many parts of the world for more ambitious targets, the direction of travel is broadly towards a greener, more renewable future.
However, China seems to be striving for more renewable energy at the same time as producing more coal. In 2024 China began work on enough new coal-powered power plants to produce an additional 100GW, roughly the same amount as the total power capacity of the UK (The Economist). China is also far and away the largest contributor to wind and solar capacity, but the amount of coal and coal-generated power that it is producing is striking.
Something of that trend can be seen in Mpumalanga.
A Senior Technical Advisor at the South African Wind Energy Association, Santosh Sookgrim, recently wrote that, “Mpumalanga has the necessary infrastructure to ensure a smoother transition to the existing grid, with the adjacent land and existing grid connections from former coal plants of equivalent size making it an ideal location for renewable energy projects.”
And companies are acting on this scenario, but it is not what one might call a “pure transition”. Seriti Green is building a hybrid 900MW facility, the first phase of which will produce 155MW of wind energy – to power the coal mines of Seriti Resources. Coal is not going away, and although South Africa is part of a Just Energy Partnership, whereby US, EU and British money will flow to this country to help it transition away from coal, the whole procedure of closing down coal-fired power plants has slowed.
The decommissioning of Komati power station was not handled well in 2022, according to the Presidential Climate Commission. Better procedures and steps to ensure the livelihoods of adjacent communities will be top of mind in 2030, the new date for the closure of the power stations at Camden, Grootvlei, Hendrina and Kriel.
Existing power lines are in place to support the wind turbines of Ummbila Emoyeni. Photo: Seriti Green
The Mpumalanga Green Cluster Agency aims to bring together government, academia and industry to create the environment for businesses to develop in a green economy. The Cluster, a body of the Mpumalanga Department of Economic Development and Tourism, was initiated with the support of GreenCape and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ). It has joined the International Cleantech Network, a group that has 15 000 businesses affiliated to it across the globe.
Investment ready
Mpumalanga is attracting investments in a range of sectors, quite apart from the MMC investment in its own future and Seriti Green’s huge renewable-energy play.
The 2025 Mpumalanga Investment Conference showcases the province’s readiness for foreign and domestic investment in a number of sectors including miningand energy, agriculture and agro-processing, forestry, manufacturingand beneficiation, tourism and green energy.
Radisson Hotels has recently invested in two new hotels in the province. The Radisson Safari Hotel Hoedspruit is ideally located in terms of access to the Kruger National Park and Radisson Hotel Middelburg will be located at the centre of a busy mining and business district. In the province’s southern section, PG Bison has invested R560-million in new equipment while Sappi’s giant mill at Ngodwana annually contributes about R5-billion to the local economy.
The Provincial Government of Mpumalanga has set itself the target of facilitating domestic and foreign investment of at least R50-billion into the province.
The International Fresh Produce Market in Nelspruit is intended to begin operations in 2025. This large facility will take advantage of Mpumalanga’s rich agricultural produce and hopefully attract investors in areas such as refrigeration, warehousing and logistics. Countries such as Oman and China have been approached with regard to their being trading partners and potential new markets.
Another potential site for investment is the Nkomazi SEZ (Special Economic Zone). National government has granted the province the designation to establish the SEZ which will cover 673ha and focus on agro-processing. Situated as it is within the Maputo Corridor and close to Mozambique and Swaziland, the SEZ will attract tax breaks and incentives. Other targeted sectors are logistics, automotive and renewable energy.
Strategic position of the Nkomazi SEZ along the Maputo Development Corridor (Supplied: MEGA)
Stainless steel, gold, chemicals, dairy and beef, agriculture in many varieties, huge forestry plantations and processing plants – these are also distinctive characteristics of the “Place of the Rising Sun”.
Mpumalanga is also the province where six of the nine gates are located that allow access to the Kruger National Park, one of South Africa’s greatest tourism assets. The tourism sector is one of the key strengths of the provincial economy. Several infrastructure investment projects in the tourism sector have been put forward by the Mpumalanga Economic Growth Agency (MEGA).
MEGA is an equity investor in several Mpumalanga concerns, including Afrimat, Highveld Fruit Packers, Kangwane Anthracite, Loopspruit Winery and Tekwane Lemon Farm.
A major concern for provincial planners is to diversify the economy and to grow the manufacturing sector. The Mpumalanga Economic Growth and Development Path (MEGDP) identifies beneficiation, agro-processing and the development of value chains as priorities. Various industrial parks are planned which will focus on agriculture and forestry, mining and metals and petrochemicals.
Steel and associated manufacturing remains one of the province’s strong suits and Mpumalanga has rich and varied mineral resources and fertile soil that support diverse farming operations, agro-processing and forestry. The province also hosts large companies in the manufacturing sector such as Middelburg Ferrochrome and the MMC.
The province’s rich agricultural produce is used by companies such as McCain, Nestlé and PepsiCo and there are also pulp and paper plants (Sappi and Mondi). York Timbers and SAFCOL are other forestry companies and the sugar mills and refinery of RCL Foods (formerly TSB Sugar) along with fertilizer facilities and textile manufacturing concerns are all contributors to the provincial economy.
The southern half of the eastern limb of the platinum-rich Bushveld Igneous Complex runs south towards the towns of Lydenburg and Machadodorp. Deposits of chromite, magnetite and vanadium in this area are the basis of the ferro-alloy complex in Witbank-Middelburg and Lydenburg.
The town of eMalahleni is the centre of the coal industry. Other minerals found in the province include gold, platinum group minerals, chromite, zinc, cobalt, copper, iron and manganese. Middelburg is home to Columbus Stainless, South Africa’s only producer of stainless steel, and several big engineering works. It is about 130km from Pretoria and less than three hours’ drive from the Malelane Gate of the Kruger National Park.
The Kruger National Park remains the province’s most-visited asset but the decision by UNESCO to afford World Heritage Site status to the Makhonjwa Mountains near Barberton will boost geological tourism to the province and supports the efforts of the province to diversify its offerings.
Outdoor recreation is an Mpumalanga speciality. Photo: MTPA
Major projects to improve tourist experiences are underway at the Graskop Gorge (where a transparent lift takes tourists into the depths of the gorge), a Skywalk is to be built at God’s Window and a cable car is planned. (Find out more)
The international body’s decision has also had the effect of expanding the curriculum at the University of Mpumalanga. On the basis of the UNESCO ruling, UMP has a new offering in geology as part of a BSc degree.
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Opinion piece by Ramateu Monyokolo, Chairperson of the Rand Water Board and Chairperson of the Association of Water and Sanitation Institutions of South Africa
Water is considered a strategic national resource and is recognised as a constitutional right in South Africa. Nevertheless, the industry is experiencing a significant downturn. South Africa’s municipalities are drowning in debt. Non-revenue water averages 47% and consumer trust in public service delivery is eroding. Billions are owed to water boards, and the culture of non-payment continues to erode the foundations of water service delivery. At the heart of this challenge lies a critical policy tension: how to ensure sustainable cost recovery while protecting the poorest from exclusion.
The governance of South Africa’s water sector is distributed across various levels of government, with regulatory responsibilities shared among the Department of Water and Sanitation, municipalities, provincial departments, and the treasury. This results in overextension, disparities, and variations in standards enforcement. The current Water Services Authority (WSA) model allows politically governed municipalities to act as service providers, blurring lines of accountability.
Ramateu Monyokolo
As chairperson of the Association of Water and Sanitation Institutions of South Africa (AWSISA), I believe these challenges point to the absence of a strong, independent regulatory framework that enforces standards, regulates tariffs, and protects consumers and service providers. Regulatory independence is a foundational prerequisite for restoring South Africa’s water governance. Establishing an autonomous water and sanitation regulatory body in South Africa is imperative.
The unsustainable status quo
Municipal debt to water boards in South Africa has soared past R28-billion. Many residential and institutional water users either cannot or will not pay municipalities. The current system penalises honest payers, undermines service reliability and traps municipalities in a fiscal death spiral. Despite the constitutional obligation to provide basic water services, the financial underpinnings of this mandate are collapsing in the hands of municipalities.
Non-payment is often symptomatic of poor-quality services delivered by municipalities, eroding public trust. The trust deficit between citizens and local government is amplified by frequent service interruptions, billing disputes and a perception that payments do not result in improvements. Fraud, corruption and the presence of underqualified municipal officials only deepen this divide.
Trust is the cornerstone of any sustainable payment regime.
Additionally, municipalities receive various infrastructure grants from the national treasury to maintain and expand infrastructure in anticipation of population growth. However, billions of rand are returned to the fiscus annually due to municipalities’ failure to implement these grants effectively. This inefficiency feeds a broader narrative of mistrust, both in grant allocation and service delivery.
Cross-subsidisation and targeted subsidies
One approach has been to implement indigency policies and lifeline tariffs. While the principle of cross-subsidisation, which involves charging higher-income users more to support low-income consumers, is theoretically sound, its execution often lacks effectiveness. Targeted subsidies often suffer from misallocation due to outdated databases, political interference or administrative inefficiencies.
A reformed approach requires credible indigency registers, geospatial targeting and institutional insulation from political interference. Crucially, the indigent register ensures equitable delivery and enables the national treasury to allocate evidence-based, equitable shares and other grants to municipalities.
Behavioural economics and tariff design
Traditional tariff structures often assume rational economic behaviour, but trust and perceived fairness drive willingness to pay. Insights from behavioural economics suggest that simple, transparent pricing and visible service improvements incentivise better payment behaviour.
Several countries with comparable developmental contexts have established independent regulators. Examples include the National Water Supply and Sanitation Council (NWASCO) in Zambia, which uses licensing administration and performance reporting to enhance efficiency, the Entidade Reguladora dos Serviços de Águas e Resíduos (ERSAR) in Portugal, which monitors quality, pricing, and planning within a transparent and consultative framework, and the Water Services Regulation Authority (Ofwat) in the UK, known for its approach to tariff review.
In Kenya’s Embu County, pre-paid meters and community scorecards have improved cost recovery and user satisfaction. Brazil’s Sanear Programme embedded social norms and service visibility into its tariff strategy, yielding higher collection rates in low-income areas.
Photo: Jeff Ackley from Unsplash
Inclusive, participatory cost models
Trust is the cornerstone of any sustainable payment regime. Community engagement – through participatory budgeting, water forums and user committees – can help co-design cost models that communities believe in. In eThekwini, South Africa’s early success with pro-poor water delivery was driven by transparent communication, credible enforcement and ongoing dialogue with community structures. Rebuilding trust will require political will and consistent institutional behaviour.
Regulating the tariff value chain
There is a lack of consistent and transparent oversight regarding tariff setting across the entire water value chain. The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) sets its own tariffs without any external regulatory oversight. In contrast, water boards adhere to an extensive consultative process that involves municipalities, the South African Local Government Association (SALGA), National Treasury, and DWS.
Rebuilding trust will require political will and consistent institutional behaviour.
Municipalities determine their tariffs independently, lacking oversight or regulatory standards. The national parliament’s role in tariff determination is ambiguous due to the absence of a guiding legal framework. This fragmented system leads to inconsistent pricing, institutional mistrust and inefficient service delivery. Additionally, unilateral high tariff increases by municipalities, without oversight or justification, often conceal underlying inefficiencies and fragmented capacity gaps.
Groundwater solutions for informal settlements
Infrastructure and service challenges are especially severe in informal and low-income peri-urban areas. One of the most immediate solutions is to expand groundwater access through boreholes and related technologies. These interventions reduce the need for costly infrastructure investments and can deliver potable water without the traditional systems’ heavy purification and distribution costs.
Tariffs in these areas can also be lower, reflecting the reduced operational burden and promoting affordability. Addressing the needs of informal settlements with innovative, cost-effective solutions will be critical to closing the trust deficit and extending dignified water access to all.
From tariffs to trust
Reforming cost recovery in water services to serve impoverished communities is not solely a technical or financial task but a crucial governance requirement. A trust-based, equity-sensitive approach that integrates behavioural insights, community voices, targeted support and regulatory consistency is more likely to yield sustainable outcomes.
The time has come to move from punitive enforcement toward participatory partnership. AWSISA will continue advocating for regulatory frameworks and funding models that advance equity and sustainability.
Ensuring equitable access to water and decent sanitation requires a paradigm shift in the delivery model.
The case for an independent regulator becomes even more urgent when seen through the lens of cost recovery: predictable policy, credible enforcement and institutional fairness are vital to restore trust in the water sector. An independent regulator would provide technical continuity and depoliticised oversight, ensuring a consistent application of water laws and performance standards.
Ensuring equitable access to water and decent sanitation requires a paradigm shift in the delivery model. Water governance in South Africa demands a shift from decentralised discretion to institutional integrity. AWSISA proposes a partnership between municipalities, water boards, and the private sector through a special purpose vehicle (SPV). This aims to establish future utilities, ensuring water security.
Read more about AWSISA in Issue 90 of Service magazine:
The revitalisation of Bellville is gathering pace, taking the form this week of the opening of the Sanlam Urban Garden on the corner of Bill Bezuidenhout and Strand Streets.
Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth, James Vos, said the project was part of a broader effort to unlock the economic potential of key precincts through targeted urban interventions.
The garden was developed through a partnership with Sanlam and aligns with a larger movement – better. bellville. together. – a collaborative place-making initiative that has been taking shape in Bellville, supported by the City’s funding of urban specialists, the Greater Tygerberg Partnership (GTP).
City officials and subcouncil councillors, GTP and Sanlam officials at the unveiling of the Sanlam Urban Garden.
‘Place-making is one of the pillars of our City strategy to stimulate jobs, investment, and enterprise development. We are intentionally backing place-making projects through GTP to convert underutilised spaces into vibrant, functional places that attract foot traffic, foster business activity, and build community pride. These projects are designed not just to beautify public areas but to turn them into engines of economic opportunity,’ said Alderman Vos.
Research shows that green spaces benefit surrounding communities through reducing stress, promoting more active lifestyles, and improving overall mental health. Further findings show that the presence of natural beauty promotes community connections and neighbourhood satisfaction.
‘When people feel connected to a place, they stay longer, spend more, and support local enterprises. That’s the outcome we’re working towards,’ said Alderman Vos.
Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth, Alderman James Vos addresses guests at the unveiling of the Sanlam Urban Garden.
‘We are motivated to witness another physical transformation – this new garden forming part of a growing network of public gardens in Bellville. These changes are all made possible through public-private partnerships and the strategic placement of public spaces, breathing new life into Bellville and reflecting the true spirit of the community.
‘Sanlam, as a private company, is demonstrating its pride by supporting the revitalisation and beatification of the area. The more companies that look after and invest in their ‘front stoep’ by supporting infrastructure and public space upgrades – the more we will see visible improvements, broader community upliftment, a stronger local economy, and ultimately, more job creation,’ said Warren Hewitt, CEO of the Greater Tygerberg Partnership.
‘Bellville has been identified as a key urban node in the City’s development vision, and the work being carried out on the ground is helping to reposition the area as a thriving, mixed-use district. The goal is to build momentum block by block, space by space, with interventions that breathe life back into neglected corners of the city.
‘These kinds of projects are central to our economic growth mission. They support job creation, stimulate enterprise, and foster a sense of place, laying the foundation for a more inclusive and opportunity-rich Cape Town,’ said Alderman Vos.
More about The Greater Tygerberg Partnership (GTP)
The Greater Tygerberg Partnership is a development facilitation agency charged with a mandate to unlock Bellville’s potential as a sustainable, prosperous, and inclusive leading African city.
Established as an independent not-for-profit company in 2012, The Greater Tygerberg Partnership (GTP) is mandated to promote and accelerate the regeneration and upliftment of Bellville and surrounding areas, to drive its future as a prosperous, successful and attractive commercial centre for business owners, and a vibrant, inclusive, safe and modern hub for residents, students and the general public.
The 89MW Castle Wind Farm near De Aar has reached commercial operation. The Castle consortium is led and co-sponsored by African Clean Energy Developments (ACED), with African Infrastructure Investment Managers (AIIM) IDEAS Fund and Reatile Renewables as shareholders. Power will be wheeled to Sibanye-Stillwater’s mining operations elsewhere in South Africa. Photo: ACED
The size and scope of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) radio astronomy project, a large part of which is located in the area around Carnarvon in the Northern Cape, continues to astonish.
In March 2025 the first image from an early working version of the SKA-Low telescope was shared with the world. With only 1 024 of the planned 131 072 antennas deployed, the results outshone expectations and served to heighten excitement in the scientific community for what lies ahead.
The project that set the stage for SKA, the multi-telescope MeerKAT project, now forms part of the SKA and the dishes from the two projects have been synchronised.
MeerKAT included the Karoo Array Processing Building (KAPB) which now serves the same purpose as the SKA’s Central Processing Facility. The building, pictured, is shielded to avoid radio interference generated inside by electronics from leaking out and interfering with observations. Designed by Aurecon, the SKA-Low CPF accommodates precision technology such as Tile Processing Modules, each of which converts and digitises signals from multiple antennas and a clock system comprising three ultra-stable clocks called hydrogen masers.
The South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO) is the entity responsible for all radio astronomy initiatives and facilities, including the MeerKAT Radio Telescope and the SKA, which will be the largest radio telescope ever built. Photo: SARAO
The Northern Cape has already benefited from SKA. Sponsored Maths and Science teachers at the high school in Carnarvon, the launch of a national Astro-Tourism Strategy, the demand for construction workers and, not least, the new expectation that young people of the Northern Cape can now have of working in an exciting scientific environment close to home.
The Sol Plaatje University is signing up students in data processing as a result. National government will spend R4.5-billion over four years on SKA construction work, including the R142-million Carnarvon Visitors’ Centre.
Investment
A wholly new sector could become an earner for the province if the proclamation of three ports on the West Coast leads to investment. Port Nolloth (Tier 1) and Hondeklipbaai and Kleinzee (Tier 2) have officially been given status as a step towards promoting their potential in terms of fishing, aquaculture and seafood processing.
Renewable energy and mining are two sectors where the most significant investments continue to be made. These include the giant wind projects such as the Roggeveld Wind Farm (147MW) and the Loeriesfontein Wind Farm (140MW). The Castle Wind Farm, reported on in this journal, is an early example for the Northern Cape of a wheeling project, whereby Sibanye-Stillwater’s mining operations in other provinces will benefit. A solar project in the same De Aar area is notable for the funding structure which includes financing from Norfund, the Norwegian Investment Fund for developing countries.
The province’s vast iron-ore mines continue to produce huge quantities of material, subject only to the capacity of the rail network run by Transnet to deliver what is produced to the country’s ports. Minerals Council South Africa estimates that the opportunity cost to the minerals sector of bad transport logistics in 2022 was about R50-billion.
Existing mining enterprises such as the iron-ore and manganese operations of Kumba Iron Ore and Assmang have been joined by Indian and Australian miners looking for zinc and copper, vital ingredients of the transition to a cleaner energy future. Vedanta Zinc International is investing heavily at Aggeneys (the Gamsberg project) while Copper 360 and Orion Minerals are mining between Springbok and Prieska. Afrimat has bought new Northern Cape mines as part of its expansion policy.
Vedanta Zinc International will be the core tenant of the Namakwa Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in the town of Aggeneys. Photo: Vedanta
Another way of gauging economic conditions is look at town-level activity. The revival of a precast concrete factory in De Aar is important for the region’s economic prospects, not just for the railway sleepers that Colossal Concrete is making there on contract, but for the potential that it holds for the province’s builders and for renewable energy contractors and manufacturers.
Similarly, the fact that home-grown hotel group Country Hotels has three properties in each of the towns of Kuruman and Pofadder points to an economy where things are happening. With 15 other hotels, inns and lodges in the province and with a focus on the corporate market, the hotel group’s growing footprint counts as a good bellweather for the state of business in the Northern Cape.
In the five-year term of the Sixth Administration of the Provincial Government of the Northern Cape, R25-billion was spent on infrastructure such as clinics, schools, libraries, roads and houses (SOPA 2025). Another important type of infrastructure in the Northern Cape is Special Economic Zones, each of which has its own focus sectors and each of which is being developed by a combination of public and private investment. At various stages of implementation and planning, the various SEZs are the Kathu Industrial Park, the Upington Industrial Park, the Namakwa SEZ in Aggeneys (intended as industrial cluster for mining and agriculture services, beneficiation and manufacturing with Vedanta Zinc International as the core tenant) and the Boegoebaai Port and Green Hydrogen Cluster.
The Northern Cape, as a dry province that relies heavily on agriculture, has adopted a Northern Cape Climate Change Adaptation Response Strategy. This allows for a framework to tackle climate change issues. Floods, droughts and fires are becoming more frequent and more severe; planning can at least mitigate the negative outcomes to some extent.
The flowers of Namaqualand are awe-inspiring. Photo: NCTA
Farmers in the Northern Cape have learnt to be resilient over the years and there are certain niche products that thrive in the mostly dry landscape. One of these, rooibos, has not only secured an internationally recognised Geographical Indication (GI), but is also enhancing its international market share. Red espresso is now a “thing” in some of the trendy capitals of the world.
South Africa is known to have great plans, but often lacks the follow-through required. Today, we are bringing an end to that reputation. Today, we are taking a concrete step to show people that they can judge our progress not through our words, but through our actions.
It is an all-too-common story that in South African towns and cities, infrastructure projects lay abandoned and half complete. In too many places, infrastructure is in a state of decay, with water and electricity interruptions a daily reality. Infrastructure budgets and grants remain unspent, while poor planning leads to dysfunctional buildings. And the state has proven itself unable to complete projects on time and within budget.
Global research has shown that where infrastructure spending is increased by 1% of GDP, the economy grows by an additional 1.5%. And in an environment such as South Africa, where we have battled near stagnant economic growth and unacceptable high levels of unemployment, that economic growth is what we desperately need. Because a growing economy is the essential ingredient for job creation. Additionally, the success or failure of infrastructure in our towns and cities holds the key to our economic growth and job creation projects.
When trains fail, water pipes burst or roads are closed, it is our economy that suffers leading to unnecessary job losses. The City of Johannesburg knows this all too well. This is why the Government of National Unity has made it its number one priority to grow the economy and to create jobs.
The complexity of our infrastructure challenges demands a united front.
In the nine months since I have been in office, we have worked tirelessly to reform the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure to become the economic delivery unit. It remains my goal to turn the Department into a highly effective vehicle which can drive our infrastructure agenda. And, indeed, we are turning a new leaf in the Department after many years of neglect and decay.
The Department is becoming a serious player in achieving South Africa’s developmental goals. Over the past few months, we have strengthened the Department through the filling of key vacancies and introduction of a new accountability mechanism. This year, we also launched a skills audit within the Department to ensure we have the skills necessary to execute our mandate.
During the second meeting of the Minister and Members of the Executive Council (MINMEC) responsible for Public Works and Infrastructure from across the country, we also learned of the slow pace of delisting of non-performing or corruption-accused suppliers. Only one company has been delisted from supplying to the Department since 2002.
This is unacceptable and needs to be urgently addressed if we want to reverse the culture of impunity. This is why we have started working to reform our blacklisting policy which will ensure that contractors who underperform or engage in unethical practices will no longer have the privilege of working on public projects.
…we have started working to reform our blacklisting policy which will ensure that contractors who underperform or engage in unethical practices will no longer have the privilege of working on public projects.
The Construction Industry Development Board has also been tasked to get ahead of underperforming contractors and blacklist them without delay, and to ensure that they are unable to gain any tenders from any sphere or entity of the State. Within the months ahead, the pace at which companies are delisted should be rapidly increased, with over 40 companies facing blacklisting.
We are transforming Infrastructure South Africa (ISA) into the central point for all major infrastructure projects in South Africa. The conclusion of the first bid window for project preparation valued at R180-million attracted 220 bids valued at R1.23-trillion. It is thus clear that South Africa does not have an infrastructure pipeline problem. At the 2025 Sustainable Infrastructure Development Symposium, we look forward to announcing the winning bids for this window (see more about the Symposium here).
ISA is leading an innovative pilot project at four municipalities, through the “adopt-a-municipality” programme, where ISA will play a greater role in planning, execution and delivery of projects in these test cases. This will help directly address the poor infrastructure delivery we see on a local government level. We all know that it is at the local government level where public infrastructure failures are felt first-hand.
To improve our infrastructure delivery, the Council for the Built Environment (CBE) has a major role to play. CBE, under the leadership of Dr Msizi Myeza, has proven itself more than capable of helping professionalise the industry to ensure that projects are delivered on time and within budget.
One of the key areas the CBE can help to improve the state’s functioning is with the Infrastructure Audit Programme. The programme represents a game-changer for the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure to ensure that there is always compliance and optimal resource utilisation.
Over the years, the state has become overly reliant on external consultants. Many government agencies depend heavily on external expertise, which has led to high costs and inefficiencies. While consultants play a role, it is imperative that we build internal capacity within the Department and our entities to reduce this reliance and ensure sustainable project delivery.
The Infrastructure Audit Programme
To address these challenges, we are launching the Infrastructure Audit Programme. This is a strategic initiative that will help strengthen internal auditing capacity within the Department and our Property Management Trading Entity.
The primary objectives of the Infrastructure Audit Programme are to:
Ensure compliance, risk mitigation and optimal resource utilisation.
Address gaps in project execution, including planning, design and procurement.
Align our efforts with the National Development Plan to ensure that infrastructure investments contribute to economic growth and job creation.
This programme will introduce built environment professionals into the auditing process, providing technical expertise in key disciplines such as construction management, quantity surveying, engineering and property valuation.
The first phase of implementation, which began in 2024, has already deployed 15 practitioners – a dynamic mix of graduates and registered professionals – who are now actively working on high-risk areas such as immovable asset management, lease agreements and facilities maintenance.
Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson
By developing internal capacity, we create jobs for young professionals and reduce reliance on external consultants, strengthening infrastructure delivery while empowering our people.
The success of this initiative depends on collaboration between government entities, professional councils and the private sector. We must work together to strengthen governance frameworks, share best practices and innovate in infrastructure project monitoring and reporting.
To truly redefine public works, we must embrace a new approach – one that sees collaborative partnerships between the public and private sectors as central to our success. There’s no-one quite like the private sector to lead the charge on new interventions with infrastructure delivery. We know that the government cannot do it alone.
To truly redefine public works, we must embrace a new approach – one that sees collaborative partnerships between the public and private sectors as central to our success.
The complexity of our infrastructure challenges demands a united front, where capability, innovation and accountability are shared. Together, we can turn South Africa into a construction site – a place where every infrastructure project lays the foundation for future growth and opportunity.
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Groundwater solutions for informal settlements
We are transforming Infrastructure South Africa (ISA) into the central point for all 
