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Eastern Cape government delegation explores renewables

From the Left Mr. B. Dayimani - DRDAR, Mr. S. Lazarus -DEDEAT, HOD D. Majeke-OTP, Mr. I. Louw -Nordex SE SA, Mr. P. George – ECDC, Mr. W. Gela- Executive Mayor: Chris Hani District Municipality. At the Front Mr. Z. Maseti -Advisor: Premier (crouching), MEC N. Pieters-DRDAR (green shirt), Ms. N. Zonke – Mayor (Inxuba Yethemba LM), Adv. A. Mini - Chairperson of the Board: Chris Hani Development Agency, Mr. A. Hala- Acting CEO (Chris Hani Development Agency).

A delegation from the Eastern Cape Provincial Government, recently visited a wind turbine manufacturing facility in Germany to explore potential investment, especially focused on component manufacturing and assembling within this area of the country. The province is expected to house thousands of megawatts of renewable energy projects in the foreseeable future, which will attract sizable economic and socio benefits to this part of the country that boasts some of the world’s best wind and solar resources.

The Eastern Cape Province has world class wind resources, good quality solar resources, as well as optimal enabling conditions. It was therefore a high priority for the province to visit Nordex Energy SE (Germany), considering that Nordex Energy South Africa has five of its nine wind farms in this region. The visit was focused on discussing Nordex SE’s perspective on the renewable energy sector, identifying areas of support and chiefly to look at possible investments along the value chain focusing especially on component manufacturing and assembling within the province. The province is host to a pipeline of thousands of megawatts of new renewable energy projects at environmental impact assessment phase or having already received environmental authorisation.

The delegation further engaged with Nordex Energy South Africa (NESA) to unpack the value and economic opportunities of locally manufactured concrete towers, especially the associated local job opportunities.

One of the constraints that has been identified, is now under discussion, namely the transport of major components from the Port of Ngqura to wind farms in the Eastern, Western and Northern Cape.

“The province is already an important hub for us, as we have a head office here as well as a warehouse, in addition to the numerous wind farms. We are invested long term and hence we are pleased to have had the chance to discuss constraints with these key stakeholders, who are charged with unlocking the associated benefits for the Eastern Cape,” concluded Innes Louw, Head of Operations at Nordex Energy South Africa.

Note:

Eastern Cape delegation:

  • MEC Ms. Nonkqubela Pieters – Department: Rural Development and Agrarian Reform (DRDAR),
  • Mr. Bongikhaya Dayimani – Chief Operations Officer- DRDAR
  • Mr. Siyabulela Lazarus – Director Trade and Investment Promotion: DEDEAT
  • Mr. Daluhlanga Majeke – HOD: Provincial Treasury
  • Mr. Zamikhaya Maseti – Advisor: Premier
  • Ms. Noncedo Zonke – Mayor Inxuba Yethemba LM
  • Adv. Andile Mini – Chairperson of the Board: Chris Hani Development Agency
  • Mr. Abongile Hala – Acting CEO: Chris Hani Development Agency 
  • Mr. Phakamisa George – Senior Manager Export Promotion: Eastern Cape Development Corporation
  • Mr. Wongama Gela – Executive Mayor: Chris Hani District Municipality

Nordex Energy South Africa delegation:

  • Compton Saunders – MD Nordex Energy SA (joined via MS Teams)
  • Andre Gruendel – VP Global Logistics Sourcing
  • Tony Adams – Senior Expert Global Public Affairs (joined via MS Teams)
  • David Moncasi – Head of Sales Africa (joined via MS Teams)
  • Innes Louw – Head of Operations SA

Nordex Energy South Africa Ltd. (NESA), boasts a total installed capacity of more than 1 GW, making it the market leader with 32% market share on the total installed wind capacity in South Africa. By Q1 2022 NESA would have built and will be operating (O&M) nine wind farms (1.1 GW) in the country, under the REIPPP Programme.

The Nordex Group focuses on development, manufacturing, project management and servicing of onshore wind turbines and this has been the core competence and passion of the Nordex Group and its more than 8,500 employees worldwide for 35 years. With the acquisition of Acciona Windpower in 2016, the Nordex Group has become a global player and one of the world’s largest wind turbine manufacturers.

The Eastern Cape Government to host a Provincial Investment Conference: 16 November 2022

Premier Lubabalo Oscar Mabuyane is expected to further expand on government’s outlook on the provincial Economic Recovery Plan, when the Eastern Cape Provincial Government (ECPG), together with its social partners converge on the port city of East London in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality (BCMM), for a two-day investment conference on 16 November 2022.

The conference, themed Investment, a key lever for driving sustainable economic development, will bring together investors from across globe to explore investment opportunities in the Eastern Cape. Speaking ahead of the much anticipated, Eastern Cape Premier, Lubabalo Oscar Mabuyane said government was seeking “to harness the work of the current investors for the existing opportunities in the province and to mobilise resources for new investments into the provincial economy”.

RSVP to register your interest in attending the conference

The Conference is expected to afford the Eastern Cape province an opportunity to align earmarked investments with public sector economy stimulation programmes to bolster the transformation of the economy and advance inclusive growth. With the province facing the highest rate of unemployment, the provincial government is looking at harvesting all possible benefits towards job creation and equitable economic development of the province.

The Conference is also anticipated to “bring to the fore” district and local level investment opportunities with the two Eastern Cape metropolitan and six district municipalities geared to showcase their investment projects. The provincial government hopes to see this event catalysing new investments to address under-investment in some regions of the province and strengthen sectoral investment linkages to improve the provincial investment projects pipeline.

Premier Mabuyane said, “the Eastern Cape province will continue to press for large scale economic infrastructure investments in the province as these will help in stimulating economic growth and employment creation.” The Premier further said that the province is in the process of establishing a provincial investment council (PIC) whose membership shall incorporate industry, large corporates, established business chamber representatives and CEOs of the provincial state entities. This structure, which is to be chaired by the Premier is intended at improving the interface and coordination between government and industry players on trade and investment matters.

The Premier Mabuyane has also expressed his wish to see broad based participation at the coming conference with local government in general and the small, micro and medium enterprise (SMME) community joining to explore business and investment opportunities.

The conference shall coincide with the launch of the Invest SA One Stop Shop facility which was recently established through a partnership between the Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC) and the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC), is an innovation implemented to cut-off red tape in investor enquiries, landing, on-boarding and local operations. This facility shall provide support on matters such as business permits, municipal interface, local trade compliance requirements, and access to business support infrastructure.

The Eastern Cape invites delegates to register their interest to attend the conference here: https://easterncapepic.co.za

The event will be held as follows:
  • Venue: International Convention Centre, East London
  • Date: 16 November
  • Issued by: Provincial Communication Services – Eastern Cape 
  • Enquiries:
    • Khuselwa Rantjie
      General Manager: Provincial Communication Service / Spokesperson to the Premier & Government 
      khuselwa.rantjie@ecotp.gov.za
    • Sonwabo Mbananga
      Director: Media Relations & Media Productions
      sonwabo.mbananga@ecotp.gov.za
Save your seat now, and RSVP to attend the event:
RSVP

International money transfers from South Africa: A guide

Sending money overseas is still a costly endeavour in South Africa. In fact, it’s similar all over the world, because most countries share banking systems and have similar systems. To make matters worse, though, many western companies treat the ZAR as an exotic currency, whilst only a few treat it as a major one. This leads to higher costs.

We can view a typical bank’s fees when you send money from South Africa to UK, USA, and the Netherlands. There’s a commission fee, which is often a couple of percent of the total amount you send, a SWIFT fee, and a beneficiary bank fee (or you can pay for it yourself, instead of the recipient). Though, a major fee that often doesn’t get talked about is the exchange rate.

Anywhere quoting an exchange rate that is worse than the perfect, mid-market rate is a fee. They may call it a spread, margin, or not even refer to it at all – but it exists. It’s often around 1% to 4% of the transfer amount that is lost in a poor exchange rate, plus the above commissions. This can cost several thousands of rand for a 1 million rand transfer.

To make matters worse, there are not too many companies that are licensed to operate from South Africa in regard to FX and remittance. This stifled competition invariably leads to higher costs, too.

Money inflow to South Africa increases

As we can see from various sources of data, immigration into South Africa has risen drastically. Opportunities have risen, crime has been dropping, and outsiders can get more ZAR for their buck due to a debasing of the currency.

Inevitably, this all leads to a lot of money flowing into the country. Now, the data for South African emigration out of the country is vast too, but ultimately dealing with currency is an ever-growing topic of discussion in the country.

The majority of South African immigrants are from nearby countries, like Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Kenya. However, because of the colonial histories, Dutch and British connections mean that these are important locations for international money transfer companies. Transferring money from South Africa to USA is always going to be a popular route too, given the size of the US economy.

Top 3 money transfer companies

As mentioned earlier, banks are perhaps the most expensive way to transfer money from South Africa to USA, UK, and so on. Instead, the best outbound money transfers from South Africa tend to be with international money transfer companies. These offer the best ZAR rates, the lowest commissions, and can generally deliver the money much faster.

So with that in mind, below are the 3 best international money transfer companies for South African residents.

Currencies Direct

Currencies Direct is a British-based money transfer company that facilitates overseas transfers both over the phone with a direct dealer and on the mobile application. Currencies Direct is aimed at sophisticated and large transfers, with complex hedging and business FX also being available.

But despite this, it’s ideal for the average South African or immigrant to exchange their salary or send it overseas. It can be simple to use, it’s highly credible, and it has some of the best ZAR rates around.

This is the all-rounder option, but the one thing you cannot use it for is daily small spending. There’s no spending card and there’s a minimum transfer amount of $/£/€ 100.

WorldRemit

WorldRemit, on the other hand, is highly geared towards immigrants and has a minimum transfer equivalent to £1. Furthermore, there are 130 countries included in their ecosystem with decent coverage of Africa.

There is no phone support, meaning that it’s more app-focused. Whilst Currencies Direct might be used for hedging and large, complex transfers, WorldRemit will suffice for cheap transfers with transparent quotes. Furthermore, there are also cash pick-up options available, making it a good Western Union alternative.

In summary, WorldRemit is a highly credible and safe option that is ideal for small-to-medium transfers in and out of South Africa.

Sable International

Sable International is the odd one out on this list in regards to it being a much smaller company. However, Sable has a specific South African focus, with offices in both the UK and Australia.

Sable is used to dealing with ZAR, and with payments of over £2,000, there is no fixed fee. The online payment portal is fairly easy to use and it’s fast, licensed, and has an over-the-phone option too.

It’s perhaps more geared towards professionals and investors, with hedging tools and a favorability for large transfers. Smaller transfers incur a fixed fee.

 

Glencore Coal invests over R100 000 to prevent avoidable blindness ahead of Eye Care Awareness Month

Eye Care Awareness Month is commemorated from 21 September to 18 October to raise awareness about the importance of eye health, specifically around the prevention and treatment of avoidable blindness.

50% of blindness is estimated to be caused by cataract, affecting an estimated 170,000 people in South Africa. Cataract is known as the clouding of the normally clear lens of the eye and forms when protein builds up in the lens of one’s eye and makes it cloudy. This keeps light from passing through clearly and can cause the affected party to lose some of their eyesight, thus negatively affecting their quality of life.

“We weren’t aware of just how prevalent the issue of blindness caused by cataract in our communities was, but once we had sight of the numbers, it became incredibly important for us to get involved and help out,” said Glencore’s Community Development Specialist, Mapule Mokoena.

According to the South African National Council for the Blind (SANCB), the Nkangala district in Mpumalanga has a high prevalence of cataracts and very few eye care activities due to inadequate resources in the district. This means that close to 6000 people have avoidable blindness in these communities as caused by cataract.

This was the unfortunate case for self-employed Carpenter, Gideon Mola before he received the much needed surgery through Glencore’s support.

“My vision has always been misty to the point where I couldn’t even see properly at school. The last time I had my eyes tested was three years ago and my eyes had gotten much worse at that point. Life was getting more difficult as I couldn’t work productively and this was affecting my ability to making a living. Now that I have had the surgery, I am confident that my life will improve significantly. I’m excited to look at the world with fresh new eyes.” he said.

To better understand just how much support was needed, Glencore partnered with the SANCB to identify community members in need of the surgery. The two companies commenced a Witbank Hospital tour where more than 30 patients were screened and 22 underwent cataract surgery with the help of the hospital surgeons, Dr Mthethwa and Dr Sebogodi.

“What has been done through this incredible partnership has enabled us to slowly change the statistics of people needing cataract operations in the district. This means providing direct eye care service to our community members who do not have access to eye care services. We are happy to have played our part in reducing the prevalence of avoidable blindness in our communities.,” said Glencore’s Community Development Specialist, Mapule Mokoena.

Through the partnership, the mining operation aims to provide comprehensive eye care to community members as this is an essential part of the global action plan which is to meet the eye care needs of marginalized communities in the country.

“The success of such a project is based on the partnerships that the South African National Council for the Blind has, as no organisation can successfully implement the programme on its own. This is also why we partnered with Glencore Coal. When we first approached Glencore, they were eager to jump on board based on their commitment to improving the lives of their communities. Their response gave us the encouragement we needed as we also want to improve people’s quality of life” said SANCB Manager, Angelina Khupe.

You may suffer from cataract if you note these signs and symptoms; clouded, blurred or dim vision, increasing difficulty with vision at night, sensitivity to light and glare, need for brighter light for reading and other activities, seeing “halos” around lights to name but a few.

Computer donation from Air Products provides new opportunities for learners

Key individuals from Air Products and the Child Academy Programmes Combined School at the opening of the school’s Computer Lab.

As a key strategic objective, Air Products South Africa strive to make a difference in the lives of the youth, and they once again managed to achieve this with their recent donation of more than 20 computers to the Child Academy Programmes Combined School in Tembisa, Gauteng for their Computer Lab.

Arthi Govender, Chairperson of the CSI Committee, explains that the company donated computers to various schools over the past years with the aim of exposing learners to the world of technology and providing them with access to computers which they can use to master the basic computer skills.

According to Govender, the ‘digital divide’ which highlights the difference between those who have access to technology and the internet and those who do not, is increasing and a concerted effort should be made to try and level this playing field. It is important to eradicate this divide among the youth specifically, and to provide them all with equal access to technology.

“We visit schools across all provinces in South Africa and there is a dire need for computers in many of the public schools. Most of the public schools we have visited in the past are hardly equipped with sufficient supplies for educational purposes, let alone computers, which are considered as a ‘luxury’. We trust that by continuing to donate computers, we will enable learners to gain skills and not lag behind their peers.”

Govender concludes by commenting that a basic knowledge of computers is important to Air Products as it is a necessary skill which learners would need when they enter the workplace. “We view these computer donations as providing learners with life-changing skills and hope for the future.”

For more information on Air Products, visit www.airproducts.co.za

Green hydrogen comes to Limpopo

Anglo American’s newest truck is not only more powerful than its predecessors, it’s also clean. Credit: Anglo American

Talk about clean energy via green hydrogen has been going on for some years all around the world, but suddenly that talk has turned into serious dialogue between national governments and powerful business interests who really want to do something concrete about creating power in a cleaner, more sustainable way.

In May 2022, talk became action at the Mogalakwena platinum group metals (PGMs) mine in Limpopo when Anglo American unveiled “a prototype of the world’s largest hydrogen-powered mine haul truck designed to operate in everyday mining conditions at its Mogalakwena PGMs mine in South Africa”.

Hydrogen is generated via the electrolysis of water using electricity. If renewable energy is deployed to make the electricity that makes the hydrogen, then that is “green hydrogen”. Hydrogen has a wide range of uses across multiple sectors, from transport to heat generation and power.

Anglo American intends using green hydrogen which it will produce at the mine to feed into its green-hydrogen system, which includes production, fuelling and a haulage system.

The Mogalakwena mine is near Mokopane (formerly Potgietersrus) and south-west of Polokwane, the provincial capital of Limpopo Province.

The 2MW hydrogen-battery hybrid truck generates more power than its diesel predecessor and can carry a 290-ton payload. Forty Anglo trucks will be retrofitted, starting in 2024, and the whole fleet should be green by 2030.

The operating company of the Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone (MMSEZ) has signed a partnership agreement for green-hydrogen electricity generation with Australian company African Resources Development Energy (ARD Energy). Paladin Hydrogen, a partner of ARD Energy, is using its Tasmanian project as the prototype of coal-to-hydrogen technology that apparently has zero emissions. Once that project reaches sufficient scale, the intention is to deploy the technology to the Makhado coal fields of northern Limpopo.

The Fetakgomo-Tubatse Special Economic Zone (FTSEZ), on the other hand, has plans to turn that area’s platinum group metals to good effect in the energy field. Platinum and iridium are important catalysts in the process which creates hydrogen, so that has become one of the big selling points of the FTSEZ. In July 2022, a delegation from the FTSEZ participated in the UK-RSA partnership mission on Hydrogen Economy Roadmap.

Anglo Platinum’s 75MW solar plant under construction at Mogalakwena could well become the 320MW plant that the company wants it to be, if President Ramaphosa announces the lifting of restrictions on the scale of private generation. He surprised and pleased the business community in 2021 when he lifted the limit on the size of private projects that did not need to apply for licences to 100MW; it’s very likely more red tape will fall away as South Africa’s utility, Eskom, continues to fail to keep the lights on.

With ample wind and sun, a long coastline and 75% of the world’s PGMs, Limpopo and South Africa are well placed to be leaders in the production of green hydrogen.

Hydrogen Valley

The Limpopo Province is one of the three hubs on which a Hydrogen Valley is planned to stretch from the metals-rich Bushveld area through the country’s industrial and commercial heartland to two of the continent’s busiest ports in Richards Bay and Durban.

It is envisaged as a means of kickstarting the hydrogen industry in South Africa. The other two hubs are Johannesburg and Richards Bay. Demand at the Limpopo end of the corridor will be driven by trucks used in the mining industry and along the busy N1 highway. Current users of hydrogen in the Johannesburg area will be expected to switch to green hydrogen and green hydrogen will also be used as feedstock substitution for ethylene production and fuel and as a catalyst for iron and steel, in public buildings and buses. Future private-building demand is expected to grow. At Richards Bay Port there is potential to export green hydrogen and use it as a fuel for port functions. Trucks using the N3 could be another market.

The Hydrogen Valley concept is being researched and developed by a collaboration that includes the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI), the South African National Energy Development Institute (SANEDI), Anglo American, Bambili Energy and ENGIE. A 2021 feasibility report suggests that $4-billion could be added to South Africa’s GDP if the valley were successfully implemented, with an additional tax revenue of about $900-million.

The Department of Science and Innovation has a chief director of hydrogen and energy. The Industrial Development Corporation is mandated by national government to champion the commercialisation of the green hydrogen economy. A hydrogen strategy was compiled for the country as far back as 2008, the National Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Research, Development and Innovation strategy.

As of 2022, the IDC has invested R15.4-billion in renewable energy in four provinces: 25 projects with a combined capacity of 899.2MW.

Entrepreneur Mashudu Ramano wants his Mitochondria Energy Company to produce 250MW in hydrogen fuel cells per year from 2023. He has found a commercial partner in AVL, an Austrian engineering company, and financial backing from the Industrial Development Corporation and the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA). He wants to operate in Mpumalanga where coal plants will be shutting down in rapid succession over the next few years and where he believes there is sufficient water for the project. Chris Barron ran an extensive interview with Ramano in his “Newsmaker” column in the Sunday Times in April 2021. Ramano says that the South Africa’s export potential in green hydrogen is R1.5-trillion “more than half our GDP”.

Enhancing socio-economic development in Limpopo

Credit: RAL

Roads Agency Limpopo (RAL) is a provincial road infrastructure service-delivery entity mandated to build and maintain the Limpopo provincial road network.

The mandate is aligned with the province’s economic development plan to facilitate access to various facilities that promote socio-economic development. Despite stringent budgetary constraints, the Agency continues to deliver on its mandate for the benefit of the province based on an annual financial allocation used to build and maintain the Limpopo road network through equitable shares (EQs) and the Provincial Roads Management Grant (PRMG).

Given the current demand for quality road infrastructure that far exceeds the available resources in the province, the Agency has managed to channel its limited resources towards supporting the Limpopo province’s key strategic economic pillars, namely the mining, agriculture and tourism sectors.

Leveraging on these three pillars enables the Agency to be an active catalyst for the province’s economic growth and social development. RAL has recently adopted the strategic partnerships approach which seeks to augment the annual fiscus to meet the demand for quality roads. This is in recognition of the entity’s view that building a thriving economy requires concerted efforts from various stakeholders. With the strategic partnership approach, RAL engages the private sector to solicit funds to augment the entity’s annual budget allocation. Through this strategic approach, the entity has over the years raised more than R700-million in funding towards building and expanding Limpopo’s roads network.

Strategic partnerships in the Mining Sector

RAL has several lucrative partnerships within the mining sector, including with Exxaro Resources, which dates back to 2015. The partnership between RAL and Exxaro resulted in the upgrading of road D2001 in the Waterberg District from gravel to tar over a stretch of 9.56 km at an estimated cost of R100-million, which cost was 100% met by Exxaro.

In addition, Exxaro Resources sponsored the upgrading of several roads connecting Ga-Seleka villages to the commercial centre of Lephalale, which was identified as an important project through the Integrated Development Plan of the Lephalale Local Municipality.

Another notable stride made in the strategic partnerships approach was the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement between RAL and eight mining companies operating in the Sekhukhune District for the rehabilitation and building of the new Steelpoort Bridge. The partners believe that the bridge will bring relief to the surrounding communities by facilitating easy movement between Jane Furse, Burgersfort and the mines in and around Steelpoort, among other adjacent areas. A sum of over R80-million was raised to fund the project. Mining companies involved in the project included Rakhoma Mining Resources, Dwarsrivier Chrome Mine, Glencore, Rustenburg Platinum, Samancor Chrome, Booysendal Platinum, Tjate Platinum and Two Rivers Platinum.

Strategic partnerships in the Agricultural Sector

Farming plays a pivotal role in the province’s economy. Farm produce from the province is among the best in the country exported to the rest of the world. Some of the success stories in the agricultural sector were born out of the RAL-ZZ2 partnership, which since 2016 has included road maintenance works on the R521 Pondrift (border post) and Alldays roads. ZZ2 also assisted RAL in maintaining several sections of other strategic and mostly gravel roads in the province including P135/1 (Musina to Pafuri), D1942 (Malaladrift) and D617, which passes through Houtbosdorp from Mooketsi Farm. Most recently, the D2531 near Cloudslands Farm was fixed after it collapsed due to flooding.

In addition, as part of RAL’s strategic road infrastructure intervention, more partnerships will be sought to solicit resources for the maintenance of roads that link to other agricultural produce. As it stands in many places, instead of a truck taking 30 minutes to travel from a farm to the tarred road, it takes more than an hour. This is a situation which calls for all roads related to economic activity to be maintained.

Strategic approach in the Tourism Sector

Limpopo is host to Mapungubwe, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and two renowned national parks, Marakele National Park and Kruger National Park. The province is also among the most-visited areas in the country due to its scenic nature, which contributes to its uncontested performance statistics in tourism, which is one of its key pillars in economic growth. A

ccordingly, strategic roads leading to critical tourism hotspots need to be of good quality to encourage return visits among tourists. For this reason, RAL continues to engage the tourism sector to find synergies in enhancing access to the sector, in particular, its facilities, with ease.

Strategic Partnership Opportunities

Roads play a major role in connecting all sectors of the economy and enhancing business in the province. RAL endeavours to partner with the various sectors of the economy for improved road infrastructure development. These partnerships are important enablers of quality roads construction through the interface between the private sector and government towards economic development of the province.

For more information, visit www.ral.co.za

Limpopo looks at economic recovery as it hosts Provincial Mining, Energy & Industrialisation Investment Conference

The Limpopo Provincial Government will on 29 to 30 September 2022 host the Limpopo Provincial Mining, Energy & Industrialisation Investment Conference. The event is a follow-up to the initial investment conferences (Limpopo Investment and Mining Conferences) that were held in August and September 2021, respectively. This year’s conference will specifically highlight the wealth of opportunities and innovation expressed in the mining and energy sector and how that shall assist in economic recovery.

Limpopo Premier, Mr. Stanley Chupu Mathabatha and Minister of Mineral Resources & Energy, Mr. Gwede Samson Mantashe will lead this conference to harness on the commitments made in the previous years.

“We are happy and grateful to see investors showing interest in investing in our province. This conference will enhance our strategies towards sustaining and achieving an industrialised inclusive economy, especially when we look at rebuilding our economy,” Mathabatha said.

He added that the conference aims to bring together direct foreign and domestic investments in which to greatly benefit the people of Limpopo. That is, it will aim at adding onto the R250-billion commitment last year by targeting R50-billion in this year.

Said Mathabatha: “In line with the provincial government’s purpose of driving Limpopo’s growth, we are committed to delivering positive economic value to the citizens of the province.”

During the 2021 conference, a significant number of businesses expressed interest in investing in Limpopo despite the global economic challenges that increasingly thinning the economies across the world.

This year, the conference, under the theme “Realising Limpopo’s Investment Potential in Mining and Other Strategic Sectors of the Economy”, will further focus on re-emphasizing Limpopo’s position as one of the three mining capitals in South Africa and a global relevant player in the future mineral space.

Among other objectives, the conference will profile the strength and comparative advantages that Limpopo offers to investors and its trading partners as well as focussing highly on the development. and implementation of the Special Economic Zones in both Fetakgomo/Tubatse and Musina/Makhado.

Limpopo’s strategic position within the country adds immense value to investors who want to benefit from improved access to large markets and this conference aims to bring together the private sector and various industries to address critical success factors for nurturing and supporting industrialization in Limpopo.

The province has a keen interest in further encouraging and optimising private sector investment through the Limpopo Development Plan and the Economic Recovery Plan which hinges on the SEZ programme, with a promise of a long-term imagined inclusive growth.

To find out more about the investment conference, visit www.limpopoinvestmentconference.co.za
Register here

Rustenburg Smelter empowers local female-owned SMME with waste skip truck  

Glencore Rustenburg Smelters Team and Mpho Magano, Founder and Managing Director of Rambait Trading and Enterprises (Pty) Ltd

Fulfilling one of its strategic objectives to contribute to society via local supplier development, Glencore Ferroalloys handed over a waste skip truck and trailer worth over R3-million to Rambait Trading and Enterprises (Pty) Ltd.

Rambait Trading Enterprises (Pty) Ltd specializes in waste management. Their initial focus was only on hazardous waste, however the business also ventured into general scrap waste and recycling. In order to maintain business operations, they were renting a waste skip truck, a trailer as well as a number of skip bins. This came at an exorbitant cost and threatened the growth and sustainability of the business.

With the understating of the important role that local businesses play in the overall success of communities, Rustenburg Smelter awarded the contract to Rambait following a rigorous tender process.

Chief Community and Social Responsibility Officer for Glencore Ferroalloys, Conroy van der Westhuizen, encouraged Rambait Trading Enterprises (Pty) Ltd to maintain the highest safety standards and to keep striving for greatness.

Glencore Ferroalloys, Conroy van der Westhuizen and Mpho Maganano Founder of Rambait Trading Enterprises (Pty) Ltd

“As Glencore, we are passionate about our Enterprise and Supplier Development Programme.It is a strategic imperative for Glencore to lower entry barriers for emerging business enterprises by evaluating candidates that are committed to their own success, the success of Glencore Alloys and uplifting the community and contributing to local economies. Rambait Trading Enterprises has shown impressive tenacity and determination to keep persevering despite life’s challenges over the last 10 years. We are proud as an organisation to offer such a business our support. Best wishes to you, and we look forward to witnessing the business grow to greater heights,” he said.

Following a public tender and rigorous adjudication process, Rustenburg Smelter awarded the business a three year waste management contract which speaks to the smelters’ investment commitment and confidence in the business, as well as the impact that it will make to the local community.

“It is always a pleasure to support and give a head start to businesses that have incredible potential. Rambait Trading Enterprises, your great attitude and willingness to always learn has placed you here today, it is the same attitude that will determine how far you go in life. We want to tell a much bigger story about you one day and marvel at your growth from grassroot level to a bigger business entity. So, continue to commit yourself and you will yield outstanding results. Congratulations once again,” said Enterprise and Supplier Development Superintendent for Glencore Ferroalloys, Charlin Ntuli.

Founder and Managing Director of Rambait Trading and Enterprises (PTY) LTD, Mpho Magano could barely hold back her excitement after receiving the donation.

Founder and Managing Director of Rambait Trading and Enterprises (Pty) Ltd, Mpho Magano

“Thank you so much Glencore for believing in me and my business, it hasn’t been an easy journey but knowing that an organisation such as Glencore stands by you and sees you through has kept me going. I will not stop shouting praises for all that Glencore has done for me. They not only came on board and saw my capabilities, but they have also showed me new possibilities far beyond my current reach,” said Magano.

Through its Enterprise and Supplier Development Programme, Glencore continues to ensure that they empower entrepreneurs with the relevant technical knowledge and helps them acquire assets which will support the growth of their businesses.

 

2023 SMME Virtual Roadshow

Following the unprecedented challenges of 2020-2022, SMMEs will be critical drivers of economic recovery in 2023.

The SMME Roadshow has since its inception in 2014 supported small business by providing a platform to address issues that hinder small business growth and development such as funding and regulatory compliance.

To address the urgent need for SMME support, Global Africa Network initiated a highly successful virtual version of the SMME Roadshow in 2021. With over 1 800 online registrations, the Roadshow focused primarily on access to funding for small businesses, accessing markets, technology for small business, business training, and business support and assistance.

The 2023 SMME Virtual Roadshow, brought to you by Global Africa Network, will again take the form of presentations and collateral hosted on a custom platform. As such, the SMME Virtual Roadshow will be an important driver of economic growth and job creation in 2023.

Why a virtual event?

  • Increased flexibility and access
  • Greater opportunity for interaction
  • Monitoring and recording of attendance and interaction

Small business enablers at the event:

  • Access to funding for start-ups
  • Access to funding for established small businesses
  • Doing business with government
  • Skills and development training
  • Banking for small business
  • Compliance – practical solutions
  • Internet and telecoms solutions for small business
  • Small business success stories

Participation

Attendance will be free of charge, and companies that register will be required to provide relevant information about their business, their objectives, and their requirements.

Register free here

Sponsors, Thought Leaders and Presenters

The 2023 SMME Virtual Roadshow will take the form of an online event targeted at specific needs of the participants, which will vary across levels of development and support
requirements.

The event presents many opportunities for sponsors, thought leaders and presenters to engage with the SMME sector.

Seven Focus Hubs will structure the Roadshow:
  • Access to funding for start-ups
  • Access to funding for established small businesses
  • Doing business with government
  • Skills and development training
  • Banking for small business
  • Compliance – practical solutions
  • Internet and telecoms solutions for small business
  • PLUS: Small business success stories

Delegates will be able to interact with sponsors, thought leaders and presenters.

Download the brochure
For information on sponsorship opportunities, email info@gan.co.za

Sponsors

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