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Managing welding costs by optimising shielding gas mixtures

Air Products Welding Specialist, Sean Young, offers expert advice on alternative options when selecting gases.

Manufacturing costs have increased significantly in the last few years due to a number of external factors. The current challenge for manufacturers is to manage costs in the welding process without compromising quality or output.

One way to manage the costs is to ensure that the correct material and processes are used from to onset to avoid unnecessary costs as a result of unsuccessful welds or rework.

Welding Specialist at Air Products, Sean Young explains for a weld that is successful, the source melted and the components to be joined, needs to be protected from oxidation and atmospheric contamination. This can be achieved by means of a flux or by using a shield gas. In the case of shielding metal arc (SMA) electrodes or submerged arc processes, a flux is used, whereas a gas shield is used with gas metal arc welding (GMAW), gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) and most flux-cored processes.

Selecting optimised shielding gas mixtures for gas metal arc welding (GMAW) of carbon steel is one way in which the costs can be evaluated and minimised. For Air Products, it is important to provide different solutions to customers which suit their specific needs, and furthermore assist with cost savings where possible.

One way to manage the costs is to ensure that the correct material and processes are used from to onset to avoid unnecessary costs as a result of unsuccessful welds or rework.

Young offers specialist services and advice to customers on various components of the process, one of which is the selection of shielding gas. According to Young, it is important to look at the welding process, the material, its thickness and the metal transfer mode.

The weld properties are affected by shielding gases, and in order to optimise the choice of shielding gas, it is important to take all the elements into account that can affect the quality of the weld, such as spatter, bead profile, fusion and penetration.

Air Products offers a variety of shielding gases and mixtures

A number of mixtures and shielding gases are commonly used for welding:

  • CO2 is largely used for GMAW in dip transfer mode of carbon steels
  • Argon is suitable for GMAW of non-ferrous materials and all GTAW applications
  • Argon/CO2, Argon/O2, Argon/CO2/O2 mixes are used for GMAW of carbon steels as well as stainless steels
  • In the case of more advanced GTAW applications, more exotic argon/helium and argon/hydrogen mixes are available
  • T4dcWith more advanced GMAW applications, Argon/He/CO2 and Argon/H2/CO2 mixes are available

Sean Young elaborates on Argon and CO2: ”In any mixed shielding gas cylinder, argon is generally the dominant gas. In its pure form, it is an inert gas which is used to keep other gases out and has no chemical effect on the deposited metal weld. On its own, argon is used for all tungsten inert gas welding (GTAW/TIG) and GMAW aluminium and copper and its alloys.”

He further explains that pure CO2 is perceived as the original shielding gas for GMAW and is widely used for general purpose welding of steels today and it is a cost effective shielding gas. However, CO2 can destabilise the arc and cause spatter as it violently dissociates into carbon monoxide and oxygen in the arc. This leads to a hotter arc with deep penetration, causing a large droplet formation which is known to restrict the use of the CO2 to a dip-transfer mode.

Improving welds with active gas additions

Adding minority percentages of active gases such as oxygen and carbon dioxide can make significant improvements to the argon shielding gas for GMAW of carbon steels and stainless steels. “Adding small percentages of oxygen leads to a shielding gas with improved wetting action and it also decreases the surface tension of the molten metal, producing a flatter weld. Furthermore, the pinch-off effect is accelerated and smaller droplet sizes created. The result is a more stable metal transfer, a softer arc and reduced  spatter,” says Young.

…improving welding stability plays a major role in total welding costs.

An improved transfer stability ensures that the GMAW welding process is less sensitive to welding parameters and more tolerant to voltage and current variation. Ultimately, this leads to reduced time for machine set-up which improves the overall productivity. Young says that an argon/oxygen mixture of up to 2% oxygen is the ideal for stainless steel applications.

In instances where CO2 is added to Argon in a two-part mix, there is an improvement in the penetration of carbon steel joints. A limit in the percentage CO2 plays a role to obtain a smooth metal transfer in the spray transfer mode and to overcome instability issues.

According to Young, you obtain an improved penetration and welding speed when increasing the CO2 as a result of the increase in temperature in the welding arc. He warns that more than 15% CO2 in argon causes spatter and the instability to re-emerge. According to him, 15% is optimal and in the case of thinner materials where penetration is not required, 3% CO2 is sufficient.

The benefits of three part mixes

GMAW shielding gas mixtures can be optimised to provide the best weld properties for particular applications by combining the benefits of CO2, O2 and argon.

Young elaborates on three part mixtures: “The mixtures generally consist of argon with CO2 of up to 15% and O2 of up to 3%. It is possible to improve the arc stability, optimise metal transfer characteristics, minimise spatter generation and improve penetration and the bead profiles by using all three the gases.”

He explains that there is a vast difference between two part and three part mixtures, in particular when you look at the spatter generated during the welding process – three part mixtures generates far less spatter. “In the long run, welding costs accumulate when you take the time and cost of post-weld activities and cleaning up into consideration. A slightly more expensive gas mixture might make it worthwhile to switch if an accurate cost comparison is done.”

There are numerous other benefits of using three part mixtures: increased quality, ease of use, welding stability is more tolerant to variations in parameter settings, improved profitability, productivity and efficiency.

GMAW shielding gas mixtures can be optimised to provide the best weld properties for particular applications by combining the benefits of CO2, O2 and argon.

Young concludes by explaining that improving welding stability plays a major role in total welding costs. He mentions an example of when you draw a direct comparison between a two part argon/CO2 mix and Air Products’ MagMix3 (three part mix with CO2 in the 5% range), in which case the welding time for a 30cm weld was reduced from 58 to 48 seconds. “This translates into a 20% increase in welding speed with reduced post-weld grinding required, less spatter and a cleaner look.”

Air Products strives to assist customers in streamlining processes and offers solutions to increase production and productivity. As the welding specialist, Sean Young is able to provide expert advice on alternative options when selecting gases.

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

An opportunity to focus on local manufacturing in KZN

Local manufacturing matters

These uncertain global economic times provide us with an opportunity to focus on local manufacturing and to build our manufacturing base. At some stage our markets will need to rebound and there will be added demand and growth potential for products. This will provide a business opportunity for our manufacturers.

The Manufacturing Indaba KwaZulu-Natal will focus on the ‘business of manufacturing’ and supporting companies with access to markets and provides a platform to sell products and services.

Key issues emanating from the finance discussion at the event included:
  • South Africa’s manufacturing sector needs to collaborate closely with the government to adopt a more project-driven approach to opportunities for catalytic growth.
  • Most local manufacturers are suffering from insufficient demand for their products, and are therefore operating below maximum production capacity and have haemorrhaged jobs.
  • There is a need to work closely with the government to take proactive steps to seek new opportunities for the local manufacturing industry to expand production.
(Manufacturing Indaba KwaZulu-Natal – date to be advised)
Learn more: https://manufacturingindaba.co.za/mi-kzn/

 

Smart Procurement ensures SMMEs are protected and procurement moves forward in SA

Author George Bernard Shaw said: “Those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.” As South Africa enters a 21-day lockdown, businesses are faced with the challenge of finding new ways of adapting and surviving.

“In light of the uncertainty of the coming months, as we battle the COVID-19 pandemic as a united nation, Smart Procurement has put in place plans to move its 7th annual Smart Procurement World Western Cape conference to an online platform, being hosted on 19 and 20 May 2020,” says Keshni Reddy, Head of Commercial for Smart Procurement, the organisers of the event.

“Smart Procurement is cognisant of the needs of those engaged in the supply chain and procurement fraternities within the South African private and public sectors to stay current with ongoing procurement events and legislation. As such, we will be leveraging the vast experience and expertise of our parent company Commerce Edge (online training specialists) to tailor our virtual learning platform,” Reddy points out.

If possible, support sites will be made available on request to host small delegate groups of no more than 10 people. Alternatively, delegates can log into the sessions as individuals.

“Virtual conferencing has tangible user benefits, allowing not only time for questions and answers but also encouraging individual engagement during sessions. Real-time polls and surveys allow for industry benchmarking and the testing of content retention. Some sessions will be mandatory and others optional, and all attendees will have access to each presentation after it has taken place. We can extend this access for up to six months to allow for inter-departmental meetings to drive objectives post-event,” says Jodi-Lee Rood, Project Director for Smart Procurement.

Rood explains that the online conference will be complemented by a one-day contact session in November in Cape Town. This session will include:

  • Workshops and Masterclasses. Feedback from May’s hosted virtual sessions will be provided to delegates to cement lessons learned.
  • Networking Day: SmartXchange, Supplier MatchUp and Table Discussions. This means that networking time for the event has now been increased by 50% and involves one-on-one contact with speakers, SMMEs, colleagues and other delegates.

Online conference attendance is mandatory in order to attend the November Workshop/Masterclass and Networking Day.

Beneficially, CPD points can be accumulated and managed through online conference attendance. Amongst other benefits, SMMEs will receive:

  • An online Entrepreneurial and Business Assessment: Two in depth assessments as a benchmark to help SMMEs ascertain the health of their business.
  • Access to the webinar on: How to Pandemic Proof your Business
  • An online Pitching Masterclass which will ensure that the SMME’s pitches are sleek and prepared before starting with any linkage to buyers.

“A number of sponsorship opportunities are available for the public and private sector, providing them with an opportunity to engage in the webinar sessions as thought leaders, and to join the SmartXchange Online Meeting platform to set up virtual meetings with Smart Procurement World participants. We urge interested parties to contact us for the complete list of benefits that accrue to sponsors,” says Reddy.

For more information on the upcoming series of Smart Procurement World events for 2020 please visit the website at www.smartprocurementworld.com

Special Economic Zone planned for the Wild Coast

Spekboom leaves (Source: Wikipedia)

2020 overview of the agriculture sector in the Eastern Cape

Getting small-scale farmers connected to agri-processing value chains is a major goal for agricultural policy-makers in the Eastern Cape.

The creation of a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) on the Wild Coast with a focus on agri-processing is part of a plan to achieve this. If farmers have access to the processing and production of products from meat, milk, wool and leather, greater value will be created and more jobs will become available.

Agri-parks situated strategically around the province support the addition of value: these have been developed at Lambasi, Ncorha, Sundays River Valley, Butterworth, Matatiele and Sterkspruit-Senqu.

The Eastern Cape Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform (DRDAR) has several programmes to support small-scale farmers. Sixteen feedlots have been established for livestock farmers. Berlin Beef, a joint government and private-sector export-oriented venture, aims to support transformation by supporting 200 black livestock farmers to participate in the business.

Rural Enterprise Development (RED) hubs are a key plank in the strategy of the DRDAR to promote food security and employment creation. Small-scale farmers are supplied with equipment, infrastructure and training to help them engage with the mainstream economy.

A farming incubator supported by the Thrive Fund of South African Breweries uses its R190-million loan book to support small-scale farmers in seven provinces. FarmSol provides loans and technical support helps farmers get access to value chains. SAB gets its ingredients for beer (barley, hops and maize) from FarmSol beneficiaries.

The Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC) supports agri-processing through loans and equity arrangements: projects that have received financial support include aquaculture, the production of dietary fibre from pineapples and bamboo products. There are about 70 000 people employed on commercial farms across the Eastern Cape, with a further 436 000 people dependent on smaller farms, mostly in the east.

Addo Elephant National Park is home to a great concentration of “spekboom”, the world’s most efficient converter of carbon dioxide. Elephants love to eat it, but it also has become the plant of choice in carbon swops. An international airline will enter a partnership with a game reserve, for example, whereby the game reserve will plant several thousand stems. In return, the airline gets carbon credits.

The National Woolgrowers Association of SA (NWGA), the country’s main producer organisation, is based in Port Elizabeth, as is Cape Wool SA, which used to be known as the South African Wool Board.

The NWGA has a simple motto: “more sheep: more wool” which it tries to achieve through its Production Technology Services which is offered to a membership base of 4 500 commercial and 20 000 communal members. Cape Wools SA is the industry representative of the broader industry including processors, brokers, producers and traders.

Angora goats (Image: SAMIL Natural Fibres)

Rich in assets

The Eastern Cape provides approximately a quarter of South Africa’s milk, and the industry is further expanding as producers are favouring high-rainfall coastal areas such as the Tsitsikamma region of the Eastern Cape. The bigger dairies include Coega Dairy which was founded in 2011 and is situated in the Coega SEZ. It produces the brand Coastal, sells milk to all parts of South Africa and manages the Famous Brands Cheese Company.

Small-scale dairy farming presents an opportunity to develop the industry in the former homeland areas, especially in products such as milk powder, speciality cheeses and long-life milk. Ouma Rusks are still made in the small town where they were invented, Molteno.

Cabdbury Chocolates operates a big site across the lake from the Nelson Mandela Stadium in Port Elizabeth and Nestlé makes 11 kinds of chocolate at its factory in East London. The Sasko mill in Port Elizabeth is the province’s only big milling plant.

The Eastern Cape is the country’s second-largest producer of citrus fruit. Oranges make up the vast majority of citrus products. Deciduous fruits such as apples, pears and apricots are grown primarily in the Langkloof Valley. Another crop in which the Eastern Cape leads national production is chicory. The province’s pineapple crop is grown in the same part of the Sunshine Coast that produces chicory.

The macadamia nut sector is growing. The Eastern Cape Rural Devel-opment Agency (ECRDA) has partnered with a community to plant the popular nut at Ncera in the Tyume Valley north of Alice.

The Eastern Cape holds 21% of the country’s cattle (about 3.2-million), 28% of its sheep (seven-million) and 46% of its goats, making it the largest livestock province by a substantial margin. The rich natural grasslands of the Eastern Cape have the potential to produce high-value organic meat, a product that is proving increasingly popular in health-conscious international markets.

Coca-Cola Sabco and SAB Limited’s Ibhayi brewery are the major beverage manufactur-ers in Port Elizabeth and Distell has a bottling plant in the city. Sovereign Foods in Uitenhage is the country’s fourth-biggest producer of poultry.

Online resources:

Find more sector insight for the Eastern Cape Province in the Eastern Cape Business 2020 edition.

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Powering South Africa – what’s next?

For years, Africa’s most developed economy has struggled with power generation and supply, as load shedding and power cuts have stifled economic growth. With the country once again in recession, it seems that long-awaited change is finally taking shape.

In February’s State of the Nation Address, President Cyril Ramaphosa promised “historic and unprecedented development” in the country’s energy sector, as well as “to make sure no African child is left behind in the transition to a low-carbon, climate resilient and sustainable society”.

So, how can this coal-reliant economy successfully navigate the transition to a cleaner energy mix? We’ve gone beyond the soundbites to bring you a rundown of the biggest energy stories in South Africa right now.

1. Cleaner Coal

With veteran Minister Gwede Mantashe now presiding over both the minerals and energy portfolios, coal is expected to service most of South Africa’s energy needs for the next decade. It’s also a revenue-generator, the country is the seventh-largest coal producer in the world and sells about 72 million tonnes a year. As such, it’s no surprise that South Africa is looking into ways of cleaning up its coal to reduce emissions.

Strategies suggested have included the installation of more efficient boilers and the use of much talked-about carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology, which is currently being championed throughout the South African coal industry. Professor Rosemary Falcon, director of the Fossil Fuel Foundation in Johannesburg recently commented “clean coal is possible, and South Africa should not sterilise its vast coal reserves but use them for energy production.”

In order to achieve this goal, South Africa first needs access to technology that would make CCS viable – experts suggest that, despite the hype, this could still be some years away. It would then need to retrofit old power stations – a time-consuming and expensive initiative for a country whose debt is already spiralling out of control.

2. Self-Generation

The first months of 2020 have seen a series of announcements regarding electricity self-generation. At the 27th Mining Indaba in February, Gwede Mantashe announced a revision of Schedule 2 of the Electricity Regulation Act that would enable self-generation to help close the energy gap caused by deteriorating Eskom plant performance.

As well as enabling businesses to become captains of their own destiny when it comes to securing their electricity supply, self-generation also promises to up the proportion of power generated from renewables – providing that government can deliver much-needed clarity regarding precise conditions and requirements.

Many companies are already looking into solar power – the set-up cost of which has decreased significantly in recent years – as a way of powering their operations.

3. IPPs

2020 has so far been a significant year for Independent Power Producers (IPPs) in South Africa. Just last week, the Supreme High Court ruled against the Coal Transporters Forum in a case that pursued the annulment of power purchase agreements with IPPs – a triumph for those who want to see the country move towards a cleaner energy mix.

What’s more, following President Ramaphosa’s commitment to restart the long-delayed Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme, many regions are moving towards purchasing power from IPPs.

In his budget speech last week, Western Cape Finance Minister Tito Mboweni announced that it will soon be possible for municipalities in financially good standing to purchase electricity from Independent Power Producers. Mboweni and Ramaphosa’s comments are a victory for the City of Cape Town, whose fight to purchase energy from IPPs goes back to 2015.

At AOW, we’re committed to supporting South Africa in securing its energy future. In 2020, we’re launching a brand-new content stream that will focus on future energies to run alongside Africa Oil Week.

Aimed at integrated energy companies, IPPs, banks and financiers, this one-day evet will tackle the global energy transition from a uniquely African perspective. Topics discussed will include: policy reforms, energy infrastructure, decarbonisation technology and more.

As it stands, Africa Oil Week, 4-6 November 2020 in Cape Town, South Africa will be going ahead as scheduled.

For more information, visit www.africa-oilweek.com

 

A wide variety of mohair yarns are finding markets

Photo: SAMIL Natural Fibres
Will Brexit have an impact on the mohair sector?

Brexit will have limited to no impact on the mohair sector in South Africa as very little mohair is traded via the United Kingdom. Our major trading partners are China and Italy, though Japan, Taiwan and South Korea are also important markets.

Do you export to Scandinavia?

SAMIL exports exquisite Hand Knitting yarns to Scandinavia. We have created bespoke yarns for these markets, incorporating Scandinavian influences in both style and colours.

Do you support small-scale farmers?

We formed SAMIL Farming in 2011 to increase mohair availability through joint ventures with commercial and emerging farmers. An assistant farming manager has been appointed to focus solely on increasing our emerging farmer partnerships. Among the success stories are Ms Sarah Louw of Jansenville and Ms Ntombomzi Qeqe-Lwana of Kommadagga.

Michael Brosnahan

Michael emigrated from the UK to KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa in 1981 in order to take up the position of Quality Assurance Manager with the Frame Group.

A chartered member of the Textile Institute in South Africa, he has managed several large textile companies since then. Mooi River Textiles was awarded Cotton Spinner of the Year for three consecutive years under his leadership. 

He was appointed CEO of SAMIL Natural Fibres in Port Elizabeth in 2016.

Are your investments in combing and spinning paying off?

The investments have not only led to the upliftment of the quality of the products but created the opportunity to produce yarn types that we were previously unable to. We see the investments as the opportunity to secure employment for our employees into the future through enabling us to increase our market share.

What sort of variety do you offer in terms of types of yarns?

SAMIL Spinning produces a wide range of yarns focussing mainly on mohair yarns or mohair blended with other noble fibres such as alpaca and wool as well as all-natural yarns which includes blends with silk and bamboo.

We produce yarns of natural fibres blended with man-made fibres such as polyamide, polyester or acrylic fibres, as requested by our customers. Yarn styles range from flat worsted yarns for items such as socks and jerseys, to black headband ties used by Arab sheiks in the Middle East and fancy loop and brushed yarns used by Europe’s top fashion houses.

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

The diamond fibre glistens for mohair farmers and producers

Angora goats, Eastern Cape Province. (Credit: SAMIL Natural Fibres)

When farmers in the Cape Colony wanted better returns for their hard work, they introduced sheep which produced a better quality of wool. That tactic was so successful that the value of wool exports increased exponentially in the four decades after 1820.

However, when Angora goats were introduced, the value of exports of mohair shot up in just five years from £15 000 to £107 000. South Africa had found its “diamond fibre” before the first real diamond was discovered in a field near Kimberley which would launch South Africa’s mineral revolution.

The other high-value livestock idea introduced was ostrich farming and that went very well, until the market crashed around the time of the outbreak of World War I. Mohair continues to shine.

The first Angora goats came to the Cape in 1838 but it took some time for commercial operations to take hold. By 1860, bales of wool and mohair were responsible for the port at Port Elizabeth handling more cargo than Cape Town.

Mohair is a white, lustrous fibre (thus the “diamond fibre”) that is strong and elastic, and it forms a fabric that is easily dyed. Also sometimes called the “noble fibre”, mohair is lightweight, durable, breathes well and is crease-resistant.

The great fashion houses of the world create garments from mohair which is also used to create scarves, socks, blankets, ponchos and throws.

China and Italy are the two main export destinations of South African production, fully 95% of which is exported.

Image: SAMIL Natural Fibres

South Africa now produces about 54% of the world’s mohair and Port Elizabeth is the mohair capital of the world in the sense that its port handles the bulk of South African exports, many companies have their headquarters there and the sector association, Mohair South Africa, is based there.

As the industry’s representative, Mohair South Africa develops international partnerships and promotes the marketing of mohair products. The body’s stated aim is to “create sustainable demand and profitability for all role-players from producer to processor, and from buyer to manufacturer”.

Mohair South Africa is involved in several fashion shows around the world (and other events, such as a series of Vogue magazine knitting events in the USA), which, together with engagements with international brands and textile organisations and attendance at international trade shows, help to keep mohair in the global public eye.

The Empowerment Trust is a Mohair South Africa initiative that helps small-scale farmers towards becoming commercial mohair producers. It also has programmes that train and develop individuals throughout the mohair value chain.

These include farmworkers, shearers, manufacturers and entrepreneurs. If a candidate can show that he or she has the land and a good business plan, interest-free loans (in the form of goats) are paid out, repayable after five years from the profits that come from shearing, which happens twice every year.

Farms around the small towns that dot the open plains south of Graaff-Reinet, Aberdeen, Somerset East, Jansenville and Willowmore routinely produce nearly half of South Africa’s production.

The office of the South African Mohair Growers Association (SAMGA) is in Jansenville. SAMGA negotiates with government and non-governmental organisations on issues to do with mohair production. When the International Mohair Summit was jointly hosted by Jansenville and Graaff-Reinet, a Mohair Museum was created in Jansenville.

Grootfontein College of Agriculture, the only tertiary educational institute in the country to offer a programme aimed at Angora goat farming and mohair production, is located in Middelburg, north of Graaff-Reinet.

Processing of mohair takes place in Uitenhage, Port Elizabeth and Berlin outside East London. The mohair value chain includes brokers, buyers, processors, spinners, manufacturers and retailers.

SAMIL Natural Fibres has divisions all along the value chain. This covers farming, combing, trading, spinning and dyeing. The Angora Genetics Laboratory (ANGELA) was established in 2013 to improve yields. The Stucken group controls Mohair Spinners South Africa, Hinterveld (a mill) and a processing company called Gubb & Inggs in Uitenhage.

Several agricultural companies have mohair divisions. OVK has a 100% shareholding the Cape Mohair Wool (CMW), a mohair brokerage. BKB has a mohair division that includes auctions and brokering. The company markets about 35% of mohair produced and runs bi-weekly sales in Port Elizabeth.

Mohair auction facts:
  • CMW, a part of the OVK Group, recorded a turnover of R41-million at a sale in 2018.
  • In the same year a pair of farmers achieved a price of R1 256.10/kg at another CMW auction. That worked out to more than R100 000 for a single bale.
  • At the third sale of 2019, an average price was achieved of R289.66/kg. The highest price paid was R613/kg, for a 23-micron kid mohair clip. By the final sale of the year, the average was R218.97/kg (Mohair SA).
  • A ram sold at an auction organised by the Angora Ram Breeders’ Society in 2018/19 fetched R86 000.
Links:

This article first published as a Special Feature in the Eastern Cape Business 2020 edition business and investment journal.

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Durban Exhibition Centre used as screening centre for city’s homeless response

Health care workers from the Department of Health assist in the assessment and screening of the City’s homeless at the Durban Exhibition Centre.

The Durban Exhibition Centre (DEC) has been utilised as the Reception and Screening Centre for the Ethekwini Municipality’s response to sheltering the homeless during the national lockdown announced by President Ramaphosa on the 23rd March.

The eThekwini Task Team on Homelessness identified various sites for screening and accommodating the City’s itinerant citizens before the lockdown came into effect on the 26th March. The task team is headed up by Deputy Mayor Belinda Scott and Chaired by Raymond Perrier, Director of the Denis Hurley Centre.

The DEC became the central point where homeless people could gather and receive the assistance which the Task Team was providing. The process included receiving meals, blankets, hygiene packs, and be assessed and screened by professionals from the Department of Health and Department of Social Development.

Durban ICC Chief Executive Officer, Lindiwe Rakharebe noted, “The Durban ICC is committed to playing its part in and offering as much support as we can. Initially one-thousand people were expected to be screened at the centre; however we were able to help 1,600 people over the course of the first three days.”

Following the assessment and screening, each person received a wrist band and transport to the various venues provided by the City where they would be housed and fed for the duration of the national lockdown. These venues include the Denis Hurley Centre, the YMCA, Moses Mabhida Stadium, and the Strollers facility amongst others.

The Task Team has enlisted the help of NGOs and municipally-funded caterers to provide meals to all residents throughout the lockdown period. Security and health-care staff are in attendance at each of the various venues as well.

Support and advice for business and industry in Cape Town

The City of Cape Town cares deeply about the impact of COVID-19 on our local businesses and industry. We are mobilising resources to limit the impact and are exploring ways of how best to support you during this time.

Dedicated work-streams are meeting regularly to ensure a significant, all-of-government effort.

We are working with the provincial and national governments, as well as all our partners, to do everything we can to stop the spread of this virus and devise ways to best support you.

You have a role to play to protect yourself and your families. If we all do so, we will protect our communities too. We are all in this together. Healthy businesses are vital to Cape Town’s economy.

More information:

Get the latest articles and press releases, research, useful links and emergency numbers on the Invest Cape Town website:

Invest Cape Town Coronavirus Response: Support and Advice for Business and Industry

Opinion piece: Why plantations are NOT green deserts

Ahead of the United Nations’ International Day of Forests on 21 March, Forestry South Africa research and protection director Dr Ronald Heath talks about how the commercial forestry industry is leading the way in conserving and rehabilitating areas of high biodiversity value. He also challenges people to think differently about plantations.

Oribi. Southern Ground Hornbill. Southern Banded Snake Eagle. Cape Batis. Spotted Eagle Owl. Karkloof Blue Butterfly. Hewitt’s Ghost Frog. Pepper Bark Tree. Cycads.

These are some of the species that have found a home within the South African commercial forestry landscape.

Local forestry landscapes are a tapestry of commercial timber compartments – or crops – interwoven with tracts of natural vegetation, which enhance and conserve biodiversity in these grasslands, wetlands and indigenous forests ecosystems.

Approximately 1.5 million hectares of forestry-owned land (1.2 million hectares of timber plantation and 300 000 hectares of conservation area) stretch from Limpopo and Mpumalanga to KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern and Western Cape. The country boasts the highest forest certification rate in the world, with some 80% of South Africa’s forestry landscape certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), ensuring that land is managed and timber is produced in line with global environmental and social sustainability standards.

From big birds to blue butterflies

Through various research projects, ranging from public bird surveys to camera trap studies, our sector has identified more than 30 mammal species, hundreds of bird species and countless reptile, amphibian and insect species that call forestry-owned land home. This includes a number of rare, endangered and Red List species.

One of these is the “Thunder Bird” or Southern Ground Hornbill. The patchwork nature of forestry with the mixture of insect-rich grasslands and tall trees for nesting lends itself as the ideal habitat for these birds. Researchers are now interested to see whether the forestry landscape would offer the potential to create conservation corridors between Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal, the birds’ last great strongholds.

The Southern Ground Hornbill.

Karkloof Blue (Orachrysops ariadne), one of South Africa’s rarest butterflies, has been protected by conserving important breeding grounds and paying careful attention to site disturbances such as harvesting and burning regimes, and creating a better environment for the host plant (Indigofera woodii) upon which the butterfly lays its eggs. There is also a mysterious but symbiotic relationship between the butterfly larvae and an ant species (Camponotus natalensis) which means that the ant species also requires protection.

Orachrysops ariadne female upperside.

Apart from being a significant contributor to the local economy, forestry contributes to the conservation of the country’s natural forests, grassland ecosystems and their associated wetland systems along with a number of treasures for the ecotourism industry. Managed properly, this network of natural areas contributes towards the achievement of South Africa’s biodiversity targets.

A number of our members are working to have the species-rich pockets of natural vegetation found within the forestry landscape formally protected under long-term conservation agreements. Sites like Clairmont Mountain Nature Reserve, Sappi’s first proclaimed nature reserve, which is home to numerous endangered and Red Data List species. It is clear that forestry is a pioneer, leading the way for other land users.

Saving forests and reducing our footprint

South African forestry adopts a responsible forest and land management approach which requires sustainable, efficient and effective land management practices that have the lowest environmental impact and yield the greatest social and economic benefit.

Apart from employing more than 150 000 people and supporting rural communities, plantations are the source of an array of carbon-storing, renewable and versatile products that we use every day – without so much as a second thought: sawn timber for roofing and pool decks, pulp for toilet tissue, paper packaging, labels on new clothing and writing paper, extracts for adhesives and resins, cellulose for pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and even food-grade additives and biochemicals. And this is just a short list.

We have come a long way since the early days of afforestation which often involved planting trees without considering the ecological consequences. In the 1990s, the sector voluntarily withdrew 80 000 hectares of planted compartments for the conservation of water and to better manage our water resources. It has also instituted a number of strict planting regulations in line, and going beyond, with legislation and international standards that help reduce the industry’s environmental footprint.

The forestry industry was established by the South African government to meet the country’s timber needs, while preventing the eradication of our natural wooded areas. It simply would not have been environmentally sustainable, commercially viable nor practical to make use of indigenous wood for industrial purposes, especially in the early years of South Africa’s establishment as a mining and agricultural economy.

Today, the forestry landscape is now home to some 649 woody and 636 herbaceous plant species; these form part of the country’s half a million hectares of indigenous forests, which would be even smaller if it were not for commercial timber plantations.

Various biodiversity-focused resources are available on Forestry South Africa’s website:
  • Raptor Refugia
  • Answer the call of the Thunder Bird
  • Saving a species – Oribi
  • Hewitts Ghost Frog
  • Caterpillar custodians
  • Clairmont Mountain Nature Reserve
  • About International Day of Forests

The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 21 March the International Day of Forests in 2012. On this day, we celebrate and raise awareness of the importance of all types of forests. Countries are encouraged to undertake local, national and international efforts to organise activities concerning forests and trees.

The central theme for the International Day of Forests 2020, chosen by the Collaborative Partnership on Forests, is ‘Forests and Biodiversity: Too precious to lose’. www.fao.org

About Forestry South Africa

Forestry South Africa represents 11 corporate forestry companies, approximately 1 100 commercial timber farmers and some 20 000 small-scale growers. Collectively, these growers own or control no less than 98% of the country’s total plantation area of 1.2 million hectares.

It supports the industry in common and precompetitive areas such as research and protection against pests and disease, environmental issues, education and training and legislation. www.forestrysouthafrica.co.za.

All images supplied by Forestry South Africa

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