Transport News
RMB says Rail Policy White Paper lays foundation for private investment
Financial services provider Rand Merchant Bank (RMB) says the private sector stands ready to invest in South Africa’s rail industry, in partnership with government. Referring to the recently released National Rail Policy White Paper, RMB infrastructure finance public-private partnerships and concessions head Siyanda Mflathelwa says the paper reveals a much-needed localisation strategy for South Africa and an opportunity to strengthen manufacturing and export industries – one that the private sector can gladly get behind.
Cape Town to start Metrorail take-over feasibility study on July 1
The City of Cape Town will, on July 1, start a feasibility study on the devolution of the city’s passenger rail system from the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) to the metro. PRASA currently operates all commuter passenger rail systems in the country, with the exception of the Gautrain.
Comair placed in provisional liquidation by high court
Kulula.com and local British Airways operator Comair was placed in provisional liquidation by the South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg on Tuesday. The liquidation is necessary for Comair to preserve its fleet of aircraft, valued at about R3.5-billion, for the benefit of creditors, according to the company’s business rescue practitioners (BRPs).
Fueling Sustainability for Manufacturers: Strategies to Increase Fuel Efficiency and Reduce Your Carbon Footprint
By implementing an artificial-intelligence-equipped TMS, companies can lower empty miles and deadhead, optimize loads and maximize driver utilization and productivity.
Sanral to restart, wrap up adjudication process on cancelled tenders by end September Sanral chairperson Themba Mhambi talks about the issues identified with the agency’s construction bid evaluation process. Video and editing: Kutlwano Matlala
The board of the South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) has instructed Sanral management to readvertise and award the R17.47-billion in tenders the board cancelled earlier in May, citing “material irregularities”, within the next four months. Speaking at a media conference in Centurion on Monday, Sanral board chairperson Themba Mhambi added that the board would recruit an independent public institution with infrastructure expertise to assist with the process to advertise and adjudicate the tenders, and to make a recommendation to the board on the winning bidders.
Sanral to restart, wrap up adjudication process on cancelled tenders by end September Sanral chairperson Themba Mhambi talks about the issues identified with the agency’s construction bid evaluation process. Video and editing: Kutlwano Matlala
The board of the South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) has instructed Sanral management to readvertise and award the R17.47-billion in tenders the board cancelled earlier in May, citing “material irregularities”, within the next four months. Speaking at a media conference in Centurion on Monday, Sanral board chairperson Themba Mhambi added that the board would recruit an independent public institution with infrastructure expertise to assist with the process to advertise and adjudicate the tenders, and to make a recommendation to the board on the winning bidders.
Refurbished Saldanha Bay harbour development to benefit local economy, communities – De Lille
“Today marks a historic day as we bring the major refurbishment programme to the 13 Proclaimed Fishing Harbours (PFHs) in the Western Cape to the value of over [R500-million] to culmination,” Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Patricia de Lille said in a statement on June 7. De Lille and Deputy Minister Noxolo Kiviet visited the Saldanha Bay harbour to inspect the recently completed infrastructure upgrades.
Comair to be liquidated
Comair’s business rescue practitioners have lodged a court application on Thursday to convert the business rescue proceedings into liquidation proceedings. This is because the company could not raise the necessary funding to continue with operations. In a notice, published on Thursday, the BRPs advised creditors that they no longer believe there is a reasonable prospect that the company can be rescued. The BRPs tasked the Comair Rescue Consortium, the current owner, to come up with a practical plan for continued operations by 31 May this year. When this did not happen, the BRPs suspended all Comair’s kulula.com and British Airways (operated by Comair) flights on 1 June. Employees and customers who held bookings or were owed refunds will now become creditors of the company.
Two PRASA employees shot, wounded by suspected cable thieves in Cape Town
Two Passenger Railway Agency of South Africa (PRASA) workers are in a critical condition after being shot and wounded while repairing cables on Cape Town’s beleaguered Central Line. On Tuesday morning, police were called to the scene at the railway lines near Kalksteenfontein where the workers had been shot by unknown gunmen.
Sanral to restart, wrap up adjudication process on cancelled tenders by end September Sanral chairperson Themba Mhambi talks about the issues identified with the agency’s construction bid evaluation process. Video and editing: Kutlwano Matlala
The board of the South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) has instructed Sanral management to readvertise and award the R17.47-billion in tenders the board cancelled earlier in May, citing “material irregularities”, within the next four months. Speaking at a media conference in Centurion on Monday, Sanral board chairperson Themba Mhambi added that the board would recruit an independent public institution with infrastructure expertise to assist with the process to advertise and adjudicate the tenders, and to make a recommendation to the board on the winning bidders.
Company receives a Queen’s Award
Combustion management solutions provider Autoflame Engineering is delighted to announce that the company has been honoured with a Queen’s Award for Enterprise in the Innovation category.
Sustainable aviation fuels can be a potential green industry in South Africa
Sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) can contribute to a 65% reduction of emissions in the aviation industry by 2050, and South Africa has an excellent resource base to produce like-for-like replacements for fossil fuel-derived fuels that can be used with existing equipment and aeroplanes, says global conservation organisation World Wide Fund for Nature South Africa (WWF-SA) bioenergy analyst Farai Chireshe. Unlike road transport, which can mitigate emissions through electrification, long-haul aviation is more difficult to decarbonise, which underpins demand for SAF.
Company adds two new boiler rental units
Local boiler and burner supplier Combustion Technology has added two new boiler rental units to its rental offering.
Sanral to introduce one ticket system for all public transport, tolling
State-owned South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) is aiming to move away from traditional toll accounts to mobility accounts, Sanral northern region project manager Siveshni Pillay revealed this week. Speaking at the African Smart Cities Summit, in Midrand, on June 8, she said the mobility account would incorporate account-based ticketing (ABT), which is a form of integrated public transport fare management where commuters will have one ticket for all public transport throughout the country.
New cement production capacity in Africa might be preferable to high transport costs
The rapidly rising cost of transport means that adding additional cement production capacity in Africa might be worth considering going forward. Before the outbreak of Covid-19, a long-term decline in shipping costs and the relative price of imported cement, which was also expected to gradually fall, had eroded the rationale for adding more cement production capacity in Africa, Gordon Institute of Business Science Centre for Africa markets and management research associate Francois Fouche said at the African Smart Cities Summit, in Midrand, on June 8.
Joburg mayor spurs JRA to address inequitable pothole repair
The Mayor of Johannesburg Mpho Phalatse has commented on the real causes behind some areas being better served in terms of pothole repairs and related service delivery in Johannesburg. “While there are historical challenges that exist beyond the immediate control of the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA), the service delivery model employed to try and address the backlog lends itself to regional disparities, leaving parts of Johannesburg with less than desirable levels of services delivery,” she argues.
Worldwide, air passenger demand continued strong recovery in April
The global representative body of the airline industry, the International Air Transport Association (Iata), has reported that air passenger traffic worldwide continued a strong recovery trend in April, driven mainly by international travel demand. This was despite the war in Ukraine and travel restrictions imposed in China (to counter Covid-19). In year-on-year (y-o-y) terms, total air passenger demand in April was up 78.7%. (In March, the y-o-y increase had been 76%.) However, domestic air passenger demand in April (y-o-y) was down 1%, because of strict travel limitations imposed in China. Indeed, Chinese domestic air travel in April registered a y-o-y fall of 80.8%. Worldwide, domestic air travel this past April was still 25.8% down on the figure for April 2019.
Route of Phase 1 of proposed Gautrain extension published
Gauteng Public Transport and Roads Infrastructure MEC Jacob Mamabolo has made public the preferred route for Phase 1 of the proposed expansion of the 80-km Gautrain system, in what is called the Gauteng Rapid Rail Integrated Network (GRRIN) project. This route has been published in the Gauteng Provincial Gazette. This follows a consultative process which allowed affected parties the opportunity to make submissions regarding possible route options.
Company produces over 1Mt of corrosion resistant steel
Stainless steel manufacturer Columbus Stainless, based in Middelburg, Mpumalanga, says that it has produced more than one-million tons of its 3CR12 chromium-containing corrosion-resistant stainless steel for a variety of applications for local and international clients. 3CR12 is a locally manufactured, patented and highly sophisticated steel which took more than ten years of research and development to make the product what it is today, Columbus Stainless market development manager Lerato Mashigo tells Engineering News.
Imaginnovate names Kyler Ford Senior Advisor
Industry veteran to advise tech firm on its new Logistics Studio