Star 2025-08-04

The National Treasury has partnered with the African Development Bank Group (AfDB) in a collaborative effort to bolster cross-border infrastructure across Africa. Treasury and the AfDB convened the inaugural consultative meeting on the “South Africa’s Legacy Initiative: The Ubuntu Approach” in Pretoria last week. The focus of the meeting was to furnish a platform for representatives from various African nations and regional economic communities (RECs), allowing them to delve deeper into the Ubuntu Initiative. This ambitious initiative echoes one of South Africa's pivotal contributions under the G20 Infrastructure Working Group—including the development of a comprehensive Toolkit aimed at alleviating the primary obstacles to planning, financing, executing, and maintaining cross-border projects. Participants included senior officials from 15 different countries, the African Union Commission, eight recognised AU regional bodies, and the African…

Manufacturing activity in South Africa in July returned to positive territory for the first time in nine months, in a significant turnaround for the struggling economy. The Absa Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) released on Friday indicated that the index edged above the 50-point mark and recorded an expansion, following eight consecutive months in contractionary territory. The last time the headline PMI was in the above-50 expansionary territory was in October 2023 at 52.6 points. According to Absa, new sales orders rose by 9.7 points to 55.9 in July, recording a third consecutive month of improvement and signalling a much stronger recovery in demand at the start of the third quarter. “Export sales also showed a significant increase, but at a low level, signalling that manufacturers remain cautious amid regulations and…

The South African automotive industry in July delivered its highest new vehicle sales in nearly six years on the back of improving consumer confidence, favourable credit conditions, and a steady recovery in disposable incomes. This comes as export volumes for July 2025 eased by 677 units, or 1.9%, from the 36 056 units exported in July 2024 to 35 379 units exported in July 2025. The sector is also absorbing confirmation of the reimposition of a 30% tariff on general South African exports to the United States, set to take effect from 07 August, following the initial implementation of the 25% Section 232 tariffs on automotive products in April. The Automotive Business Council (Naamsa) on Friday said though vehicle exports have displayed notable resilience despite the effects of the US…

Sustainability focus as half of South Africa’s small enterprises may not survive the next year A new survey has unveiled alarming insights into the sustainability of small businesses in South Africa, indicating that without immediate financial support, half of the nation’s small enterprises may not survive the next year. Titled the Small Business Growth Index (SBGI) and released on Friday by Absa, the South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Sacci), and the Bureau of Market Research (BMR) at Unisa, the survey said that South Africa’s small business ecosystem has revealed a sector under extreme pressure, with rising operational costs leaving more than half in decline, distress or at risk of closure. “Most report they may not survive beyond 12 months under current conditions, underscoring the urgent need for targeted…

The engineering sector has historically been a male-dominated field, and to a large extent it still is. However, this is changing, and the shift is gaining significant momentum as more women begin to take up leadership roles, spearheading innovation and driving inclusive growth. These women are reshaping the industry, driving innovation and change, and Women’s Month is an ideal moment to reflect on how far we have come, while recognising how far we still must go in ensuring equity, diversity and inclusivity. Stepping up to change the industry In recent years, the number of women studying engineering in South Africa has grown significantly across disciplines, including mechanical, civil, and electrical engineering. This shows a promising pipeline of female engineers who will be entering the workforce in the future. Just as…

As winter grips South Africa, Eskom on Friday noted significant strides in stabilising its power system with an improved Energy Availability Factor (EAF) ensuring reliability during peak electricity demand. Since May 15, the power utility has not resorted to load shedding, a significant turnaround for a company long synonymous with national power shortages. The latest data reveals that Eskom's generation fleet is steering towards greater stability, with more than half (57%) of its 14 coal-fired power stations now functioning at an EAF exceeding 70%. Notably, three of these stations have surpassed an impressive 90% operational efficiency. Reflecting on the current state of the power system, unplanned outages are reported to be at 8 525MW—marking the lowest figures in recent history. This is a significant improvement from last year, when outages…