Pretoria News 2022-10-06

SHOPRITE has increased its solar capacity by 82% in 12 months, easing pressure on the national electricity grid at a time when South Africa faces one of its worst energy crises. Over the past year, Shoprite has raised installed capacity of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems to 26 606 KW/h, it said yesterday. The 143 674 square metres of solar panels at 62 sites is equivalent to the size of 20 soccer fields. “This is enough to power the equivalent of 3 735 households for one full year, thus easing the pressure on the national electricity grid,” the company said in a statement. “Despite the marked progress, the group is still focused on growing its solar-powered and renewable electricity installations while improving energy efficiency to reduce its environmental footprint,…

THE ECONOMY waits with baited breath as the grim spectre of a lengthy industrial action unfolds over a 9% gap between Transnet and unions Untu and Satawu that is likely to halt the rail network and cause bottlenecks at South Africa’s ports to goods moving over rails and processes. Concern has been sounded by all sectors of an economy already besieged by load shedding over the past months, with fears rising that a protracted strike at Transnet has a telling effect on agricultural imports and exports, the motor vehicle sector and mining, among others, which are all heavily reliant on an efficient logistics chain. “Transnet is a critical player in an export orientated sector like agriculture. So the wage negotiations are key area of interest and we hope…

Gold mining may not be attracting the investment it once did in South Africa, but its other minerals still attract significant mining investment, delegates heard at the Joburg Indaba yesterday. Gold is a mature industry in South Africa, the opportunities are not the same as many of the other commodities in South Africa, said Gold Fieldschief executive (CEO), Chris Griffith. Griffith was part of a panel in the Indaba which took place yesterday in Johannesburg. Other panelists included Sibanye-Stillwater CEO Neal Froneman and Impala Platinum CEO, Nico Muller. Griffith said the opportunities to grow a company like his for safer, longer life, cheaper, lower cost more productive assets were not in South Africa, and for gold miners in South Africa, the opportuni- ties were international. “The more productive, shallow, open…

EQUITES Property Fund said there has seen a sharp rise in the number of development opportunities in SA in the past six months due to record levels of demand for warehousing space. Chief executive Andrew Taverna- Turisan said at the release of the group’s results for the six months to August 31, 2022, that they were well positioned to capitalise on these opportunities, given their strategic land bank – there is a shortage of suitable land for large warehousing and distribution developments, in Durban and Cape Town in particular, he said in a telephonic interview. Equites’ existing development pipeline will add 228 000m² of prime logistics space over the medium term, with a combined capital value of R2.7 billion. He said given the strong demand, the group might…

THERE is no better moment to remind us of our country’s precarious energy security than the current streak of load shedding, which at some point escalated from stage 2 to stage 6 and came perilously close to breaching stage 8. The cost to the economy varies between R2 billion and R4bn a day, depending on which industry expert you speak to. One thing is certain, though, businesses and households are counting their losses daily, suffice it to add it is near impossible to quantify the actual cost of load shedding to the economy. Flashback: many intensive energy users, including small businesses, have not forgotten the infamous load shedding in 2008. And one can forgive them for nursing a heightened sense of déjà vu. Such was…

There comes a time when your hair just won’t grow. No matter how much product you use or religiously stick to a hair care routine, your hair seems to be stuck at a particular length for years. You have probably considered shaving your crown, but it is just too expensive to let go of all the money and effort you have put into your hair. If your hair is going through little growth and you don’t know why, founder of NativeChild, Sonto Pooe, shares some possible reasons. Stress Stress can take a heavy toll on our body physically as well as mentally, so if you are under a lot of stress, it could be disrupting your natural hair growth cycle. Taking time to focus on yourself can help alleviate stress…