infrastructure

South Africa’s crucial water supplies from Lesotho: what the six-month shutdown means for industry, farming and residents

By Ifedotun Aina, University of Cape Town The main water supply to South Africa’s economic hub, greater Johannesburg in the Gauteng province, and to the country’s breadbasket in the Free State, is scheduled to be cut off for six months. Maintenance work on the 37 kilometre Lesotho Highlands Water Project tunnel is due to begin in October 2024. Ifedotun Victor Aina, a senior researcher at the Water […]

8 April, 2024

Business / Economics

Private trains to ply South African rail network in commercial revamp

By Seth Onyango, bird story agency South Africa is opening its rail network to private train operators in a commercial pivot to revitalise a key component of its transport and logistics infrastructure. It is part of the state-run logistics firm, Transnet SOC Ltd to inject dynamism into the sector, plagued by inefficiencies and maintenance challenges. On Friday, March 15, Transnet published a document laying the groundwork for […]

18 March, 2024

Africa

Economic reforms propel Ethiopia to world’s third fastest growing nation brand status

By Conrad Onyango, bird story agency Ongoing economic reforms that are also seeing Ethiopia opening up its traditionally closed sectors to private investment are helping to lift the country’s image, globally, according to a new report. UK-based Consultancy, Brand Finance in its Global Soft Power Index 2024 ranked Ethiopia the third fastest-growing nation brand in the world. In the ranking of the most valuable nations, Ethiopia’s brand […]

13 March, 2024

Africa

Special Economic Zones are propelling Africa’s green hydrogen drive

By Bonface Orucho, bird story agency When Egypt, a prominent player in green hydrogen development in Africa, recently announced seven new upcoming projects worth US$40 billion to be rolled out over the next decade, it noted that the projects would be positioned in one location: a special economic zone (SEZ). The new projects announced by Egypt's cabinet in February, together with ongoing developments not only in […]

11 March, 2024

Africa

Happy smiling African children: why school tourism in Zimbabwe shouldn’t be encouraged

Children will often sing and dance for visiting tourists. Pascal Deloche/GODONG Kathleen Smithers, Charles Sturt University A large, air-conditioned bus draws up outside a school. Tourists, most from Europe and the US, disembark, cameras at the ready. Some have brought gifts: packages of pens and pencils. They distribute these to the children, who spontaneously begin singing and dancing. This scene and others like it play out in schools around the […]

11 March, 2024

South Africa

Public Works to investigate mismanagement of police headquarters

One of the bathrooms at the building used by SAPS at the Telkom Tower complex in Pretoria. Photo supplied The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure has launched an internal investigation into the mismanagement of the Telkom Towers complex, the headquarters of the South African Police Service (SAPS), as well as other properties owned by the department in Pretoria’s city centre. This was revealed by the newly appointed head of […]

6 March, 2024

South Africa

Joburg residents march over water outages and unreliable electricity

Protesters march past an illegal dump in Kensington, complaining about poor services and a lack of bylaw enforcement. Photo: Masego Mafata By Masego Mafata via GroundUp About 80 fed-up residents of the east of Johannesburg marched from Rhodes Park to Darras Centre in Kensington on Tuesday morning, demanding better services and the enforcement of bylaws. The residents came from Bellevue, Bruma, Bertrams, Cyrildene, De Wetshof, Bezuidenhout Valley, Kensington Observatory and Troyville. […]

6 March, 2024

Uncategorized

Havana hospital project to begin following budget allocation

Finance Minister Iipumbu Shiimi has allocated N$10.9 billion to the Ministry of Health and Social Service in the 2024/25 National Budget. Of this, over N$450 million is earmarked for the construction of the Windhoek District Hospital in Havana. Here is Deputy Minister Ester Muinjangue.

29 February, 2024

Namibia

City of Windhoek issues deadline for prepaid meter update

The City of Windhoek is updating all pre-paid electricity meters in Windhoek and is asking members of the public to cooperate with it’s officials. City spokesperson Lydia Amutenya says that the current prepaid meter system will expire on 24 November 2024 and a token change is needed to keep all the pre-paid meters working after this date.

22 February, 2024