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Airlink to operate under own flight code

Airlink, Africa’s largest privately-owned airline, will operate under its own “4Z” flight code on services operated with effect from 11 June 2020. This decision represents an important milestone in extending the commercial reach of the airline in its own right.

Selling seats on flights under the “4Z” flight code will enable Airlink to develop more routes and frequencies on an independent basis, as well as extend opportunities to establish new agreements with leading international airlines.

Airlink and South African Airways (SAA) have redefined their partnership by replacing their franchise agreement with a new commercial arrangement from 11 June 2020.

Where in terms of the franchise, flights operated by Airlink carry the “SA8” flight designator, under the new commercial arrangement, they will operate as Airlink’s unique “4Z” code. The new agreement will enable a seamless transition with minimum inconvenience to customers.

The change marks a new era in the long-standing commercial agreement with SAA. While SAA remains an important strategic pillar in Airlink’s strategy, the new arrangement gives Airlink the freedom to extend its commercial reach, develop more routes and frequencies on an independent basis and extend or establish additional agreements with other leading international airlines.

From 11 June 2020, all Airlink flights will operate using the “4Z” designator and from today, all tickets for those flights will be available through travel agents, tour operators and online at www.flyairlink.com.

Tickets already issued for travel on flights with “SA8” flight numbers from 11th June 2020 will remain valid for travel subject to re-accommodation by Airlink.

Customers holding SAA 083 tickets for flights after 10th June, who do not want to be re-accommodated, may apply to SAA for a refund or through other channels, such as the credit card issuer used for payment or insurance. SAA refunds will be managed in line with its Business Rescue policies.

“Marketing and selling flights under our own 4Z code is an exciting development for Airlink as we propagate our business and take advantage of new market opportunities. At the same time, we will be able to strengthen our vital partnership with SAA,” said Airlink CEO and Managing Director, Rodger Foster.

“We sincerely regret any short term inconvenience these changes may cause for our customers. This represents the best way to ensure we continue serving all our passengers in a seamless manner, whilst also securing the best interests of Airlink, its customers, employees, suppliers and shareholders for the future,” added Mr Foster.

“While we intend working with SAA’s business rescue practicitioners to find a solution that enables SAA to continue playing its important role in the Southern African market, we have a  responsibility to take action to preserve Airlink’s viability as a financially-robust, independent and privately-owned airline. However, should SAA’s circumstance worsen, then Airlink will activate the transition sooner – immediately, if necessary,” he said.

What the changes mean for ticket holders

To operate independently, Airlink is obliged to switch from using the “SA8” flight code and “083” ticketing code to its unique “4Z” prefix.

This transition has been implemented and is effective as from 11 June 2020 when all Airlink inventory and flights will have the “4Z” designator.

Tickets already in issue for travel on flights with “SA8” flight numbers will remain valid for travel subject to being re-accommodated. Airlink will work with travel agents, tour operators and customers to expedite the re-accommodation.

Customers holding SAA 083 tickets for flights after 10th June, who prefer not to be re-accommodated, may seek a refund through SAA, which will manage it in line with its business rescue policies. Depending on how customers purchased their ticket, they may also be able to pursue other available refund avenues e.g. credit card companies or insurance.

In the meantime, Airlink will continue to sell tickets for flights operated on the SA8 code up to 10 June 2020. These are available through travel agents, tour operators, on both the www.flyairlink.com, and www.flysaa.com as well as all other online booking platforms.

About Airlink

Airlink is a privately-owned, BBBEE Level 4 business and regional feeder airline headquartered in Johannesburg. It has the largest fleet of commercial jetliners in Southern Africa, which operate on 55 routes to 39 destinations in nine African countries.

Last year Airlink carried almost 2 million passengers on more than 63,000 flights, reliably, and on time (92.9% of Airlink’s flights were on time over the past year).

Business tourism on a growth trajectory

[iStock by Getty Images via Limpopo Business 2019/20]

Limpopo is undoubtedly on a growth trajectory in respect of business tourism. Evidence of this trend comes in the form of the International Fellowship Evangelical Students (IFES) World Assembly which was held in July 2019 in Bela Bela at ATKV Klein Kariba.

The conference attracted an estimated 1 200 delegates from some 160 countries, who spent about two weeks in the region. The idea to bring the conference to Limpopo was born out of engagements by Limpopo Tourism Agency (LTA) at Meetings Africa 2018, confirming the importance of this marketing platform. The agency will also host International Association of Schools and Institutes of Administration (IASIA) at ATKV Klein Kariba from 19-25 July 2020.

Limpopo offers unique conference, meetings, incentives and other venues with relevant resources and superb settings. In recent years, the meetings and incentive industry within Limpopo has grown significantly. Limpopo’s MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions) products are conveniently situated within one-and-a-half to three-hour’s drive from Johannesburg. Access to most of the venues is made easy, as the province is served by three airports with direct flights from Johannesburg and Cape Town.

Limpopo offers a wealth of conferencing and exhibition facilities, including custom-built centres designed to the highest international specifications, facilities at hotels, educational institutions and theatres. Conference venues in the province range from country lodges to large conference and exhibition centres in the cities. While in Limpopo on a business mission, conference goers will be spoilt for choice with a plethora of offerings from wildlife to adventure activities.

Three South African cities are currently excelling in the business tourism sector, namely, Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town. Limpopo does not have the same sort of large infrastructure that these centres can call on such as convention centres, but the LTA is now focussing on creating awareness about what the province has to offer in the business tourism space.

While Limpopo is still striving towards its goals in taking full advantage of the opportunities in tourism, the MICE sector undoubtedly presents an opening for the province as a destination to focus on providing big entities or corporate organisations with opportunities to host a variety of activities. This includes incentive trips and team-building sessions which would be ideally suited to what the province has to offer.

LTA already has a Business Tourism Strategy in place that guides it on what needs to be done in the marketing space and on the supply infrastructure and tourism demand side. The entity is ready to establish a dedicated conventions bureau unit to begin searching for and bidding for events from associations in the country and beyond, for example, mining chambers, the Mango Association and Grain Association. LTA intends to secure the calendars of these organisations to lobby for their events to be held in Limpopo Province.

It must be emphasized that there are excellent facilities throughout the province, although transformation is critical given a low number of previously disadvantaged enterprises working in this space. The Agency will work closely with Limpopo Economic Development, Environment and Tourism (LEDET) to address this challenge.

Limpopo Province continues to be one of the major recipients of tourism arrivals in South Africa given its broad tourism product offering and appeal.

Limpopo Tourism Agency will continue to build and strengthen partnerships with the industry, local government and other key stakeholders in order to deliver on its mandate. The Agency will capitalize on this advantage to support and nurture its business tourism profile.

The Agency will continue to maximize its competitive advantage of being bordered by three countries in the SADC region, namely, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. These countries are seen as a low-hanging fruit as the distance to Limpopo for business events and conferences is shorter than anywhere else in the country.

Destination Limpopo’s prospects in business tourism are enormous with the upcoming Makhado and Tubatse Special Economic Zones (SEZs) that will inject R44-billion in investments to the province’s economy thereby creating 22 800 direct jobs. This will also contribute to business tourism growth in the province.

More Limpopo business and investment insight in Limpopo Business 2019/20 edition (digital journal):

Biodiversity holds great potential for growth in the tourism industry

[iStock by Getty Images]

Destination Limpopo

Transforming the wildlife sector and creating opportunities for communities and small businesses in tourism sector are priorities for national and provincial authorities.

Supporting local businessmen and women to enter the formal tourism market is part of the Industrial Development Corporation’s brief. The IDC backed local entrepreneur Mofasi Lekota in his hotel venture in the provincial capital, Park Inn by Radisson Polokwane. The development finance institution is also getting behind projects in Magoebaskloof and Thohoyandou.

Almost 70% of South Africa’s number one tourist attraction, the Kruger National Park, falls in Limpopo, and yet relatively few local communities benefit materially from the park, beyond wage earning.

In 2018 the celebration of the International Day of Tourist Guides was hosted by the Limpopo Department of Economic Development and Tourism (LEDET) at the Mopani rest camp in the Kruger National Park. At this gathering, the National Department of Tourism announced a new approach to supporting small, micro and medium enterprises (SMMEs). Incentives and market support are to be offered in order to compete in the global market. Tour guiding is seen as an area with strong growth potential. The National Registrar of Tourist Guides works within the department.

[iStock by Getty Images]
Wildlife farming and hunting generates enormous amounts of money, but South Africans who were previously excluded by law still have very little access to this sector. According to calculations done by a Professor in Tourism at the University of the North West, Peet van der Merwe, trophy and biltong hunters contributed a combined R13.6-billion to the South African economy in the 2016/17 season.

The number of direct jobs created in this period in Limpopo was 17 806 (The Conversation). In 2018, the formal wildlife auction turnover for the whole of South Africa was R750-million, as reported by Yolande Groenewald in the Mail & Guardian. A buffalo bull was sold in 2016 for R178-million. LEDET aims to create wider opportunities within these sectors via its Wildlife Transformation Policy.

When President Ramaphosa visited Limpopo in 2017, it was to launch the National Biodiversity Economy Programme. Planners believe that the biodiversity economy can achieve an average annualised GDP growth rate of 10%. Limpopo is rich in natural resources and heritage.

Between 2014 and 2018, Limpopo received more than 27.5-million domestic travellers and 8-million international tourists. As more infrastructure is rolled out and partnerships created between the public and private sectors, more investment and job opportunities will result.

According to the Limpopo Premier’s office, the tourism sector employs about 22 414 people. The 5-in-5 strategy aims to increase visitor numbers to five-million in five years.

Tourism events

A new event on Limpopo’s calendar caused great excitement in 2018 with the first riding of the Tour de Limpopo, a four-day UCI Africa Tour 2.2 stage race which started and finished in Polokwane, with a stopover in Tzaneen. A range of sponsors enthusiastically endorsed the race, promoted by the Limpopo Tourism Agency (LTA). Hotel@Tzaneen and Europcar South Africa were sponsors and race officials were provided with cars by Audi Centre Polokwane.

Regular events are holding their own as well: the annual Limpopo Marula Festival in Phalaborwa attracts more than 30 000 participants and is estimated to inject upwards of R45-million into the provincial economy. Several neighbouring countries are well represented in the attendees and 13 co-operatives operating under the Mukumbi Industries brand normally brew about 12 000 litres of marula beverages for the thirsty crowds. Other marula products are also sold such as nuts, body lotions, jam, cooking oil and soap.

The LTA also backs the Mapungubwe Festival, which is growing in stature every year. In addition to the popular musical performances, crafters have an opportunity to display their crafts and generate good income during the festivities.

The tourist authority has six focus areas:
  • Golf and game
  • Hunting and safari
  • Family and recreation
  • Special interest
  • Mega-conservation
  • Meetings Incentives Conference and Events (MICE).

Varied assets

Limpopo Province has varied tourism assets that include the bare bushveld of the north, misty mountains in the central highlands, hot springs, a unique cycad forest, excellent golf courses, the Kruger National Park and numerous luxury private game reserves.

Kruger, Mapungubwe and Marakele are all national parks and they are run by South African National Parks (SANParks). There are a further 53 provincial nature reserves managed by the Limpopo Department of Economic Development, Environment and Tourism (LEDET). Many of these reserves are communally owned but jointly managed by the province and communities. The combined land area of Limpopo’s national, provincial and private game and nature reserves is 3.6-million hectares.

The provincial government has committed to enhancing the value of Limpopo’s two UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Makapans Valley and Mapungubwe, where the superbly crafted little golden rhinoceros, a relic from medieval times, was found in 1932. This is also a priority programme in the National Tourism Sector Strategy. The Waterberg Biosphere Reserve is a UNESCO protected site.

A new drive to promote home-stays is underway in the northern part of the province. Getting tourists to eat mopani worms and learn about local traditions and cultural practices would help to generate income for villages and hamlets otherwise outside the mainstream economy.

In support of the arts and culture sector, a potential area of growth for tourism in Limpopo, a performance theatre is to be built in Polokwane.

The South African Golf Tourism Association says that up to 10% of visitors to the country are attracted by its golf courses, and Limpopo’s offering has been extended and improved in recent years. At the high-end of the luxury offering are the Zebula Golf Estate and Spa (west of Bela Bela) and the Legend Golf and Safari Resort.

Adventurous visitors can choose from off-road biking, hunting, elephant rides and tough 4×4 trails. A vast array of different cultures can be experienced, from the Rain Queen and her people in the central districts, to the myth-inspired art of the Venda in the north, to the bright geometric house designs of the Ndabele people in the Sekhukhune District.

Hotels and casinos

The 160-room Park Inn by Radisson Polokwane has opened in the provincial capital. Located near the golf course and the Peter Mokaba Stadium, the hotel also has conference and event facilities.

Tsogo Sun runs the Garden Court Polokwane, which has 180 rooms ranging from executive suites to family rooms.

The Protea Hotel group has two hotels in the province. The Protea Hotel Landmark in Polokwane has 80 rooms and six conference venues. Just outside the city is the Protea Hotel Polokwane Ranch Resort where guests can walk with lions. The hotel is on a 1 000-hectare nature conservancy and specialises in catering for weddings.

In Mokopane near the Waterberg mountains, the family-run The Park Hotel Mokopane has 125 rooms and can cater for up to 400 conference delegates. The three-star hotel recently added 25 self-catering units.

The Fusion Boutique Hotel in the provincial capital offers five-star quality in 30 en-suite rooms and two exclusive suites. Sun International runs the Meropa Casino and Entertainment World near Polokwane. In the province’s northern regions at Thohoyandou, there is the Khoroni Hotel, Casino and Convention Resort. This is a Peermont venture and there is a three-star Peermont Metcourt Hotel in the complex. The Limpopo Gambling Board regulates the industry and grants licences. The Mopani District was recently granted two new bingo licences.

The most recent casino licence was awarded to Peermont Global Resorts for the official launch and operation of the Thaba Moshate Casino, Hotel and Conference Centre in the Greater Tubatse Local Municipality (above). There are 237 limited pay-out gambling machines in the province, and licences of one sort or another generate more than R50-million for the provincial government.

Additional resource links:
  • Limpopo Department of Economic Development, Environment and Tourism: www.ledet.gov.za
  • Limpopo Tourism Authority: www.golimpopo.com
  • Marula Festival: www.limpopomarulafest.co.za
  • South African Golf Tourism Association: www.sagta.co.za
  • South African National Parks: www.sanparks.co.za
Article source: Tourism sector insight, Limpopo Business 2019/20 edition.
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Construction is booming north of Durban

Picture Credit: EBH South Africa - www.ebh.co.za

Property company Tongaat Hulett Developments won Visionary Client of the Year at an engineering awards event in 2017, a recognition of how much construction is underway north of Durban on land that used to be covered in sugar cane.

The South African construction sector is experiencing tough times, with more than one company going into business rescue in 2018, which could explain why the annual Cesa Aon Engineering Excellence Awards acknowledged the developer of eight large projects covering commercial, industrial, retail and residential.

The other mega-project that has created a lot of work for engineers has been the multi-year Western Aqueduct project to bring fresh water to greater Durban.

The Western Aqueduct Joint Venture comprising three companies, Knight Piésold Consulting, Naidu Consulting and Royal Haskoning DHV, acted as agents for eThekwini Water and Sanitation. Stefanutti Stocks Pipelines played a big role, and there were opportunities for excellence and innovations in areas such as break-pressure tanks which were designed by Royal Haskoning DHV and built by ICON Construction.

Marine repair and engineering form a significant sector in the province, with established companies such as EBH South Africa offering comprehensive services at the ports of Durban and Richards Bay (pictured). Both ports are expanding (Durban is building a cruise liner terminal, for example) and will continue to attract engineers.

Dormac, which is headquartered in the Bayhead area of the Port of Durban, is best known for its marine engineering but it offers specialised services to the sugar industry and provides machinery for industrial giants like Toyota and Defy.

All of the province’s biggest industries require sophisticated engineering skills: aluminium smelters in Richards Bay and steel works in Newcastle, Richards Bay and Cato Ridge. There are also chemicals and plastics production plants, and large automotive works.

The Transnet Engineering (TE) plant in the Port of Durban houses six business units and has 3 555 employees. The Coach unit upgrades coaches and the Auxiliary business is the main supplier of rail wagon tarpaulins to Transnet Freight Rail. The Port Equipment Maintenance unit and units specialising in wheels and locomotive overhaul are other entities. There are a further six depots located around the province.

The School of Engineering at the University of KwaZulu-Natal offers a variety of degree options, ranging from undergraduate qualifications to doctorates. The School offers eight areas of specialisation including Bioresources, Electronic and Computer Engineering, and Land Surveying.

Additional resource links:
Article Source: Engineering sector insight, KwaZulu-Natal Business 2019/20
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Developing innovative solutions for a circular economy

Responsible forest management involves increasing the long-term productivity and preserving eco-system values in rural landscapes and protecting high conservation value areas such as wetlands. [Source: Mondi South Africa]

Mondi South Africa is at the forefront of sustainable business practices. Viv McMenamin, CEO Mondi South Africa, explains: “It’s exciting to be playing a lead role in Mondi’s sustainability story. There are so many areas we are proud of but three stand out for me.

“From the work we are doing to reduce our water impact, to managing water catchment areas and wetlands through our work with partners, to using significantly less water in our operations. Second is the progress we have made in becoming a diverse and inclusive workplace, where people can grow to their full potential and contribute to our success. And then of course our globally competitive operations that produce high-quality, fully-recyclable products from sustainably sourced fibre.”

Sustainable fibre

The sustainable management of our forestry operations is key in managing our overall environmental impact, helping to protect ecosystems, and developing resilient landscapes.

Wood is one of the primary raw materials and our staff work hard to provide the best assurance for our stakeholders that the wood and fibre we use comes from responsible sources. Plantation forests in South Africa are managed in a way that secures their long-term biological integrity, social value and productivity.

Maintaining FSC™ certification of forests is also an important part of our management approach. It assures compliance with globally recognised standards for sustainable forest management.

Water as a constrained resource

Given the critical importance of water to business, to local communities and to other stakeholders, we strive to manage water use wisely and efficiently – especially in water-stressed regions. We are committed to reducing the specific contact water consumption of our pulp and paper mills by 5% by 2020, against a 2015 baseline.

Drought conditions in South Africa remain a concern and we continue to look for opportunities to improve water security in the areas where we operate. The focus is on reducing water consumption, in particular at the Richards Bay mill.

WWF-Mondi Water Stewardship Programme

Mondi promotes a landscape approach to freshwater stewardship. The focus of the long-standing WWF-Mondi Water Stewardship Programme (previously the WWF-Mondi Wetlands Programme) has grown from managing and rehabilitating wetlands with different groups of land-users (including Mondi) to catalysing water stewardship at the landscape scale, including ensuring collaboration and action by different land-users in the uMngeni and Mvoti River catchments, both of which are strategically important water-supply areas for KZN’s economic hubs.

In 2014, following many years of collaboration, Mondi Group and WWF launched a global partnership to promote responsible forestry and a sustainable pulp and packaging sector.

In 2017, this global partnership was extended for another three years and the WWF-Mondi Wetlands Programme was renamed the WWF-Mondi Water Stewardship Partnership, reflecting its broadening focus on catchment-based water stewardship. Water stewardship assessments were conducted for the Richards Bay mill and plantations in South Africa.

This was measured against the international Alliance for Water Stewardship Standard, a globally-applicable framework for major water users to understand their water use and impacts. The outcomes are now being used to investigate meaningful, cost-effective improvements to management systems to meet the core requirements and to advance some of the requirements.

In 2018, Mondi joined the WWF Climate Saver’s Programme, WWF’s global platform to engage businesses and industries on climate and energy.

Biodiversity and ecosystems

Responsible forest management involves increasing the long-term productivity and preserving eco-system values in rural landscapes and protecting high conservation value areas such as wetlands.

Degradation of ecosystems and loss of habitats and species has a significant negative effect on the ecosystems that both communities and business rely on. We are committed to protecting biodiversity and ecosystem services in our forestry operations.

Maintaining an effective network of high-conservation value areas and valuable habitats, and on imitating natural dynamics for key types of ecosystems where possible, is another focus.

Eco-efficient products

The investment to expand our product range by producing unbleached kraftliner in addition to white-top kraftliner at the Richards Bay mill has been welcomed by customers. Baywhite, Baycel and Baykraft products are certified for food packaging (ISEGA) and Mondi has adopted Good Manufacturing Practice (externally certified).

www.mondigroup.com

Changes and growth in the Gauteng pharmaceutical industry

  • A licence to make a biosimilar drug has been granted.
  • Pharmacy Direct has spent R100-million on a warehouse upgrade.

South Africa has one of the world’s biggest HIV/Aids programmes. The National Department of Health’s Centralised Chronic Medicines Dispensing and Distribution programme aims to reach six-million patients on treatment by 2021. It is currently serving 4.4-million patients.

In mid-2018 Pharmacy Direct, an Afrocentric business based in Centurion, spent R100-million on upgrading a warehouse for distributing medicines to state patients. This sector is likely to grow if the state goes ahead with plans for National Health Insurance. The NHI intends to create a single fund that will buy services on behalf of all South Africans.

The National Association of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers (NAPM) has re-branded as Generic and Biosimilar Medicines of Southern Africa.

A new field opened up in the pharmaceutical industry when the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) gave the go-ahead for the production of a biosimilar drug in July 2018, the first time this has been allowed in South Africa. Teva Pharmaceutical Industries became the first company to win a licence with their version of Amgen’s filgrastim, a white blood cell booster.

South Africa’s pharmaceutical sector is worth approximately R20-billion annually. Although there are more than 200 pharmaceutical firms in the country, large companies dominate the field, with Aspen Pharmacare (34%) and Adcock Ingram (25%) the two key players, followed by Sanofi, Pharmaplan and Cipla Medpro.

Among the other big international brands active in Gauteng are Merck, which has a 55 000 m² plant at Modderfontein, and Pfizer SA, which runs a laboratory in Sandton amongst its facilities in South Africa. Adcock Ingram is building a new steriles plant for ophthalmic products at its Clayville facility.

The private sector accounts for 80% of pharmaceutical industry sales by value and 20% by volume, while this ratio is reversed in the case of the public sector.

Additional resource links:
More sector insight in Gauteng Business 2019/20 edition (digital journal):

Development corridors promise increased traffic

[Image: Gautrain]

The concept of a Gauteng City Region is key to much of the planning for the area’s economic future. Infrastructure development is underway along corridors, each of which has a specific focus.

The corridors and focus areas are:
  • Thami Mnyele: transport, BRT, M&T Development and Plumbago Industrial Park
  • OR Tambo Aerotropolis: creative sector, technology, research and development and logistics
  • Thelle Mogoerane: logistics, Carnival Junction, OR Tambo inland port, Prasa rolling stock manufacturing facility run by Gibela Rail Consortium which is due to deliver 600 trains valued at R51-billion.

The Tambo Springs inland port and logistics gateway has been established near Katlehong as an inter-modal facility which can transfer containers from rail or road to storage facilities and ultimately to the customer. Existing freight rail lines run through the site and link it to the seaports of Durban, Cape Town and Ngqura (Port Elizabeth). The aim with this new facility is to improve efficiency. It is run by the Tambo Springs Development Company. The intention is to add to the port:

  • a logistics park with transportation, processing, manufacture, warehousing and distribution
  • a business park with a retail element
  • a residential component
  • an agri-industrial section.

The OR Tambo International Airport Special Economic Zone (ORTIA SEZ) has diversified beyond the existing Jewellery Manufacturing Precinct in the shape of a R400-million agri-processing plant.

The concept of an aerotropolis is for the airport to become a hub of economic activity in the same way that cities anchor various economic sectors that grow up around the centre. Ekurhuleni’s economy is primarily driven by manufacturing, mining and agriculture. With a strategic location next to the OR Tambo International Airport and identified aerotropolis corridors, future investment in the following sectors is anticipated: manufacturing, aviation and aerospace, transportation and logistics.

Ekurhuleni is hoping not only to be the national centre for logistics and to boost its already impressive manufacturing capacity by building more infrastructure and freight hubs, but it intends the aerotropolis to play a role in helping to consolidate the integration of the nine town councils that went into making up the metropole.

Airports

OR Tambo International Airport caters for more than 20-million passengers every year and handled nearly 415 000 tons of cargo via 14 different cargo carriers in 2017.

Lanseria Airport is growing in importance with kulula, FlySafair and Mango flying in and out of the airport located to the north of Johannesburg. It is a convenient landing point for travellers bound for regional centres like Rustenburg in the North West. Lanseria moved nearly two-million passengers in 2017 and plans to double that figure by 2022.

Gauteng has several smaller airports that host mostly commercial aircraft:

  • Rand Airport in Germiston
  • Grand Central Airport in Midrand
  • Wonderboom Airport in Pretoria North
  • Waterkloof Air Force base, south of Pretoria.

The Commercial Aviation Manufacturing Association South Africa (CAMASA) states that 50 companies are active in the sector, employing more than 3 000 people in highly skilled jobs. Almost all the activity is around Johannesburg and Cape Town and the sector (which encompasses aero-structures and systems, manufacturing, design and engineering) is responsible for R3-billion in exports every year.

Rail

The Gautrain, a high-speed train linking the centre of Johannesburg, Sandton, ORTIA and Pretoria, has been massively successful in terms of its original brief. The Gauteng Management Agency 2017/2018 annual report noted that a peak of 1.4-million passengers per month was reached in May 2017 and that average punctuality of 98.60% had been achieved for all trips scheduled.

But the Gautrain is expensive and not designed to cater for mass public transportation. A feasibility study has been completed on the expansion of the Gautrain and its full integration into the public transport system. New areas that will be covered in the project, which will take place over two decades, will include Mamelodi in Tshwane, Boksburg in Ekurhuleni, Randburg-Laseria in Johannesburg, Mogale City and Syferfontein in the West Rand and Roodepoort/Jabulani.

The Gautrain has also re-activated property development in many areas around its stations and made sites near stations very attractive to developers and investors.

Transnet Rail Engineering (TRE) has a major presence in Gauteng and the metropolitan lines that ferry commuters are run by the Passenger Rail Agency (PRASA). The Wits Metrorail system serves Johannesburg and its surrounds. Park Station, in the north of the central business district, is the largest station in Africa and acts as the metropolitan hub.

Additional resource links:
More Gauteng sector insight in Gauteng Business 2019/20 edition (digital journal):

Research and development the bedrock of mining in Gauteng

  • The Mandela Mining Precinct aims to boost the sector.
  • Wits School of Mining is moving up in world rankings.

The University of Witwatersrand started life as the South African School of Mines. The School of Mining Engineering at Wits is now just one of many at the university, but it is the highest ranked in terms of the QS World University Rankings. It has also been improving its world ranking in recent years and stood at 13th in May 2019 (Mining Weekly).

Gauteng is home to most of the research and training bodies associated with mining. Sibanye-Stillwater is one of many companies supporting research in the province: the Wits Mining Institute’s Digital Mining Laboratory (Digimine) is the focus of its funding. AECI, the explosives and chemicals company, sponsors the Virtual Reality Mine Design Centre at the University of Pretoria.

A new project was launched in 2018 to coordinate efforts in the mining sector. A joint venture between three government departments and the Minerals Council South Africa, the Mandela Mining Precinct aims to develop research into mining, showcase the country’s manufacturing abilities and to continue to create jobs and wealth as ore bodies are depleted.

Mintek is an autonomous body based in Randburg which receives about 30% of its budget from the Department of Mineral Resources. The balance comes from joint ventures with private-sector partners, or is earned in research and development income, the sale of services or products and from technology licensing agreements. An example of collaboration is Project AuTEK which has found a way of getting gold catalysts to play a role in improving fuel-cell efficiency.

Pretoria University has a Department of Mining Engineering, the University of South Africa offers three national diplomas in mine-related fields, the University of Johannesburg has mine-surveying courses and the Vaal and Tshwane universities of technology have engineering faculties.

The national government’s Phakisa programme is to be applied to mining. Intended to fast-track solutions to development problems, an Operation Mining Phakisa Lab has been set up to create concrete plans.

Similarly, the Provincial Government of Gauteng has initiated Action Labs in the mining sector. These are meetings where private and public participants in the mining sector and its value chain discuss possible improvements, partnerships and innovations.

One of the Action Labs‘ focus areas is to strengthen the export of mining services and mining equipment to SADC countries, including the copper belt. The creation and support of mining sector SMMEs is another important component of the plan to create a broader base for mining and mineral beneficiation.

Additional resource links:
More Gauteng sector insight in Gauteng Business 2019/20 (digital journal):

Voorspoed Mine partners with local municipality to provide a home for the elderly

Executive Mayor of Ngwathe Municipality, Cllr Joey Machela, and Voorspoed Mine General Manager, Malcom Hendrickse at the sod-turning ceremony.

Voorspoed Mine has partnered with the Ngwathe Local Municipality to create a better future for the elderly by committing to build a new old-age facility for Ratang Maqheku Centre for the Aged in Parys.

Through its Building Forever strategy, De Beers Group is helping communities to access opportunities and thrive with the aim of leaving a positive and lasting legacy for mining communities to enjoy sustainable livelihoods beyond the life of its operations.

Malcom Hendrickse, Voorspoed Mine General Manager, said, “Our Building Forever approach unites and compels us to create a better future for our people, and we have continued to select partners and projects that will help maximise our positive impact as an organisation. We are proud of the positive impact that the new old-age home will have for elderly citizens for generations to come.

“While Voorspoed Mine stopped mining operations in December 2018, as it reached the end of its life, we will continue to implement our Social and Labour Plan as agreed with our local municipalities.”

Ratang Maqheku Centre currently operates from three rented backyard rooms in Tumahole, Parys. The centre caters for 30 elderly people daily, and provides food, primary healthcare services, physical exercises, as well as access to the local library to improve their literacy and writing skills.

The new 470-square-metre facility will comprise two bedrooms, sick bay, workshop area, rest area, consultation room, three offices, dining area, kitchen with a pantry and laundry room, two ablution facilities, as well as a reception and waiting area. Ratang Maqheku will also receive a brand-new 22-seater vehicle from De Beers Group to transport the elderly to and from the centre.

Speaking at the sod-turning event of the construction of the new facility, Executive Mayor of Ngwathe Local Municipality, Cllr Joey Mochela, said, “We are standing on a construction site of a dream that will soon become a lasting legacy for our community. This event is proof that working together in partnership with the private sector can produce remarkable outcomes.”

In total, Voorspoed Mine spent R31.6-million supporting Socio-Economic Development projects in 2018.

School revamp boosts community

The construction of Phuleng Primary School is underway in Maokeng, Kroonstad.

De Beers Group has partnered with the Free State Department of Education and the Kagiso Shanduka Trust (KST) to unveil the construction of a R27-million school in its labour sending area community of Maokeng in Kroonstad.

The construction of Phuleng Primary School falls under De Beers Voorspoed Mine’s Rural School Development Programme, which aims to address infrastructure needs for local schools, leave a legacy for communities and develop a working partnership with the Department of Education.

Through this partnership, the De Beers Fund and the Free State Department of Education contributed R17-million and R10-million respectively to the construction of the primary school set to benefit over 850 learners. The infrastructure development and overall project delivery will be managed by KST.

Phuleng Primary School was established in 1928 and forms part of Voorspoed Mine’s Social and Labour Plan under the Rural Development Programme. The feasibility studies by KST revealed large cracks throughout the structures and foundation walls, including poor water drainage.

The newly built school will comprise a Grade R and primary section, media centre, nutrition centre, covered walkway and security fencing. The primary section will boast 20 new classrooms and 17 ablution facilities which cater for learners with disabilities. The Grade R section will have three new classrooms, a play area and ablution facilities.

Free State Education MEC Dr Tate Makgoe said, “We wish to express our sincere gratitude to De Beers and KST for choosing to partner with us in delivering quality education to our children. The new state-of-the-art Phuleng Primary School will go a long way in improving learning and teaching in the school.”

De Beers has also partnered with KST and other various organisations in the District Whole School Development Programme, which has been successfully implemented in schools in the Fezile Dabi and Motheo Districts in the Free State. Currently in its fifth year, over 60 schools have benefited through the programme by receiving infrastructure projects such as new and renovated classrooms, ablution facilities, libraries, media centres, science laboratories and kitchens. Over 2 000 teachers are being supported through the curriculum development programme.

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