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The newest AutoTrader South African Electric Vehicle Buyers Survey indicates that local electric vehicle (EV) appetite has grown year-on-year, says AutoTrader CEO George Mienie.

AutoTrader is one of South Africa’s largest digital automotive marketplaces.

The survey was produced to quantify and understand potential buyers’ willingness to purchase an EV in South Africa.

The survey also focused on consumers’ perceptions around EVs, as well as their preferences when considering these vehicles.

The data was obtained by means of an online survey on AutoTrader’s website, generating more than 2 800 responses.

“South African shoppers are actively looking for opportunities to buy EVs, though the major challenge is still the initial purchase price,” says Mienie.

“According to AutoTrader’s data, there has been a 210% increase in searches for available EVs in South Africa in 2021.”

This is echoed by the number of respondents in the survey stating they were likely or very likely to consider purchasing an EV in the future, which increased to 70% in 2021, compared with 68% in 2020.

However, cost remains one of the chief barriers to the broader adoption of EVs in South Africa, with the survey indicating that these vehicles are still out of financial reach of around two-thirds of consumers.

Interestingly, almost half of the respondents indicated that they would consider purchasing a used EV over a new one, listing lower prices as the key motivating factor.

The lack of national charging infrastructure was again the most cited disadvantage of EV ownership, although the number of respondents who held this view fell from 61% in 2020, to 59% in 2021, just ahead of charging time (down from 60% in 2020 to 58% in 2021), and initial cost of purchase in third place (at 55%).

Range anxiety (at 26%) was down the list of the perceived negatives of running an EV, and well behind the potential impact of load-shedding (38%) and inconvenient charging options (34%).

Although 75% of respondents identified BMW as a brand with an EV option in its line-up locally, Tesla intriguingly remained top of mind in terms of perceived product availability, despite its vehicles not being commercially available in South Africa.

It’s a similar case when it comes to the choice of most trusted EV manufacturer, with 52% of respondents selecting BMW and 40% opting for Tesla.

“One of the major insights identified in the report is the fact that consumer perception, sentiment and expectations have not shifted markedly in the past year,” says Mienie.

“This indicates that the automotive industry needs to do more to educate the consumer, as many potential buyers are simply not aware of the EV products and infrastructure available in South Africa.

“For instance, while BMW is highly rated, South Africans place their highest trust in Tesla as a brand – even though it’s not available in South Africa,” he notes.

The AutoTrader South African Electric Vehicle Buyers Survey was launched during the Smarter Mobility Africa event, held this week.

The World Bank expects South Africa to grow by 4.6% in 2021, an upward revision from its 3% April forecast and also a significant improvement on the bank’s 2.6% growth projection published in October last year.

“Growth in South Africa is projected to rebound from -6.4% in 2020 to 4.6% in 2021, supported by a favourable global environment and base effects,” the bank’s latest ‘Africa’s Pulse’ publication states.

The higher growth outlook is attributed to a “better performance in services, industry, and somewhat in agriculture”.

“The country provided stimulus to support businesses and households that were affected by the pandemic as well as by riots and lootings that mostly affected the KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng provinces.”

The report warns, however, that the country is facing numerous challenges.

“The unemployment rate rose from 32.6% in 2021Q1 to 34.4% in 2021Q2, the highest level recorded since the publication of the Quarterly Labour Force Survey.

“In addition, rising debt levels are weighing on the government’s capacity to address social issues without jeopardising the sustainability of its public finances.

“Addressing electricity shortfalls, corruption in the ruling party, and pressing needs for reform in the labour and product markets remain priorities to push potential growth,” the bank says.

After a contraction of 2.0% in 2020, the World Bank expects real gross domestic product (GDP) in sub-Saharan Africa to grow by 3.3% in 2021 and 3.5% in 2022. The 2021 projection represents a one percentage point upward revision from the bank’s April forecast.

Chief economist for Africa Albert Zeufack said that fair and broad access to effective and safe Covid vaccines would be key to strengthening Africa’s economic recovery.

Faster vaccine deployment, he said, could accelerate the region’s growth to 5.1% in 2022 and 5.4% in 2023, as more containment measures would be lifted, boosting consumption and investment.

The October issue of Africa’s Pulse also includes an analysis of the risks posed by climate change to Africa’s economic and social outlook.

Monthly economic activity in the region, the report warns, could contract by 1% when the average temperature is 0.5°C above that month’s 30-year average – a growth impact that is 1.6 times as high as that of developing countries outside the region.

It also includes simulations showing that the cost of doing nothing exceeds both the $30-billion to $50-billion yearly cost of adaptation investment and the losses associate with climate change.

“Recent simulations suggest that a 3°C global warming by 2100 (the “business as usual” scenario without major changes in the world’s social, economic, and technological trends) would entail estimated potential GDP losses of $2.9-trillion in sub-Saharan Africa.

“Implementing policies to reach the Paris Accord objectives (2°C global warming) would reduce the losses in economic activity by $962-billion a year in terms of the 2100 GDP.”

The bank, thus, urges African governments to place climate adaptation at the centre of economic policymaking and to seek to align economic activity with emerging green opportunities.

“Decarbonization is an opportunity to foster manufacturing activity in the region, including the production of components of the Internet of Things, value-addition to minerals that will power the green economy, and insertion into regional value chains.”

The Infrastructure Fund has submitted four projects, collectively valued at R21-billion, for National Treasury approval and is finalising four more, valued at nearly R85-billion, for submission in 2022.

Infrastructure Fund head Mohale Rakgate reports that the fund itself will contribute R5.4-billion to “catalyse” the four initial projects, which are being funded using blended finance mechanisms that incorporate both public and private resources.

The projects include both social and commercial components, with the user-pays principle applying to the commercial elements, while the social aspects are funded through fiscal transfers.

The initial projects seeking approval under the National Treasury’s Budget Facility for Infrastructure (BFI) include:

the long-delayed R12.4-billion Mokolo-Crocodile River Water Augmentation Project Phase 2, which is required to supply the water needed at Eskom’s Medupi power station once flue gas desulphurisation is installed on its six units;

a R4.5-bilion upgrade and refurbishment of Lepelle Northern Water’s Olifantspoot and Ebenezer water supply schemes, in Limpopo;

a R3-billion student housing infrastructure programme-linked project to add 9 500 beds at universities and technical vocational education and training colleges in KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng and Mpumalanga, as the proof-of-concept forerunner to a larger programme to add 300 000 beds nationally; and

a R1.1-billion social housing programme involving 2 739 units across six sites and the precursor to a plan to build 320 000 units nationally.

The projects have already been approved by Infrastructure South Africa, which is tasked with overseeing the implementation of government’s Infrastructure Investment Plan, and the National Treasury’s BFI approval is said to be imminent.

The BFI is a recent Budget reform designed to support the execution of national priority projects by establishing specialised structures, procedures and criteria for committing fiscal resources to public infrastructure spending.

Rakgate, who was appointed in October 2019 to head the fund, which is housed at the Development Bank of Southern Africa, says there has been significant private-sector interest in participating in the initial projects, as well as the next round of projects.

This interest has been heighted by the fact that the Infrastructure Fund is able to inject financial products that de-risk the projects. The instruments include credit-enhancement products, such as standby facilities and interest-rate subsidies, through to bridging loans and grants, or taking first-loss positions.

In 2022, the Infrastructure Fund will apply to the National Treasury to support larger projects, including:

a R6.5-billion plan to deploy one-stop border posts at its borders with Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Botswana, Lesotho and eSwatini;

the R53-billion second phase of SA Connect to provide broadband services at schools, health facilities and government offices;

the R23-billion uMkhomazi Water Project, in KwaZulu-Natal; and

a R2-billion project to support six municipal water projects.

Government has committed to inject R100-billion into the fund over several years, and over the coming three years, the National Treasury has allocated R18-billion, with R4-billion available in 2021/22, R6-billion in 2022/23 and R8-billion in 2023/24.

The fund is supported by an advisory committee chaired by Bongani Nqwababa and comprised of members drawn from both the public and private sectors.

It is also now staffed by a team of 17 specialists, including Rakgate, who have finance, engineering, asset management and legal expertise.

Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter said on Tuesday that the message of the climate envoys who visited South Africa in the run up to the COP26 climate talks in Scotland was that there is “substantial concessional financing available” to enable South Africa to pursue a just energy transition.

He indicated, however, that the initial focus would likely be on supporting Eskom to build the infrastructure required for decarbonisation, as well as to support vulnerable workers and communities, rather than to address Eskom’s legacy debt.

The State-owned utility has debt of R401-billion, which is said to be about R200-billion above the level where it could be considered sustainable. During its 2021 financial year, Eskom’s operating surplus of R31-billion fell short of debt interest payments of R37-billion.

In response to a question posed during a webinar hosted by the University of Witwatersrand’s School of Economics and Finance, De Ruyter said, while he was not privy to the discussions held with government Ministers, the engagements between Eskom and the envoys had been “good” and “productive”.

The visit involved envoys from France, Germany, the UK, the US and the European Union and the discussions focused on opportunities for enhanced cooperation, financing and support for South Africa in light of its improved climate pledge.

South Africa has deposited an updated Nationally Determined Contribution range of 420- to 350-million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (Mt CO2-eq) for 2030 with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which represents a marked improvement on its 2015 pledge of 614 Mt CO2-eq to 398 Mt CO2-eq.

During the visit, the South African government proposed the establishment of a Just Transition Financing Facility, supported by concessional finance from developed countries, to enable ambitious climate action, while also addressing the social impacts of the transition.

“I think the general message is that there is substantial concessional financing available to enable South Africa to make this energy transition in a just manner and I have to stress that the climate envoys are as committed as we are to ensuring that this is a just transition,” De Ruyter said.

Such finance, he said, could be used to support Eskom in building renewables generation capacity, to repurpose and repower its decommissioning power stations and to expand South Africa’s transmission and distribution networks.

He was less optimistic that concessional finance could be applied immediately to address Eskom’s legacy debt, as proposed in a recent paper by Meridian Economics.

The paper argues that a sovereign-to-sovereign concessional package, linked to decarbonisation targets, could save the country R100-billion and could help facilitate the part recapitalisation of the unbundled Eskom units of generation, transmission and distribution.

“If [such a deal] does happen, I believe that it will be through an extensive and very complex set of negotiations,” De Ruyter said, arguing that lenders would probably be reluctant to fund debt incurred to build coal assets.

“Unless we’re all prepared to, in my view, substantially accelerate the retirement of our coal-fired generation fleet beyond what we are currently contemplating . . . I think that addressing concessional financing vis-à-vis our legacy debt is going to prove remarkably challenging to implement,” he said.

“The package that we are talking about at the moment involves the concessional funding of new generation capacity, the repurposing and repowering of our power stations as they shut down, the expansion of our transmission grid and conversion of our distribution network.

“So, it is more about the future than it is about the past.”

Speaking at the tail-end of the recent visit, American envoy Dr Jonathan Pershing, who is US Deputy Special Envoy for Climate, described South Africa’s latest climate pledge as “extraordinary” and said donor countries would seek to support South Africa’s ambition to tr...

Macadamia farming is a sunrise industry, holding much promise for farmers, the economy and consumers alike, particularly as the market is experiencing exponential growth in demand, says Marquis Macadamias director Roelof van Rooyen.

Discussing the inner workings of macadamia farming and processing, he says the macadamia industry is still young at 40 years old in South Africa, meaning that farmers are still learning the tricks of the trade.

Therefore, the industry requires collective efforts on research and development for best farming practices, processing and product development if South Africa is to build this industry and increase its value-add for the economy and job creation.

The World Macadamia Organisation estimates that macadamia supply will double in the next four to five years, and triple within a decade. By 2030, global macadamia supply will likely reach 660 000 t, owing to growing awareness of the nut’s nutritional value and versatility.

Van Rooyen deems it vital to ensure security of supply and consistency of quality, if South Africa is to hold up its exports of macadamias into world markets. He also believes the industry can be a driver of economic growth and create employment with continued collaboration and support.

Macadamia trees take ten years to grow to a stage of maturity where they reach maximum yield levels.

The trees, however, become “harvestable” after five to seven years of growth.

For example, farming business Agristar Macadamias director Werner van Niekerk explains that its macadamia nut farms in White River, Mpumalanga, are experimenting with different cultivars, fertilisers, biological pest control and cover crops.

These farms prioritise soil health and tree strength to limit the use of chemical pesticides and herbicides. The farms also have a “bee garden” and about 400 beehive boxes, which are nurtured year round so that bees can help pollinate the macadamia flowers, which, in turn, produce “nutlets”, or clusters of nuts.

The industry average yield for macadamia farming is 2.7 t/ha.

Macadamia trees grow up to 15 m tall and grow best in sub-tropical climates and in rich, well-drained soil. Currently, South Africa has macadamia farms in Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo and the Western Cape.

The farmers supplying the Marquis Macadamias group have sustainability at the heart of their operations, adhering to a philosophy of “tread lightly” and treating resources with respect and responsibility.

GOING NUTS

Six macadamia farming families joined resources in 2018 to build a shared processing facility, since the costs of such a facility were not justifiable for any single farmer and function more profitably with multiple nut intakes from different operations.

What was then named the Global Macadamias factory started cracking nuts in September 2020, in the western outskirts of Mbombela, Mpumalanga. The factory was established and continues to be operated as a grower-owned service provider.

The processing facility then underwent a rebrand to Marquis Macadamias Africa in May this year, after the six shareholders became a 50% shareholder in the Australia-headquartered Marquis Marketing.

In turn, the Marquis Macadamias facility currently processes nuts from over 100 farmers, with the aim to grow these numbers significantly.

Van Rooyen believes Marquis Macadamias Africa is a prime example of how the macadamia industry collaborated to create a single, shared processing facility.

The Marquis Macadamias group comprises two nut processing facilities in Australia, and two in South Africa, one being based in Alkmaar and the other in Lows Creek, both in Mpumalanga, as well as its sales platform, called Marquis Marketing.

The vast majority of nut-in-shell and cracked nut production from Marquis Macadamias Africa is exported, mostly for snack consumption and the balance is used in confectionary and oil pressing.

At group level, Marquis Macadamias has a processing capability of 32 000 t/y and supplies more than 20...

The South African new-vehicle market continued to recover some momentum in September, following the disruptions experienced in the economy during July, says WesBank.

“Building on August sales successes, September sales . . . provided some reassurance for a stronger final quarter.”

September new-vehicle sales increased by 15.8%, to 43 130 units, compared with the same month last year.

The month’s sales were also up 4% relative to August sales.

Although new-vehicle sales are up 30.1% year-to-date, to 345 172 units, compared with the same pandemic-impacted period last year, WesBank says it continues to finance well over two used vehicles for every one new vehicle.

“While manufacturers are naturally focused on selling new vehicles, the pre-owned market influences brand affinity. However, on a retail level, sales are sales, whether new or used, providing mobility solutions to customers and cashflow for dealers,” says WesBank marketing and communication head Lebogang Gaoaketse.

However, while demand in the pre-owned market remains “very strong”, used-car price inflation may begin to impact this momentum, he adds.

This demand may also become more about vehicle specification than affordability at a time when the industry is paying a premium on certain pre-owned models.

WesBank is reassured by this demand.

“While stock availability in the new-vehicle market remains stressed, forcing some consumers into the pre-owned market, the sheer demand remains encouraging for the industry once global stock shortages are alleviated.”

The sector most impacted by stock shortages, owing to a tight global supply of computer-chips, for example, is light commercial vehicles (LCVs).

LCV sales declined by 10.9% during September compared with September last year, to reach 10 943 units. This is 802 units, or 6.8%, less than the August number.

Driving the September market growth was the 30.5% gain in passenger-car sales year-on-year.

“The Reserve Bank’s decision last month to maintain interest rates will continue to provide stimulus to the market, whether new or used,” says Gaoaketse. “Both sectors’ sales will ultimately contribute to the overall recovery of the South African motor industry.”

NADA Optimistic

South Africa’s retail motor dealers fared better than expected in September, notes National Automobile Dealers’ Association (NADA) chairperson Mark Dommisse.

“With these sorts of volumes, industry could expect to end the year at the high end of analyst forecasts for 2021.

“What was heartening to see is that 82.7% of the total new-vehicle volume was sold through the retail dealer channel.

“The 1 506-unit growth month-on-month is encouraging, with the majority increase seen in passenger-vehicle sales, which is also a positive sign as the largest volume segment.”

Dommisse notes that the healthy contribution by the rental industry in September, at 12.4% of sales, bodes well for the future supply of vehicles to the pre-owned market, where stock is currently in short supply.

This industry has only recently returned to the market since defleeting drastically in 2020 when the global Covid-19 pandemic hit South Africa.

“Used-car values should continue to hold at higher-than-expected levels as long as there is a new-vehicle stock shortage,” says Dommisse.

“Fortunately for dealers, the strong demand for used vehicles has been able to mitigate some of the losses in new-vehicle sales volume, due largely to the global shortage of microprocessors.

“The effect of the ongoing microchip shortage resulted in more brands than previously experiencing stock shortages in September,” he adds.

“There is stock, but not in the best model mix, which is affecting the dealers’ ability to supply models the customers want.”

The bad news is that this situation is unlikely to improve significantly in the next 12 to 18 months.

The chip shortage has already cost the global motor industry an estimated $210-billion as many manufacturing plants have had to either close, or cut their ...

The National Treasury says R3.9-billion will be disbursed to the South African Special Risk Insurance Association (Sasria) following the conclusion of the recently tabled Special Appropriation Bill parliamentary processes.

This is intended to assist Sasria in meeting its obligations until the end of the current financial year, which ends on March 31, 2022.

The assurance of Treasury’s support follows media reports about concerns among policyholders and the public at large regarding Sasria’s ability to honour claims following the civil unrest in July across parts of Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.

The Treasury has indicated that it is aware that additional government support will be needed.

It is, therefore, working closely with Sasria to finalise the actual financial support needed, which is dependent on how swiftly Sasria can finalise the total claim amounts.

It is expected that the additional support which has been flagged in the recent special appropriation will be concretised in the 2022 Budget.

Sasria, meanwhile, has indicated that it has sufficient reserves, including through its reinsurers, to meet all valid claims. While the parliamentary processes for additional government support is being finalised, Sasria confirmed on October 4 that it remains liquid and continues to trade as usual.

To date, claims amounting to more R5.8-billion have been paid out.

South Africa’s Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Minister Barbara Creecy says the COP26 climate talks scheduled for Glasgow, Scotland, in November need to prioritise the securing of finance, technology and capacity building support from developed to developing countries.

Addressing a virtual event on Monday, Creecy reiterated that Africa – which had contributed only one percent of global emissions historically and was already being unfairly burdened by the effects of climate change – required such support if it was to turn its climate change liability into a new opportunity for green growth and job creation.

“Significant long-term financial resources, at concessional rates, will be needed to introduce new technologies and open up significant new job creation opportunities so that our country joins others who are benefiting from the green technological transition across the world,” Creecy said during the event, hosted jointly by Standard Bank and the University of London's School of Oriental and African Studies.

Investment in the green economy provided strategic advantages and new economic prospects, she said, quoting a recent Accenture report that estimates that green industries and technology could unlock economic activities to the value of $350-billion across Africa.

“It opens access to new financing opportunities, it offers the possibility of significant proven job creation, it has potential to localise production and services, which will build small and medium enterprises and, of course, it enhances our long-term competitiveness while mitigating our transition risks.”

Creecy’s address follows Cabinet’s recent approval of a revised Nationally Determined Contribution decarbonisation range for 2030 of 420- to 350-million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (Mt CO2-eq) for 2030, which represents a marked improvement on its 2015 pledge of 614 Mt CO2-eq to 398 Mt CO2-eq.

The upper end of the range is aligned with the Paris Agreement goal of restricting the rise in emissions to below 2 °C above preindustrial levels, while the lower figure is aligned with an emerging ambition to limit the increase to below 1.5 °C.

It also follows a recent visit to South Africa by climate envoys from France, Germany, the UK, the US and the European Union, during which opportunities for enhanced cooperation, financing and support for South Africa’s transition to a low-carbon economy were explored.

During the visit, South Africa underlined its commitment to a just transition, but called for greater certainty and predictability about the financing that would be made available to help the coal-dependent country accelerate its transition.

South Africa proposed the establishment of a Just Transition Financing Facility, supported by developed country finance, to enable ambitious climate action, while also addressing the social impacts of the transition.

The country also underlined the need for concessional and grant funding, which took account of its current fiscal constraints.

“South Africa remains committed to the Paris Agreement and believes that all three aspects – adaptation, mitigation and means of support and finance – must be given equal priority,” Creecy said.

“Our ambition in the context of a just transition involves pursuing our development goals in the process of cutting emissions and building resilience, expanding employment and building a skills base and managing adjustment processes.”

There was also a need, however, for a comprehensive shift in how the financial system worked, to reorient capital to more sustainable investments.

“This is necessary if South Africa is to develop more sustainable economic growth, ensure the stability of the financial system and foster more transparency and longevity in the economy.”

Standard Bank CEO Sim Tshabalala agreed that financial instruments and technical expertise, coupled with appropriate policy and regulation, would be required to facilitate a just transition.

“Bringing together this combinati...

The South African new-vehicle market continued its gradual recovery during September, but the knock-on effects of the July riots, as well as the subsequent cyberattack on Transnet, were still visible in vehicle exports numbers, says Naamsa | The Automotive Business Council.

“Much will depend on the last quarter of the year’s export performance; on how quickly the industry can return to the record export levels seen pre-Covid-19.”

Domestic new-vehicle sales in September increased by 15.8%, to 43 130 units, compared with the same month last year.

Out of total industry sales an estimated 82.7% represented dealer sales, with 12.4% of vehicles entering rental fleets. About 2.4% of new vehicles were sold to industry corporate fleets, with the remaining 2.5% procured by government.

The new-passenger-car market reached 29 538 units in September, which is a 30.5% gain on the same month last year.

Sales of new bakkies, vans and taxis dropped by 10.9%, to 10 943 units.

Medium-truck sales increased by 11.6%, reaching 762 units, while heavy-truck and bus sales jumped by 15.8%, to 1 887 units.

September new-vehicle exports from South Africa declined by 57%, to 12 202 units.

For the year-to-date, vehicle exports are, however, still 22.7% ahead of the same period last year.

“New-vehicle demand is starting to pick up, with consumers, businesses and rental companies returning to the market,” says Naamsa.

“However, many Covid-19 disruptive elements remain in play and prevailing market conditions have been hampered by higher logistics costs and supply chain disruptions, such as the global semi-conductor shortage impacting on the availability of certain models.

“Analysts project that vehicle production losses due to the computer-chip shortage could be between 6.3-million and 7.1-million units for 2021, and it is expected that this shortage will spill over until the middle of 2022 before it starts to stabilise.”

One of the preferred bidders participating in South Africa’s Risk Mitigation Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (RMIPPPP) has confirmed that government has delayed the deadline of financial close to end of January.

The delay was reported, but not officially confirmed on Thursday September 30, which was set as the deadline for financial close.

On Friday, Scatec, which is one of the 11 preferred bidders, reported that it had been notified by the IPP Office that the government approval process for the RMIPPPP had been delayed and that timing of financial close had been moved to the end of January 2022.

“Construction start for Scatec’s 540 MW-plus storage project is therefore expected in the first quarter 2022,” the Norwegian company said in a statement.

CEO Raymond Carlsen said South Africa “is our home market, and we are looking forward to delivering much needed electricity under the RMIPPPP programme”.

Scatec also lowered its 2021 project backlog to 1 915 MW, from 2 081 MW, and announced that it would no longer reach its target of having 5.9 GW in operation or under construction by year-end.

The Oslo-listed company’s target to reach 15 GW in operation or under construction by the end of 2025 remained in place, however.

Engineering News & Mining Weekly approached the IPP Office and the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy for an update on the status of the RMIPPPP on September 30, but had not received a response ahead of the release of the Scatec statement.

On Thursday afternoon, Bloomberg reported that South Africa had extended the RMIPPPP deadline by four months, but also indicated that the delay had not yet been formally confirmed by government.

The initial eight preferred bidders, named by Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe on March 18, were meant to reach financial close on July 31, but were given an extension to September 30, a date that coincided with the financial-close deadline for the three additional preferred bidders selected on June 1.

The 20-year programme, which controversially includes three gas-to-power power ship projects, has been dogged by environmental and legal challenges.

However, on September 21, the National Energy Regulator of South Africa approved the issuance of generating licences for seven RMIPPPP projects, despite some of the projects lacking environmental authorisation.

The projects approved by the regulator included: Oya Energy, Umoyilanga, ACWA Power Project DAO, Mulilo Total Hydra Storage, Karpowership SA Coega, Karpowership SA Richards Bay and Karpowership SA Saldanha.