World Bank lowers South Africa’s growth forecast amid low investor sentiment . The World Bank has lowered its 2019 growth forecast for South Africa to 0.8%, which is half of a percentage point below the bank’s April forecast of 1.3%. The downward revision is contained in the twen...

Business confidence recovers from 34-year low in Sept – Sacci . South African business confidence improved in September, recovering from a 34-year low in the previous month as exports and vehicle sales increased while economic activity picked-up, a survey showed on...

Small ships are next big thing for this $150bn market . Giant ocean-going tankers built the liquefied natural gas (LNG) industry into a $150-billion-a-year business. The next expansion opportunity may come from ships a seventh of the normal size. Fifty-five years after the first commercial LNG tanker sailed from Algeria, this segment of the gas industry is pushing into ever more niche markets, upending the economics of energy supply in the process.

Renewables sector’s just transition roadmap to target coal and gold regions . South Africa’s renewable-energy industry is preparing a detailed ‘just transition’ roadmap that will incorporate employment, spatial and industrialisation components to the deployment of solar and wind...

South African Parliamentary Committee approves SKA Convention . The Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, Science and Technology of South Africa’s Parliament has approved the Convention which creates the international Square Kilometre Array (SKA) Organisation, the Parliamentary Communication Services announced on Wednesday. The SKA Organisation is an inter-governmental organisation, set up to construct the international SKA radio telescope.

“The adoption by the committee of this Convention Establishing [the] Square Kilometre Array Observatory represents a signification [sic] development in the process of formal ratification by Parliament of this important international protocol that will facilitate the biggest scientific collaboration the world has ever seen, and will further help to attract foreign direct investment into our country,” stated Portfolio Committee Chairperson Philly Mapulane. It is anticipated that the SKA will catalyse business opportunities, innovations and jobs in the areas of science, technology and engineering.

The SKA telescope will be co-hosted by South Africa and Australia, with, later, outstations in other countries. Outstations for the South African core element of the SKA would be in Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia and Zambia. The head office is being hosted by the UK.

Business confidence recovers from 34-year low in Sept – Sacci . South African business confidence improved in September, recovering from a 34-year low in the previous month as exports and vehicle sales increased while economic activity picked-up, a survey showed on Wednesday. The South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry's (Sacci) monthly business confidence index (BCI) rose to 92.4 in September from 89.1 in August.

Listeriosis class action case could be delayed 'for years' . The class action brought against Tiger Brands following a listeriosis outbreak caused by some of its products could take years before it finally gets to court. In April, Tiger Brands received the summons for a class action linked to the listeriosis outbreak from the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg.

Incoming top EU climate official pledges to tax polluting imports . The European Union (EU) will start work immediately on a tax on polluting foreign firms to shelter EU businesses striving to meet a goal to be climate neutral by 2050, the senior official set to take responsibility for climate in the new European Commission said on Tuesday. Frans Timmermans, who was speaking at a confirmation hearing in the European Parliament, is likely to oversee the European Green Deal, the signature climate and environmental policy package in the executive that takes office on November 1.

Southern African wind energy association launched . A regional association that will focus on unlocking wind energy opportunities across Southern Africa has been launched at the annual Windaba wind energy conference in Cape Town. Known as Wind SADC, the association will help countries and companies boost their wind energy industries.

Telecoms companies, govt sign cooperation agreement . Seven telecommunications companies have signed a cooperation agreement with the government outlining guiding principles for conduct within the fibre-based connectivity sector, one of the firms said on Wednesday. In a statement Dark Fibre Africa (DFA), which provides open-access fibre infrastructure and connectivity, said while providers and the government had always agreed on the importance of making fibre-based connectivity available to all South Africans, striking the balance between digital inclusivity and profitability "has proven challenging".