In this new segment of the podcast we introduce some news stories making headlines in South Africa in the engineering space.
Summary: Ex-Prasa Head engineer sentenced to 15 years in prison, Implats bets big on PGM's & Transnet sees a light at the end of the tunnel
Story 1: Head of Engineering at Prasa Sentenced to 15 Years
From completely fabricating his CV, to spending R600 million on trains that are too tall for South African railway lines, Daniel Mthimkhulu seems to have faced his day of reckoning. The court in Johannesburg has sentenced him to 15 years in prison on account of the seriousness and prevalence of his fraud, the significant financial loss to Prasa and the betrayal of his employer’s trust.LinksFake CV lands top 'engineer' in jail for 15 yearsFall of ‘Dr’ Mthimkhulu — Prasa’s former head engineer sentenced to 15 years for falsifying qualifications
Story 2: Implats positions itself for future green hydrogen economy
Impala Platinum reported its full-year results ended June 2024 with a massive R17.3 billion loss for the financial year. The mining giants which has mines in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Canada – is holding back on new investment, but sees great potential in the future green hydrogen space."Hydrogen has been the quiet brother in the corner and the issue is, are we doing enough to advance the technologies that will benefit our industry, and our views always conclude that we should be doing more?" says Implats CEO Nico Muller.Links:Developing hydrogen economy key to future platinum group metals demand – Implats
Story 3: Is there hope at the end of the tunnel for Transnet?
As we mark 163 consecutive days without loadshedding, we also have some hopeful news out of Transnet:“Calls for applications for private train operators wanting to access the freight rail network are likely to open early next year.” says Transnet Group chief business development officer Yolisa Kani.Transnet Commercial Strategy executive manager Monde Mqoli says, "As we work to recover the business, we must keep in our minds that the aim is to improve the performance of the rail network to enable the economy to become more competitive over time," "We have had teething problems, as well as crime and vandalism challenges, but we are getting some traction from our recovery programme," he said.LinksPrivate train operators could access Transnet's rail network by April 2025Obscure Quote of the Week
From the credo of the Navy SEALs: “I will never quit. I persevere and thrive on adversity. My Nation expects me to be physically and mentally stronger than my enemies. If knocked down, I will get back up, every time. I will draw on every remaining ounce of strength to protect my teammates and to accomplish our mission. I am never out of the fight.Mandatory DisclosuresGet in contact:
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