Schalk Burger

Schalk Burger is Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor for Engineering News and Mining Weekly.
AGOA expiry must prompt South Africa to pursue alternative trade relations – Mavuso
6th October 2025 The expiry of the US preferential trade framework the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) on September 30 means that South Africa must... →
African agricultural, light manufacturing product exports face shrinking market after end of Agoa
2nd October 2025 African exporters of agricultural and light manufacturing products could face shrinking market access to the US, while the expiry of the US... →
Connecting 300m people in Africa to electricity could boost GDP by $500bn by 2040 – BCG
30th September 2025 In Africa, 600-million people lack access to electricity, despite global energy poverty having decreased by about 80% since 2010. By providing... →
AARTO rollout in Dec means motorists risk new heavy penalties – Fines SA
25th September 2025 Digital traffic fine platform Fines SA is warning drivers to prepare for stricter unpaid fine penalties, the possibility of losing driving... →
Seifsa joins Busa in opposing new Employment Equity Sector Targets
23rd September 2025 Industry employer organisation the Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa (Seifsa), which is a member of industry... →
Macpherson welcomes blacklisting of 40 contractors by the cidb
22nd September 2025 Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson welcomes regulator the Construction Industry Development Board's (cidb's) blacklisting of... →
Eskom says EAF exceeding 70% target so far in Sept
15th September 2025 State-owned power utility Eskom says the Energy Availability Factor (EAF) of its generation plants fluctuated consistently between 69% and 73%... →
New code on dismissals positive, but withdrawal of lending amendments a setback – Mavuso
15th September 2025 The new code of practice on dismissals, under the Labour Relations Act, which makes it easier for small businesses to dismiss underperforming... →
Lillian Ngoyi street to reopen to traffic; public transport routes return to original configurations
11th September 2025 Lilian Ngoyi street, in Johannesburg, will officially reopen to traffic on September 12, with Phase 1 of the rehabilitation project completed, the... →
Eskom identifies role for itself in future electricity ecosystem
8th September 2025 State-owned power utility Eskom has identified a set of roles it could and should operate in to support the transition of the electricity... →
S&P PMI for Aug details easing cost pressures, improved output but declining employment
3rd September 2025 The S&P Global South Africa Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) for August showed that cost pressures eased for South African businesses, which helped... →
WWF SA calls for responsible, sustainable mining to be top of G20 agenda
18th August 2025 Local environmental and conservation organisation the World Wide Fund for Nature South Africa (WWF SA) says the issue of the sustainable... →
Accelerating reform momentum can deliver 3% growth in 24 months, says Mavuso
18th August 2025 One in three, or 32.9%, of adults in South Africa are unemployed, highlighting that the economy is suffocating under the weight of structural... →
AgriSA calls for withdrawal of draft Mineral Resources Development Amendment Bill
13th August 2025 Agricultural industry organisation AgriSA has called on government to withdraw the draft Mineral Resources Development Amendment Bill and subject... →
Salga comes out in opposition to energy trading, fears risks to municipal revenues
13th August 2025 The South African Local Government Association (Salga) opposes the decision by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) to grant... →
FNB to open smart ID, passport booking services to all South Africans
12th August 2025 Financial services firm First National Bank (FNB) has expanded its collaboration with the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) to enable the reissuance... →
Necsa welcomes confirmation of site for next nuclear power station
11th August 2025 The State-owned South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) Group welcomes the upholding of the decision to grant State-owned Eskom... →
27four, dtic confirm support for Transformation Fund
11th August 2025 Financial services firm 27four and the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (dtic) have reaffirmed their shared commitment to unlocking... →
BLSA to launch Reform Tracker to track government progress on Thursday
11th August 2025 Business organisation Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA) has reiterated its plans to launch the BLSA Reform Tracker – a publicly available... →
Landlocked countries can unlock trade through regional cooperation, digital readiness and targeted reforms – Unctad
8th August 2025 Landlocked developing countries can unlock trade opportunities through regional cooperation, digital readiness and targeted reforms, says UN Trade... →
George upholds decision to grant enviro authorisation for Duynefontein nuclear site
8th August 2025 Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Minister Dr Dion George has upheld the 2017 decision to grant State-owned power utility Eskom environmental... →
JRA to start Phase 2 of Lillian Ngoyi street reconstruction in September
5th August 2025 The Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) says the first phase of the rehabilitation project on Lilian Ngoyi street, between Harrison and Kruis streets,... →
Eskom says eight of its 14 power stations at a 70% EAF or higher
30th July 2025 State-owned Eskom has reported that eight of its 14 power stations are now operating at an energy availability factor (EAF) of 70% and higher,... →
Hlabisa commits to engagements to improve municipal performance in major cities – BLSA
28th July 2025 Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa has committed to engaging with some of the country’s large... →
AfDB provides $474m loan for South Africa’s energy transition, infrastructure governance
25th July 2025 Development finance institution (DFI) the African Development Bank (AfDB) has signed a $474.6-million loan agreement with South Africa to support... →
Economies in Africa that are not resources-based outperform those that are
23rd July 2025 Market research and intelligence company BMI has lowered its forecast headline growth rate for sub-Saharan Africa for this year to 3.7%, from its... →
DPWI welcomes R67m SIU recovery order against contractor
11th July 2025 Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson has welcomed the R67-million recovery order obtained by the Special Investigating Unit... →
Wits, University of Edinburgh establish research chair in digital humanities
8th July 2025 The University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) and the University of Edinburgh, in the UK, have established a new research Chair in Digital Humanities... →
Electricity sector reforms must be accelerated for competitive electricity market, says Mavuso
7th July 2025 In a recent meeting with business organisation Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA), Electricity and Energy Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa... →
Medupi Unit 4 returns to service
7th July 2025 Unit 4 of the Medupi coal-fired power station was successfully returned to service at 20:29 on Sunday, July 6, adding 800 MW to the national grid,... →
S&P South Africa PMI confidence levels soften as private sector performance stalls
3rd July 2025 South Africa's private sector economy showed signs of fragility in June, as the S&P Global South Africa Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) barely... →
45 compliance notices issued for contraventions by consumer goods suppliers
2nd July 2025 The National Consumer Commission (NCC) has issued compliance notices to 45 noncompliant suppliers of goods across South Africa after uncovering... →
South Africa should exit FATF grey list in October, overcoming direct State-capture legacy – Mavuso
23rd June 2025 South Africa has completed all intergovernmental organisation Financial Action Task Force (FATF) requirements and is on track to exit its grey list... →
New government IT rules can support digital transformation of departments – Mavuso
9th June 2025 New gazetted rules that enable government departments to procure their IT services without having to rely on the State Information Technology... →
Pension Funds Adjudicator refers pension fund to regulator for misconduct
9th June 2025 Statutory body the Office of the Pension Funds Adjudicator (OPFA) has reported the South African Local Authorities Pension Fund to regulator the... →
South Africa's GDP vulnerable of sliding into negative territory after barely growing in the first quarter
3rd June 2025 South Africa's GDP increased by 0.1% in the first quarter, following an increase of 0.4% in the fourth quarter of 2024. The agriculture, forestry... →
Macpherson to meet families affected by George building collapse after receiving CBE report
2nd June 2025 After studying the final report from the Council for the Built Environment (CBE), Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson will... →
Absa PMI decreases in May, remains in contractionary territory
2nd June 2025 Financial services firm Absa’s Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) decreased by 1.6 points to 43.1 in May, with the headline PMI remaining in... →
April food inflation rises sharply, inflationary pressure can increase in coming months – BFAP
30th May 2025 Food inflation in April accelerated sharply, reflecting a weaker rand, tight supply in several sectors as a result of poor rainfall in 2024,... →
UN ECA urges reforms to credit rating to support Africa's access to affordable capital
26th May 2025 The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) has called for reforms to sovereign credit rating practices that, despite clear signs of... →
South Africa’s exports under AfCFTA terms increasing – dtic
23rd May 2025 South Africa's preferential exports have steadily increased since the start of preferential trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area... →