Darren Parker

Darren Parker is a Creamer Media Senior Contributing Editor Online for Engineering News and Mining Weekly.
Genuine progress, not electioneering, behind the easing of loadshedding, council says
9th May 2024 The current loadshedding reprieve is not a result of excessive diesel burning to pacify voters but rather a consequence of government and business... →
Nelson Mandela University-led consortium to develop green hydrogen feasibility study
22nd April 2024 A consortium led by Nelson Mandela University and boutique consultancy firm Ikigai Group has won a UK Government grant under the South Africa-UK... →
Bankan gold project in Guinea yields ‘promising’ exploration results
9th April 2024 ASX-listed Predictive Discovery has revealed “promising” findings from its regional drilling activities at the Bankan gold project, in Guinea,... →
Unions, industry prepare for ‘tough’ talks as metals, engineering negotiations set to get under way
9th April 2024 Trade unions and industry associations expect negotiations at the Metal and Engineering Industries Bargaining Council (MEIBC), which are set to... →
Role of gas in SA’s future energy mix under intense scrutiny
5th April 2024 Given South Africa’s ongoing energy crisis, there remains much debate around whether gas should be included in the future energy mix and, if so,... →
Policy uncertainty edging further into negative territory ahead of elections, report shows
3rd April 2024 The North-West University Business School Policy Uncertainty Index veered further into negative territory in the first quarter, at 65.8 index... →
Multi-Party Charter reveals its plans to end loadshedding if ANC can be ousted
28th February 2024 The 11 political parties that are members of the Multi-Party Charter (MPC) for South Africa have voiced a unified plan to end loadshedding once and... →
Criminal Asset Recovery Fund, not fiscus, to fund SANDF’s war on illegal mining
21st February 2024 The Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans has claimed that the deployment of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) in... →
Global corporate tax minimum to be implemented this year
21st February 2024 In an effort boost tax revenue going forward, government will be implementing the long-awaited global corporate tax minimum in the coming year,... →
70 out of 72 municipalities approved for Eskom debt relief
21st February 2024 Out of 72 municipality applications for State-owned Eskom debt relief, 70 have been approved, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana revealed in his... →
No change to fuel levies this year, Godongwana says
21st February 2024 Government has decided once again to leave the general fuel levy and Road Accident Levy Fund unchanged, resulting in tax relief of about... →
Up to 12% of Gauteng motorists still paying their e-toll bills, says Outa
15th February 2024 Between 10% and 12% of road users in Gauteng are still paying for e-tolls, despite the October 2022 announcement by Finance Minister Enoch... →
Sacci business confidence index shows incremental improvements
8th February 2024 The South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Sacci) has revealed that its business confidence index (BCI) for December last year reached a... →
Petrol, diesel prices to go up by more than 70c/ℓ on Wednesday
6th February 2024 Both 93 and 95 unleaded petrol (ULP) and lead replacement petrol (LRP) are going to cost an additional 75c/ℓ from February 7. The cost of diesel is... →
New Bacsa to support business, govt collaboration in fight against crime, corruption
5th February 2024 Industry body Business Against Crime South Africa (Bacsa) has been confirmed as the primary point of contact for business interaction with... →
Global economic growth expected to stagnate this year
30th January 2024 Global economic growth is expected to be subdued, if not stagnant this year, with global trade also expected to be sluggish, financial services... →
Durban Container Terminal Pier 2's performance improving but ‘not out of the woods’
11th January 2024 The Durban Container Terminal (DCT) Pier 2 has averaged single-digit vessels at anchor over the last two weeks, having earlier ensured that all... →
Absa PMI ends 2023 on stronger footing as December business activity rises
8th January 2024 Financial institution Absa’s Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) closed out 2023 on a somewhat stronger footing, rising by 2.7 points to 50.9 index... →
Passage of NHI Bill would spell disaster for the health sector – BLSA
11th December 2023 Business Leadership South Africa CEO Busi Mavuso has warned of the deteriorating health sector without the prospect of recovery, owing in large... →
Cabinet approves R2.1bn to fight illegal mining, organised crime
20th November 2023 Cabinet has approved the allocation of R2.1-billion in the criminal asset recovery account to provide aid in the fight against illegal mining and... →
Cabinet approves Just Energy Transition Implementation Plan
20th November 2023 Cabinet has approved the Just Energy Transition Implementation Plan (JET-IP), Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni announced in a... →
South Africa shows economic resilience – Allianz report
13th November 2023 According to a new global insolvency report published by credit insurer Allianz Trade, operating in South Africa through the Allianz Commercial... →
Visa backlogs causing critical skills deficit, undermining economy
13th November 2023 A lack of critical skills is holding back the South African economy, Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA) CEO Busi Mavuso has said, adding that... →
Corruption threatens democracy itself, Ramaphosa says
8th November 2023 President Cyril Ramaphosa has said the "rampant and unbridled corruption" that has gutted the South African economy over the past few decades is... →
Ministerial meddling in SOE leadership sparks dysfunction – BLSA
9th October 2023 Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA) CEO Busi Mavuso has voiced her concern over Ministerial meddling in State-owned enterprise (SOE) leadership... →
TIPS sets out to create a South Africa-focused Just Transition Transaction Framework
21st August 2023 Independent, nonprofit economic research institution Trade & Industrial Policy Strategies (TIPS) has launched research on a proposed Just... →
Geopolitical tensions expected to increase to 2050
11th August 2023 Geopolitical tensions are likely to increase over the next few decades as countries reposition themselves, research firm BMI Research – a Fitch... →
Execs Back to School school principal education programme running again after Covid-19
28th July 2023 After taking a hiatus because of Covid-19, nonprofit organisation Citizen Leader Lab’s yearly Execs Back to School event was hosted once more in... →
Meteorologists say drought not an inevitable outcome of El Niño
20th June 2023 Researchers in South Africa and around the globe have indicated that the regular monitoring of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (Enso) system... →
76 hospitals already exempt from loadshedding, says Gordhan
30th May 2023 The Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) has already initiated efforts, in collaboration with the Department of Health and State-owned utility... →
Collective bargaining system not operating optimally – Nxesi
25th May 2023 The system of collective bargaining is under pressure, characterised by an increase in trade union membership figures, yet reduced representation... →
Zimbabwe President promises reforms ahead of August elections
17th May 2023 Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa has promised development partners and creditors that his government will implement reforms necessary for... →
Unemployment rate rises to 32.9% as more people enter the job market
16th May 2023 Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) has revealed that the official unemployment rate has increased by 0.2 percentage points, from 32.7% in the... →
Mchunu speaks out against vandalism; Rand Water to invest R28bn in new reservoirs by 2028
14th March 2023 Water and Sanitation Minister Senzo Mchunu has expressed deep ire for water infrastructure vandals, using his podium at a media briefing, in... →
BLSA lacks faith in Budget to make any impact
20th February 2023 Business organisation Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA) CEO Busi Mavuso has said that no matter what financial salves Finance Minister Enoch... →
Lesufi says Gauteng government ready to migrate poor away from relying on Eskom's grid
16th February 2023 Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has said the time has come to help the poor migrate away from relying on national power utility Eskom for their... →
Global economic growth expected to slow from 3% to 1.7% this year
11th January 2023 Global growth is slowing sharply in the face of elevated inflation, higher interest rates, reduced investment and disruptions caused by Russia’s... →
Gauteng’s R12.9bn e-tolls debt repayment will not further burden citizens – Mamabolo
25th November 2022 Gauteng Finance MEC Jacob Mamabolo has assured Gauteng residents that the repayment of R12.9-billion to settle Gauteng’s portion of e-tolls debt... →
Transnet puts contingency measures in place as rail, port workers strike
6th October 2022 State-owned Transnet has advised that, with some employees across its operations embarking on strike action following non-resolution in the ongoing... →
Whistleblowers need more support in fight against corruption
19th September 2022 Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA) CEO Busi Mavuso believes more support for whistleblowers is needed if South Africa is going to make any... →
Sakeliga threatens litigation if Eskom cuts Tshwane metro’s electricity
2nd September 2022 Business community Sakeliga has sent a letter of demand to State-owned Eskom, indicating that any attempt to cut the supply of electricity to the... →