Darren Parker
Darren Parker is a Creamer Media Senior Contributing Editor Online for Engineering News and Mining Weekly.
NUM worried about ‘possible bloodbath of job losses’ on multiple fronts
12th March 2025 The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) is worried about a “possible bloodbath of job losses” across multiple sectors, including steel,... →
Budget needs to reduce policy, economic uncertainty, Busa says
12th March 2025 After its unexpected postponement owing to disagreements between the partners in the Government of National Unity (GNU) last month, the 2025 Budget... →
Upcoming Budget speech has to grapple with rapidly changing geopolitical context, Mavuso says
10th March 2025 Rapid changes in global geopolitics mean that this week’s Budget speech will takes place in an entirely different context, Business Leadership... →
Dichotomy between G20 diplomacy opportunities and strained geopolitical relations
3rd March 2025 Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA) CEO Busisiwe Mavuso has noted the dichotomy between the prestige that comes with South Africa hosting the... →
Nersa approves generation capacity charge, sets out other retail tariff plan changes
24th February 2025 The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) has approved, in principle, power utility Eskom’s application for a proposed generation... →
Business associations, trade unions welcome budget postponement but voice concern over perceived instability
20th February 2025 The failure of the Government of National Unity (GNU) to resolve its differences over the budget is disappointing and negative for business... →
New single structure to be established that will govern State participation in PPPs
20th February 2025 A single structure overseen by the National Treasury will be established during the 2025/26 fiscal year to coordinate State participation in... →
Additional R46.7bn funding announced for infrastructure projects
20th February 2025 The 2025 Budget documents show that Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana planned to add an extra R46.7-billion in funding for infrastructure projects... →
Dept of Transport, Transnet to engage market on private sector participation opportunities soon
20th February 2025 The Department of Transport and State-owned Transnet will, in the next two months, engage the market on private sector participation (PSP) projects... →
Govt advanced R4bn less than projected in debt relief to Eskom last year
20th February 2025 By March 31, government will have advanced R140-billion in debt relief to State-owned entity Eskom, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana revealed in... →
Mashava assures that City Power is reviewing yearly tariffs
14th February 2025 Johannesburg electricity utility City Power CEO Tshifularo Mashava has assured business customers in the city that the entity is working on... →
Macpherson welcomes completion of ‘the Dome’ to facilitate National Assembly sittings
10th February 2025 Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson has welcomed the completion of the Dome for National Assembly sittings ahead of the... →
Two years later, South African engineers remain unlawfully imprisoned in Equatorial Guinea
10th February 2025 South African engineers Frik Potgieter and Peter Huxham remain imprisoned in Equatorial Guinea, 730 days after their sudden and unlawful arrest,... →
SoNA was a ‘display of unity’, Mavuso says
10th February 2025 Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA) CEO Busisiwe Mavuso believes Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address (SoNA) on February 6 was “a... →
Business cautiously optimistic on SoNA commitments, but execution will be critical
7th February 2025 President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address (SoNA), delivered on February 6, has been met with cautious optimism. The Bureau of... →
IMF projects South Africa’s GDP growth will reach 1.5% this year
31st January 2025 The International Monetary Fund (IMF) expects South Africa’s yearly economic growth rate to reach 1.8% by 2030, supported in large part by ongoing... →
Security guards foil robbery attempt at Public Works House
23rd January 2025 Security personnel stationed at the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure’s (DPWI’s) Public Works House, in the central business district... →
WEF calls for ‘constructive optimism’ amid global tensions
22nd January 2025 Addressing a gathering of global leaders on January 21, World Economic Forum (WEF) founder and chairperson Klaus Schwab called on the global... →
AMSA’s long-steel closure a ‘devastating’ blow to economy, SEIFSA warns
10th January 2025 The Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa (SEIFSA) has expressed grave concern over ArcelorMittal South Africa’s (AMSA’s)... →
SABS denies allegations of corruption, mismanagement
13th December 2024 The South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) has denied a series of allegations of longstanding and ongoing corruption and mismanagement. In an... →
National Treasury notes Moody’s reaffirmation of South Africa’s junk status
4th December 2024 National Treasury has noted Moody’s decision to affirm the country’s long-term foreign and local currency debt ratings at Ba2 – otherwise known as... →
Africa enjoyed a 9% y/y increase in FDI in 2024, report shows
2nd December 2024 Africa recorded a 9% year-on-year increase in foreign direct investment (FDI) projects this year, albeit still 22% below prepandemic levels from... →
Eskom, Indian power utility sign knowledge exchange MoU
28th November 2024 Indian power generation company NTPC has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with South African State-owned utility Eskom to exchange... →
‘No crisis looming’ as independent technical assessment set to resolve billing dispute between Eskom, City Power
11th November 2024 Electricity and Energy Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramakgopa has confirmed that an independent technical assessment of the R6.1-billion billing dispute... →
Trip at Kriel power station’s Unit 6 will not lead to loadshedding, Eskom assures
4th November 2024 State-owned utility Eskom has assured the country that the tripping of Unit 6 at the Kriel power station, in Mpumalanga, on November 3, would not... →
South Africa not the only country facing challenges – Mavuso
28th October 2024 Business Leadership South Africa CEO Busi Mavuso has noted that many of the challenges faced by the South African economy are shared by other... →
Automotive industry the ‘unsung hero’ of the South African economy – Mavuso
21st October 2024 Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA) CEO Busi Mavuso has described the domestic automotive industry as the “unsung hero of the South African... →
South Africa’s emissions to peak in 2024, reach decade low in 2030 – report
7th October 2024 South Africa’s overall emissions will reach their peak this year and will be followed by a downward trend that will culminate in the lowest... →
Ramokgopa confident he can head off Eskom’s ‘untenable’ tariff hike with policy adjustments
1st October 2024 Electricity and Energy Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa is confident that State-owned utility Eskom’s proposed tariff increase for direct... →
Combatting resurgence of Somali pirate activity requires holistic approach, expert says
23rd September 2024 Maritime piracy along the Somali coast is seeing something of a resurgence in 2024 because the root causes on land have gone largely unaddressed... →
Motshekga praises decision to bring Denel under the wing of the Defence dept
17th September 2024 Defence and Military Veterans Minister Angie Motshekga has praised President Cyril Ramaphosa’s “wise” decision to bring State-owned enterprise... →
CoJ wants unified forum to address illegal mining scourge
29th August 2024 The City of Johannesburg's (CoJ’s) Environment and Infrastructure Services Department (EISD) has called for the establishment of a unified forum to... →
Transnet rolling out novel outcomes-based security approach to protect its infrastructure
28th August 2024 State-owned Transnet is implementing a novel outcomes-based security (OBS) approach to combat the high levels of theft and vandalism on its rail... →
Poor social development threatens South Africa’s economic sustainability, report shows
6th August 2024 Persistently high youth unemployment rates and some of the highest levels of inequality globally have led financial institution Rand Merchant Bank... →
National Treasury welcomes signing of Pension Funds Amendment Act into law
30th July 2024 National Treasury has voiced its approval of the Pension Funds Amendment Act being signed into law by the President Cyril Ramaphosa last week. This... →
Eskom employee, service provider face fraud charges in court
9th July 2024 An employee of State-owned Eskom and a service provider to the utility last week appeared in the Hendrina Magistrate Court, in Mpumalanga, on... →
GNU Cabinet announcement gave business confidence a boost, says BLSA
8th July 2024 Business organisation Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA) CEO Busi Mavuso has said that business confidence is growing on the back of the... →
Streamlined PPP framework could unlock infrastructure investment
21st June 2024 In February, the National Treasury asked for public comments to be submitted in respect of the newly drafted amendments to the National Treasury... →
Green Connection petitions court to ‘force’ Nersa, DMRE to supply Karpowership information
5th June 2024 Environmental activist nonprofit organisation the Green Connection has taken the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) and the... →
Persistently poor GDP growth most significant feature of South Africa’s economic performance
4th June 2024 South Africa’s continued disappointing economic growth remains the most significant feature of the country’s macroeconomic performance, North-West... →
South Africa scores 'moderately positive' global reputation rating, study finds
22nd May 2024 Despite South Africa’s global infamy for corruption, rampant crime, poor service delivery, political instability and inequality, recent findings of... →
