December 2011 edition

Wits Gold plans mine at Virginia: According to Mining Weekly, Wits Gold has completed a scoping study at its De Bron / Merriespruit (DBM) project near Virginia and has now started an infill-drilling programme, designed to improve the definition of the resources already identified. Wits Gold plans to develop an underground mine to a depth of about 700 m, capable of producing an average of 150 000 oz/y for the first 90 years. The company aims to have the mine in production by late 2015, allowing 32 months for construction. The scoping study results also show that indicated resources support a 25-year life-of-mine estimated to produce 2,9-million ounces of gold.

Vrystaatse munisipaliteite en departemente onderspandeer: Hoewel Vrystaatse munisipaliteite meer as R2 miljard van die nasionale- en provinsiale regerings ontvang het, is slegs 59% hiervan gespandeer. Vir die finansiële jaar wat op 31 Maart 2011 geëindig het, het die Departement van Gesondheid in die Vrystaat R288 miljoen onderspandeer. Vir dieselfde tydperk het die Department van Polisie, Paaie en Vervoer, R127 miljoen onderspandeer. Die Departement van Ekonomiese Ontwikkeling, Toerisme en Omgewingsake het hul begroting met R74 miljoen onderspandeer.

EPWP Food for Waste Project in MMM Area: The Mangaung Metro Municipality (MMM) has been selected as a Free State participant in the Department of Public Works Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) for waste collection as a major means to create jobs. The field of waste collection has been identified due to the huge backlogs experienced by municipalities in providing waste collection services. The objectives of the project is inter alia to establish, extend and promote waste management services to communities not currently receiving such services and to assist municipalities to address backlogs. In the project MMM is to be supported through the programme from the financial year 2011/12 to 2013/14. It is expected of MMM to identify a minimum of 100 households to be employed per annum with a number of between 8 000 – 10 000 households to be serviced. MMM has launched its participation in the project on 18 November 2011 and is currently engaged in a process of implementation.

Oos-Vrystaatse onderneming nasionaal vereer: Die Oos-Vrystaatse onderneming, Ferreira Broers (FB) op Bethlehem, is vereer toe sy militêre afdeling met 'n platinumtoekening deur BAE Land Systems SA bekroon is as Nasionale Handelaar van die Jaar. BAE Land Systems vervaardig gepantserde voertuie. FB Veldwerkdienste is een van 22 militêre voertuigdienshandelaars in Suid-Afrika en een van net twee in die Vrystaat. Hulle diens weermagvoertuie in Kroonstad, Bloemfontein en die Oos-Vrystaat. In opdrag van Krygkor voer FB ook spesiale opdragte uit, soos voertuigherbouings, werk aan krygstuig van die Verenigde Nasies, ens.

R32 miljoen vir Macufe Fees: Uit die Aanvullende Begroting wat die Vrystaatse LUR vir Finansies Seiso Mohai in die Wetgewer verlede maand ter tafel gelê het, blyk dit dat die Vrystaatse regering R32 miljoen gespandeer het op die Macufe Fees wat in Oktober vanjaar in Bloemfontein aangebied is. Volgens die LUR het die fees slegs sowat R4 miljoen in inkomste gegenereer.

Helfte van Mangaung se water lek weg: Na berig word, gaan tot die helfte van die Mangaung Metro Munisipaliteit se gesuiwerde drinkwater maandeliks verlore weens stukkende waterpype en diefstal. Verder blyk uit 'n forensiese ondersoek wat die Metro laat doen het, dat heelwat drinkwater gesteel word. Daar is glo nuwe ontwikkelaars wat ontwikkelings bloot aan die waterverspreidingsnetwerk van Mangaung koppel sonder om daarvoor te betaal. Volgens 'n senior amptenaar van die Dept. van Waterwese in Pretoria, gaan tussen 20% en 50% van die meeste dorpe en stede in Suid-Afrika se drinkwater weens lekkasies verlore.

BCCI AGM: At the AGM of the Bloemfontein Chamber of Commerce & Industry (BCCI) held on 17 November 2011 at the Windmill Conference Centre, the following persons were elected on the Council: Nancy de Sousa (123 Internet), Kgosi Mhetoa, (Free State Department of Police, Roads and Transport), Adri Strydom (Eskom), Mimie Jacobs (Thaba Patchoa Community Forum), Yasheen Sookdeo (Windmill Casino), Seipati Setai (Centlec), Lesley-Anne Welman (FDC), Mr. Ryan Conybeare (Continental Advertising), Bernard Arnold (Ellies), Faniso Mdutyulwa (Exshell Financial Services), Gerard Entius (Profile Dynamics), Jacob Urbach (Genus Power SA), Lindiwe Mokoena (Khanyi Events Managements). The new president and EXCO are to be appointed at the next council meeting.

Eskom profit up, but heading for debt: Eskom has reported an interim profit of R12,8 billion, compared to R9,5 billion previously, revenue from sales was up more than R10 billion to R63,9 billion for the six months to end September from R51,1 billion previously almost 60% of the increase in revenue was due to the roll out of its tariff increases. It was announced two years ago that electricity prices would increase by an average of 25% per year over three years - this year having seen the second of those increases. However Eskom has also stated that it would accumulate R400 billion in debt over the next three years as it funds upgrades to keep the lights on in Africa's biggest economy. Eskom expects to add 385 megawatts to the national grid by the end of the year.

Word Bank cuts SA growth outlook: The World Bank has lowered its baseline growth forecasts for South Africa for 2011, from 3,5%, in July, to 3,2%, and has warned that the downside risks to the country's growth outlook for 2012 and 2013 have also increased. The revision was published as part of the bank's second 'South Africa Economic Update', which cut the 2012 growth outlook by a full percentage point to 3,1%, when compared with the 4,1% published in the inaugural country report. The 2013 gross domestic product (GDP) forecast was also trimmed to 3,7%, from 4,4% in July. It was likely to place yet more pressure on South Africa's goal to create five-million jobs by 2020 under the New Growth Path, as well as the aspiration to create 11-million jobs by 2030 as outlined in the recently released National Development Plan (NDP) of the National Planning Commission.

Lande wat uitmunt in entrepreneurskap: Prof. Haroon Bhorat, direkteur van die Universiteit van Kaapstad se eenheid vir navorsing oor ontwikkelingsbeleid, sê as lande se ekonomiese sukses aan die hand van entrepreneurskapbeginsels gemeet word, staan 13 lande uit: Botswana (die enigste in Afrika), Brasilië, China, Hongkong, Indonesië, Japan, Suid-Korea, Maleisië, Malta, Oman, Singapoer, Taiwan en Thailand, Indië en Viëtnam is op die reserwelys. “Dit is makliker om iets te leer as om iets uit te vind,” het Bhorat verduidelik. “Japan se ekonomiese groei is bv geskoei op tegnologiese kennis uit die VSA en Europa. Benewens makro-ekonomiese toestande wat stabiel gehou is, spaar inwoners in die 13 lande in 'n goeie pas. Dié regerings het produktief in mensekapitaal belê deur goeie onderwysers te beloon en goeie gesondheidsorg te verskaf. Ander belangrike faktore is goeie telekommunikasie en innoverende vennootskappe tussen die openbare en private sektor. Suid-Afrika daarenteen, lewer minder ertrepreneurs per capita as talle ander lande”, aldus Bhorat.