With stage 6 loadshedding, increasing fuel prices, day zero and winter, we all need some good news. Infrastructure News brings you all the latest positive news to come about from the month of June.
Matjhabeng water plants receive massive security upgrades Earlier this month the Minister of Water and Sanitation Senzo Mchunu reiterated his commitment to assist Motjhabeng Local Municipality and other municipalities across the country in addressing challenges that hinder the provision of services to communities. This commitment was made by the minister during his visit to Free State province, where he met various water and sanitation stakeholders in an effort to improve water and sanitation provision in the province. This comes after Matjhabeng Local Municipality presented a sophisticated security plan to prohibit the scourge of vandalism of infrastructure – which has affected many municipalities. The vandalism of water and sanitation infrastructure has adverse effects on the provision of services to the public. Read More: Massive security upgrades to prohibit vandalism of Matjhabeng water plants | Infrastructure newsSouth Africa’s economy returns to pre-pandemic levels South Africa’s economy was stronger than expected in the first quarter of 2022, with a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth of 1.9% from the last quarter of 2021. According to Statistics South Africa, the size of the economy is at pre-pandemic levels with the GDP slightly above what it was before the Covid-19 Pandemic. Last year, the South African economy grew by 4.9% as it started to recover from a 6.4% slump in 2020 due to pandemic-related lockdowns. Read More:South Africa’s economy is back to pre-pandemic levels | Infrastructure newsThe department speeds up repairs and upgrades of water infrastructure in Nelson Mandela Bay In efforts to ramp up interventions for affected communities faced with severe water shortages in the Nelson Mandela Bay, the Department of Water and Sanitation in conjunction with the Metro is fast-tracking the repair and upgrades of water infrastructure in the Metro and surrounding areas.
This is as the Algoa Water Supply System, which provides water to five dams in the vicinity, continues to decline on a weekly basis, recording 12.0% this week. When compared to a similar period last year, the system stood at 33.8%.
“One way in which we are working to ensure that water infrastructure in the province operates optimally is through the upgrading of the Motherwell and Stanford Road pump stations,” said the Department’s spokesperson Sputnik Ratau. Read More:The Department fast-tracks repair and upgrades of water infrastructure in Nelson Mandela Bay | Infrastructure news [OPINION PIECE] Unlocking opportunities for electric vehicle manufacturing in South Africa Electric vehicles are the future of transportation, with many countries already putting a time limit on the future of fossil fuel-driven cars. In South Africa, this is both a challenge and an enormous opportunity. The import duties on these vehicles are prohibitively high, which means there isn’t much incentive to bring them into the country. However, it also means that manufacturing them locally would be incredibly beneficial, not only in terms of carbon emissions reduction, but also job creation and economic sustainability. We already have everything we need to unlock this opportunity, it is simply a matter of adjustment, and it could be a sustainable long-term solution for economic progression. Read More: Unlocking the opportunities for electric vehicle manufacturing in South Africa | Infrastructure newsEPR Regulations present promising prospects for plastic recycling sector growth With the introduction of the extended-producer responsibility (EPR) regulations, wider industry adoption of recyclate replacing raw materials, and several voluntary agreements that promote material circularity, all eyes are on the South African plastics recycling sector. The latest industry research revealed that South Africa has managed to retain a stable recycling economy as compared to previous years, despite hampering market circumstances including Covid-19 lockdowns. Read More:Promising indicators for plastics recycling sector growth | Infrastructure newsWhat to watch next? Revolutionizing waste compaction – YouTube
Water is likely already a part of your sustainability strategy. After all, it’s a utility with an associated cost, and every responsible business will track that cost. Yet, even at that level, most companies treat water with broad strokes and...
Ceenex, a leading provider of water engineering solutions, recently handed over the new Mathyzensloop Booster Pump Station to Thembisile Hani Local Municipality (THLM). This state-of-the-art infrastructure supplies water to roughly 57,000 people...
Siltation reduces dam storage – vital for water supply and the economy. Managing this is crucial. The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) assigned the Water Research Commission (WRC) to develop a National Siltation Management Strategy...
