GROUNDBREAKING 

The present challenges affecting the growth of the construction industry

By Nosiyabonga Mongane, Quantity Surveyor   The construction industry has contributed 2.7% to this country’s overall gross domestic product (GDP) despite its challenges. However, the industry continues to grapple with the following challenges: shortage of skilled labour, public sector capacity to deliver infrastructure projects, loadshedding, slow adoption of technology, business confidence in South Africa, and construction mafias.   Shortage of skilled labour In recent years, the construction industry has experienced a shortage of skilled workers. The shortage of skilled workers is one of the factors affecting the success and growth…

Read More
GROUNDBREAKING 

Royal Purple® BioMax green lubricants and greases for environmentally conscience operations.

Royal Purple® BioMax lubricants from ISO-Reliability Partners are high performance environmentally acceptable lubricants formulated with renewable, readily biodegradable synthetic base stock and proprietary additives to provide superior lubrication and protection for equipment. BioMax meets the 2013 US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Vessel General Permit (VGP) restriction placed on use and discharge of lubricants in oil-to-sea interfaces. VGP is a regulation put in place to stop harmful lubricant discharge and its impact on US waterways. This is in accordance with the Vessel Incidental Discharge Act (VIDA), a US EPA framework to…

Read More
GROUNDBREAKING 

Plug in for safety

Hospitality management, restaurant owners and designers of industrial kitchens understand the importance of having convenient access to plug points, not only in high-temperature cooking areas, but also in food preparation facilities, washing-up bays and in outdoor serving and storage spaces.   Chefs, cleaning staff and waitrons rely on quality electrical fittings that are not only safe to use, but also provide reliable connections for electricity in hot, busy, risky areas. This is where specialists in the industry play a critical role.   Legrand’s ongoing research and development programme ensures every…

Read More
Agriculture NEWS 

Looming Hunger: A Million Zambian Farming Families Face Desolation as Drought Grips the Nation

Zambia, a nation painted emerald hues by sprawling maize fields, stares into the abyss of a hunger crisis. Oxfam, the global inequality fighter, warns that over a million farming households – the backbone of the country’s food production – are hurtling towards acute food shortages and malnutrition. This grim reality, exacerbated by climate change and the El Nino weather phenomenon, has caused massive crop failures across half of Zambia’s planted area. “The situation is dire,” says Ezra Banda, Director at Keepers Zambia Foundation, a partner organization working with Oxfam. “This…

Read More
Agriculture NEWS 

Zambia’s Tearful Triumph: From Onion Importer to Self-Sufficient Success Story

For years, Zambia wept over the price of onions. Reliant on imports, the humble bulb became a barometer of economic woes, its price fluctuations mirroring the anxieties of ordinary Zambians. But a quiet revolution has been brewing in the fields – a story of agricultural determination and government backing that has seen Zambia transform from an importer to a self-sufficient onion producer. “It’s a victory not just for farmers but for the nation,” beams Jervis Zimba, President of the Zambia National Farmers Union. “The past two years have seen a…

Read More
Agriculture NEWS 

Fish Farming for Families: How Small Ponds are Making a Big Splash in Rural Zambia

Imagine a simple solution that tackles two major challenges in rural communities: income insecurity and a lack of nutritious food. A new study by the University of Stirling suggests there might be an answer swimming right under our noses – or rather, in our ponds. The research published in ‘Agriculture and Food Security’ dives into the positive impact of small-scale aquaculture, or fish farming, in Zambia. Dr. Alexander Kaminski, lead researcher, says, “Showcasing the role of aquaculture in boosting food security has proven difficult. But for the first time, our…

Read More
Logistics -Transportation 

Pratley’s Pratliperl® ensures energy efficiency in the fight against global warming and climate change

Pratliperl® has been developed by Pratley to promote sustainability in the construction industry. “We have always been committed to sustainability and energy efficiency, especially in terms of infrastructure development and energy savings,” comments Pratley Marketing Director Eldon Kruger. Pratliperl® is a naturally occurring mineral aggregate for plaster and screeds that can assist contractors and developers with meeting standards such as SANS 204, which specifies the design requirements for energy efficiency in buildings. The product is a perlite-based, lightweight, thermally insulating, and fireproof cement aggregate used instead of ordinary building sand.…

Read More
GROUNDBREAKING 

Highlighting the importance of water equity on World Water Day

By Jonathan Schroder, Technical Director, AECOM; Snothando Shezi, Associate Technologist, AECOM; and Mohamed Abdelmegeed, Technical Director, AECOM A great tension exists in the water industry between the economic sustainability of water supply and the social responsibility of providing water as a basic human need. In other words, to ensure equitable provision of water the business of water needs to work. And to make the business of water work for all stakeholders, from government being the water services provider to the general public and business – that is, the customer –…

Read More
National 

Resolution Circle, in partnership with University of Johannesburg, launches Revamped Technical Training Centre in Welkom

Resolution Circle, a leading ecosystem for technical training solutions, has launched its newly revamped training centre in Welkom this week. This initiative marks a significant milestone in Resolution Circle’s commitment to enhancing technical education and fostering industry partnerships. Initially established in 1981 under the stewardship of Anglo American and spearheaded by Snyman Naude as its designer and inaugural Manager, the training centre in Welkom has a rich history within the local industry. Owned by Harmony Gold Mining Company, the building has served as a cornerstone for technical education in the…

Read More
GROUNDBREAKING 

Bearings International fosters a segment strategy to keep customers ‘in motion’

Bearings International’s (BI) segment approach to the market places an intentional focus on key industries in South and Sub-Saharan Africa in a bid to optimise operations, enhance uptime and drive business sustainability and increased profitability outcomes for customers. “We do this,” says Christian Chipamaunga, GM End-User Markets, “through the timely provision of world-class quality product, technology, service, and after-market solutions.” BI’s extensive network of thirteen suppliers, which include the three premium brand partners, I-MAK (gearboxes), JTEKT–Koyo (automotive and industrial bearings), Schaeffler (automotive, industrial and linear bearings and solutions) and ABB…

Read More