South Africans are no strangers to overcoming adversity and challenges, with the ability to rise from whatever is thrown their way, often becoming global role models. Just three years ago the nation was on the verge of the Day Zero water crisis, but through rapid interventions were able to change the way our resources were handled and make the most of a dire situation. What … [Read more...]
Fellowships key to closing gap on SA skills shortages
The latest unemployment figures in South Africa are cause for concern. Among those, the growing number of graduates who are unable to find jobs in their chosen fields or, in many cases, are employed but not in the field they studied, is telling of an even greater challenge South Africa faces. The 2019 Post-School Education and Training Monitoring report sheds some light on … [Read more...]
Protecting biodiversity with better waste management
For the past 50 years, human activities have dramatically reduced biodiversity across the globe. We have, through our actions, extinguished our habitats and reduced populations of plants and wild animals by up to 60% so that today, our natural resources and the species on our planet are under threat – from us. In fact, the negative impact we have made is astounding. Just … [Read more...]
Job creation amid transition to a lower carbon economy
A transition to a lower carbon economy is occurring rapidly around the world and is critical for South Africa. The transition is being driven both by a realisation of the urgency required to save our environment and by economic reasons and comes with both positive and negative impacts on employment. These are some of the key highlights from a report – What a ‘just … [Read more...]
Retailer maintains climate commitment with solar PV project
It is always encouraging to see larger retailers take active steps toward treading more lightly in their daily operations. The Shoprite Group now generates enough electricity to power over 1 100 households - 12 300 MWh of electricity - a year from solar energy, following the installation of rooftop PV (photovoltaic) panels at 19 sites in South Africa and Namibia. The … [Read more...]
Cape Town’s top 10 green innovators announced
Invest Cape Town and The Business Hub, initiatives of the City of Cape Town, in partnership with GreenCape, invited innovators and entrepreneurs with economically viable green economy innovation business ideas to enter the Invest Cape Town | Business Hub GreenPitch Challenge 2021. From close to 40 excellent nationwide entries, the following innovations have been announced as … [Read more...]
SA entrepreneurs grow ideas into successful businesses
Despite living in different parts of South Africa, Simphiwe Makapela, Kylie Davids and Luvuyo Gushu each began their entrepreneurial journey with one common goal in mind – exploring opportunities to develop successful businesses in the water, biodiversity and environmental sectors. Historically, entrepreneurs looking to venture into specialised sectors, such as water and … [Read more...]
Eco-friendly charcoal production to boost SA’s water security
The global outcry against the use of braai charcoal produced from rainforest trees, which leads to devastating forest degradation primarily in South American and African countries, is boosting the demand and production of eco-friendly charcoal certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). The eco-friendly charcoal is made from ideally suited hardwood invasive alien … [Read more...]
Calling on banks to stop funding East African oil pipeline
Standard Bank, Africa’s biggest lender, and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) of Japan are reportedly about to finance a 1,443-kilometer crude oil pipeline through Uganda and Tanzania. If built, the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) would be the longest heated crude oil pipeline in the world. Extinction Rebellion SA condemns the pipeline project and will take … [Read more...]
Curbing SA’s unemployment problem with #ImStaying
In its first major move to focus on entrepreneurship and unemployment, ImStaying NPC together with The Lions Den launches the #ImStaying Entrepreneur Movement. They aim to lower the unemployment rate by 5% over the next 5 years. Start-ups, entrepreneurs, business owners, those thinking of starting a business, those who want to create a second revenue stream or a side hustle, … [Read more...]
Extinction Rebellion responds to 2020 SONA
“We undertake this decisive shift in our energy trajectory at a time when humankind faces its greatest existential threat in the form of climate change. Yesterday I met Ayakha Melithafa, a young climate activist from Eerste Rivier who attended the World Economic Forum in Davos this year to call on world leaders to stand firmly for climate justice. Ayakha asked me to make … [Read more...]
IT entrepreneur tackles e-waste one town at a time
Cracked mobile phones, leaking batteries, broken kitchen appliances, obsolete televisions… The twisted cords of toxic electronic waste are strangling South Africans. Seeing the danger, a North West entrepreneur has taken matters into his own hands, reports Rebekah Funk. As the use of technology grows at a seemingly insatiable pace, so too does the staggering amount of … [Read more...]
Public comment sought on carbon tax regulations
Following the coming into effect of the Carbon Tax Act, National Treasury is seeking public comment into the Draft Regulations for Trade Exposure Allowance and the Draft Regulations for the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Intensity Benchmarks. “The National Treasury has published for public comment two further sets of regulations, namely Draft Regulations for the Trade … [Read more...]
