Africa

With Eskom’s New Build Programme forging ahead, Jeff Daniel talks to Johan Bornman, acting general manager for Power Delivery Projects (PDP), the Eskom department responsible for the building and refurbishment of transmission lines and substations in South Africa.

Brewer SABMiller has revealed in its full year trading update that strong performances in Africa and Asia boosted overall results.

The London-based maker of Peroni and Grolsch said that revenues for the 12 months to 31 March 2011 grew by five per cent, with lager volumes rising by two per cent. Within this, lager volumes in Africa increased by 13 per cent and in Asia by eight per cent.

However Latin American volumes remained level with the previous year, and fell in Europe by three per cent.

Gold Fields has agreed to buy an 18.9 per cent stake in the Tarkwa and Damang gold mines in Ghana from IAMGOLD Corporation for $667 million.

The acquisition will increase Gold Fields’ interest in both mines from 71.1 per cent to 90 per cent. The remaining 10 stake is held by the government of Ghana.

The Export-Import Bank of the United States has given preliminary approval for an $805.6 million direct loan to South Africa’s state-owned utility Eskom.

The financing, if eventually approved, will support Eskom's purchase of engineering and construction management services which will be used to construct the Kusile power plant, located in the Emalahleni area of Mpumulanga Province.

The loan includes a business contract for Kansas, US-based Black & Veatch to provide the engineering and construction management services to Eskom.

In 2008, things looked very uncertain for mining company Weatherly Plc. However, as CEO Rod Webster tells Jane Bordenave, overcoming a crisis has led to even greater opportunities.

Weatherly Plc is a British-based copper mining company working primarily in Namibia. It has two mining projects currently in operation—Otjihase and Matchless—both located in central Namibia; and a further two in the north of the country expected to come into production within the next three or four years.

Tellumat Electronic Manufacturing is drawing on its distinguished heritage to offer a full turnkey solution to high end industrial and consumer equipment developers.

Sekoko Resources wants to extend its reach from exploration and development to supporting South Africa’s energy independence by harnessing the resources it can recover with emerging power generation technology. Jayne Alverca reports.

Aquarius Platinum has announced the acquisition of platinum group metal (PGM) mineral rights through its purchase of South Africa-based Afarak Platinum.

Under the terms of the deal, worth $109.7 million, Aquarius will hold a 74 per cent interest in Afarak. The remaining 26 per cent is held by empowerment company Watervale, which is controlled by Savannah Resources, a major shareholder in Aquarius.