Africa

Biggest doesn’t have to be best but the scale of Eskom’s Kusile coal-fired power station is of strategic importance to the hard-pressed utility: it has to catch up with ever increasing demand from industry and South Africa’s mass electrification programme.

A major contribution to improved airline efficiency in southern Africa is coming from the air traffic controllers, as Jeff Daniels learns.

Investing in technology and innovative services to drive its customer appeal, and inspired marketing to unite football with the internet, MTN South Africa is unlocking the massive potential of mobile telephony, as managing director Karel Pienaar tells John O’Hanlon.

Water affects every aspect of our lives and in South Africa it’s regarded as a precious commodity. Dr Cornelius Ruiters, from the Department of Water Affairs, is charged with helping to improve water quality, supply and security on a limited budget. He tells Andrew Pelis about current initiatives to provide safe water for everyone.

Dr Vaino Shivute, CEO of Namibia’s water utility NamWater, explains how the company is rising to the challenge of nearly doubling its water supply to meet the needs of the country’s rapidly expanding uranium mining industry. Gay Sutton reports.

Anglo-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto has increased its offer for Riversdale Mining to £2.5 billion (A$3.9 billion), after initially offering £2.2 billion earlier this month.

Riversdale's directors said the offer provided "immediate value" and that they would recommend it to shareholders.

The African Development Bank has approved $232 million in loans and grants to Ethiopia to fund the expansion of the country's electricity grid.

Earlier this year, Addis Ababa launched a five-year economic development plan encompassing a massive expansion of the country’s infrastructure. The plan looks to boost Ethiopia’s power production from 2,000 MW to 10,000 MW; and it also includes the construction of 2,395 kilometres of railway lines.

Ethiopia wants to expand electricity coverage to 75 per cent of the population from 41 per cent currently.

The West African nation of Ghana is due to pump its first oil today following the discovery of the offshore Jubilee Field three years ago.

A consortium led by UK-based Tullow Oil hopes to produce 55,000 barrels per day increasing to 120,000 barrels in six months, with Ghana expected to earn around $400 million (£254 million) in the first year. Ghana’s government has forecast a boost to the country’s economic growth rate of up to seven per cent in the space of a year—from five per cent to 12 per cent.

Steinhoff International Holdings is in exclusive talks with France’s PPR to buy its Conforama furniture business for a cash sum of €1.2 billion.

PPR is selling Marne-La-Vallée, France-based Conforama to focus on its Gucci Group luxury goods and Puma sporting goods divisions. The Paris-based company is also planning to sell the Fnac music chain and the mail-order retailer Redcats.