Saldanha

The Saldanha Bay Municipality comprises the towns of Saldanha, Vredenburg, St Helena Bay, Stompneusbaai, Paternoster, Jacobsbaai, Hopefield and Langebaan. Although the municipal area includes agricultural land that produces excellent dairy, honey, wheat and canola, the area is best known for its fish and for its harbour.

The Port of Saldanha exports about 24 million tonnes of iron ore annually, as well as steel, metal concentrates and other commodities. About 3.2 million tonnes of crude oil is imported. In addition, the bulk of South Africa’s strategic oil reserves are stored at Saldanha. The three major terminals cater for oil, ore and marine repairs. There is also a fabrication site and a small-craft harbour.

On the back of a decision by MAN Ferrostaal to invest heavily in an oil tanker and platform fabrication and repair plant, Saldanha has been identified as a node for industrial development, with particular emphasis on the steel industry.

The original port of Saldanha near the town services the trawler fleets of several fishing companies. Premier Fishing has a fish-meal plant in the area and Sea Harvest runs a large cold-storage facility.

Saldanha is surrounded by natural beauty. Just around the lagoon is the popular holiday town of Langebaan and, to the south of the entrance to Saldanha Bay, is the 30 000-hectare West Coast National Park. This is one of most popular viewing areas for the annual show put on by nature in the first weeks of spring, the blooming of the wild flowers. To the north is the quaint fishing village of Paternoster and the Columbine Nature Reserve, from where whales are often spotted.

www.saldanhabay.co.za

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JOHANNESBURG & ERIE, Pa., Dec 18, 2009 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- GE | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating-- GE South African Technologies (GESAT), GE Transportation's entity in South Africa, announced today that it has signed a landmark contract with Transnet Limited to supply Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) with 100 locomotives. TFR is South Africa's state-owned rail freight logistics utility; Transnet Limited is its parent company. Ten of the locomotives will be manufactured in Erie and Grove City, USA and 90 will be manufactured locally at Transnet Rail Engineering's site in South Africa with kits provided by GE Transportation.

"We are pleased that GE is helping drive South Africa towards a lead manufacturing economy by localizing the production of locomotives in South Africa. We look forward to sharing some of our global success with Transnet and thus jointly expanding our regional footprint," said Lorenzo Simonelli, President and CEO of GE Transportation. "GE's extensive knowledge in localizing locomotive assembly can be witnessed in some of the world's leading developing economies such as China, Brazil and Kazakhstan. Each of our global manufacturing sites has been specifically customized in line with customer and country requirements and capabilities. We worked closely with Transnet Rail Engineering to develop a comprehensive localization plan that complements local strengths and transfers world-class skills and technology where applicable."

In December 2008, GE Transportation signed an agreement with one of South Africa's foremost Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) companies, Mineworkers Investment Company (MIC), to establish the subsidiary GE South Africa Technologies (Pty) Limited (GESAT), allowing the company to more actively participate in South Africa's social and economic transformation in the rail industry. Commenting on the announcement of this contract, Tshidi Madima, Executive Director of the MIC stated, "We are delighted that GESAT has been successful in winning this Transnet Freight Rail contract as this is an excellent example of the type of participation in the South African economy that was anticipated in the creation of GESAT 12 months ago."

GE's model C30ACi, the first AC diesel electric locomotive to be introduced to sub-Saharan Africa, will have an engine that delivers 3,300 Gross HorsePower (GHP) using an electronic fuel-injection system that automatically supplies the exact amount of fuel needed for optimal engine efficiency. The locomotives will also feature GE's unique AC propulsion technology and dynamic braking. The addition of these new locomotives, which will be used to haul freight and coal, will decrease life-cycle costs, improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions. The first locomotives and kits are scheduled to be delivered in early 2011; locomotive assembly in country, with kits from Erie and engines from Grove City, should begin at the end of 2010.

GE Transportation in South Africa

A trusted partner and supplier to the rail and mining industries in South Africa, GE Transportation has an installed base of some 1,200 GE locomotives in Africa including approximately 900 in South Africa. In 2008, GE Transportation took South Africa's Western Cape Orex line to the next level with the longest productiontrain in the world, made possible through the LOCOTROL technology solution. This distributed power system - a first in South Africa - allows longer, safer trains on the critical Western Cape Saldanha Bay iron ore export line. Orex is the only heavy-haul iron-ore railway line in South Africa and the second-longest iron-ore railway line in the world at some 861 kilometers. It feeds the port of Saldanha Bay, for export to a global market hungry for South African iron ore. Until now, the carrying capacity of the line itself has been a major barrier to increasing economy-boosting iron ore exports.

GE Transportation has a long and successful history of operations and activities throughout Africa. As a global technology leader in transportation, GE Transportation is committed to help delivering world-class transportation, infrastructure development, and technology solutions -- a key prerequisite for sustainable economic growth. GE Transportation has a presence on the African continent with recent locomotive sales in Nigeria and Egypt.

About GE Transportation

Established more than 100 years ago, GE Transportation, a unit of General Electric Company (NYSE: GE), is a global technology leader and supplier to the railroad, marine, drilling, mining and wind industries. GE provides freight and passenger locomotives, railway signaling and communications systems, information technology solutions, marine engines, motorized drive systems for mining trucks and drills, high-quality replacement parts and value added services. GE Transportation is headquartered in Erie, Pennsylvania, USA, and employs approximately 10,000 employees worldwide. For more information visit www.getransportation.com.

SOURCE: GE Transportation

GE Transportation  Tom Scott, +33 6-35-24-92-33 (cell)  thomasxavier.scott@ge.com  or  Stephan Koller, +1 814-431-3150 (cell)  stephan.koller@ge.com

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Development zone Looking good on the West Coast.

More than R10-billion worth of projects have been scrapped or temporarily shelved at the port development of Coega over concerns about Eskom's proposed tariff increases and the global recession.

The projects, including a proposed R9.2-billion prawn-farming venture, have been canned just months after aluminium producer Rio Tinto Alcan ditched plans to build a R20-billion smelter.

The companies involved include Rainbow Nation Renewable Fuels, SeaArk, Straits Chemicals, Coega Chemicals, Maritime Motors, Mediterranean Shipping Company and SATI.

Rio Tinto Alcan, which had already spent about $130-million on the 720000-ton smelter from November 2006, announced its decision to jump ship in October.

It had initially announced that it would put the project on hold until about 2012, while reviewing South Africa's electricity supply problems.

Coega, a 12-year-old deep-water port and industrial area 22km outside Port Elizabeth, became South Africa's first industrial development zone. But electricity shortages and repeated blackouts, along with the global economic crisis, have made investors hesitant to plough more money into the site.

The dropping of the 1200ha prawn-farming project, which was expected to create 11000 jobs by 2014 and which was to have had the capacity to grow 20000 tons of prawns a year, has resulted in the retrenchment of almost all 50 employees.

The electricity-intensive prawn project was launched in 2005 by SeaArk, which is affiliated to the controversial Bosasa group of companies. The company has blamed the recession, a lack of bank funding and Eskom's proposed tariff hikes for the decision.

Bosasa spokesman Papa Leshabane said the project had come to a halt as banks "were not keen to put money into such projects", with Eskom's hikes costing "a fortune in electricity bills".

Straits Chemicals, which signed a R8.5-billion deal in April 2007 to produce a chlorine manufacturing and water desalination plant, has decided to downscale its plans.

The plant would have had the capacity to produce 600 tons of chlorine a day and supply both foreign and domestic markets. But Straits Chemicals, a subsidiary of Singapore's Chemical Industries Far East, said the initiative would be "dramatically scaled back".

Executive director Eric Lim said: "The project has been dramatically scaled back to producing only 250 tons of chlorine per year. This is a result of less demand for chlorine internationally."

Lim is expected in South Africa next month to finalise the details of the revised plan.

Coega Chemicals, which manufactures several industrial chemical products, said this week that it would be relocating its proposed plant to Saldanha Bay in Western Cape.

Director Tim Victor said: "Our project is very much alive, but the location will be at Saldanha Bay. We were comfortable at Coega, but from a logistical point of view Saldanha Bay makes more business sense."

Coega Chemicals conducted an environmental impact study in May 2007 for the proposed $1.5-billion plant to manufacture chloromethane, which is used in the silicone rubber industry; methylene chloride, used as a solvent and plasticiser; sodium hypochlorite, used in bleach, and calcium hypochlorite, used for pools and water treatment.

Initially it was reported that Coega Chemicals would source some of its chlorine from Straits Chemicals, but Victor said his company's relationship with Straits ended 18 months ago.

Rainbow Nation Renewable Fuels, which announced plans for a R1.5-billion soybean processing facility last year, has temporarily shelved its construction.

Managing director Geoff Mordt said the project had been "deferred" because of a lack of funding.

But Mordt believed sufficient funding could be secured by June.

Maritime Motors, which planned a new heavy truck plant and commercial vehicle plant in the zone, withdrew last year, citing the economic downturn and the high cost of relocating to Coega.

Maritime Motors chief executive Arthur Mutlow, who declined to reveal the value of the shelved investment, said: "We made a decision to redevelop our own plant (in Port Elizabeth)."

A source said two proposed container depots, to be built by Mediterranean Shipping Company and SATI, have also been deferred because of economic difficulties.

Despite the setbacks, the Coega Development Corporation (CDC) has secured a handful of investments, three of which are foreign direct investments into the automotive sector - creating 7723 jobs, 181 internships and training for 5120 people, and generating revenue of R55.3-million.

Last month, the CDC announced that it had a growing pipeline of new projects worth R150-billion.

These included:

• A R100-billion PetroSA crude oil refinery named Project Mthombo
• A 100-seat Absa call centre - as part of a business process outsourcing centre scheduled for completion next year
• The R178-million Nelson Mandela Bay Logistics Park, which has already secured four auto component manufacturing investors; and
• General Motors SA's logistics centre, which includes a 38000m² warehouse that will act as GM's parts distribution centre for Africa and Israel.

Responding to a statement by COPE MP Smuts Ngonyama in the National Assembly last month, Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies said the country could not expect large energy-absorbing projects in future.

He told MPs that Coega chief Pepe Silinga had said he was not fazed by the project cancellations.

"Long ago they had moved away from looking for an anchor tenant ... in particular large energy-using, but not labour-creating, projects like aluminium smelters."

Coega's business development executive manager Khwezi Tiya said: "We continuously work with the relevant companies when they have to review their plans and we also pursue projects in other growth sectors that may not be as impacted by the current crisis.

"In the past year in particular it has become clear to us that some of the companies are not finding it easy to raise the necessary funding, and that is due to various factors."

Tiya added: "A Belgian company confirmed their intent to invest approximately R1.2-billion.

"We will be making an announcement soon of another related investment with a European company, once all the necessary agreements are in place.

''We are also in the final stages of negotiations for a ferro-manganese project.

"It should be recalled that the current value of projects or potential investments that are at feasibility for location at Coega exceeds R120-billion.

"That level of investor interest could not exist if these investors doubted the viability of the location."

News from www.timeslive.co.za

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Garden Cities’ Archway Foundation gains momentum

Cape developer’s school hall project delivers on the dreams

Enjoying one of the many new play features in the grounds of their new school hall at the Enkulukweni Junior School in Wallacedene, are pupils, from left: Zizipho Wala, Sandiso Ndopho, the school principal Mrs Alice Tomose Shabangu, Nosipho Malima (centre), Asemahle Mpompo (right, back), Siyanda Sigagayi and Nancy Legethe.

Garden Cities’ Archway Foundation gains momentum – and support

“Sometimes I think it’s just been a dream and then I see the school hall, and know it’s real. I didn’t ever expect this much.”

The dream has been uppermost in the mind of Kraaifontein principal, Mrs Alice Tomose Shabangu whose school in Wallacedene is one of three that will have brand new halls handed over this month.

The halls are among the 31 that have been presented to Western Cape schools in the past six years, but represent only a dent in the more than 700 that still have to be provided. But for chief executive of 90-year-old housing developer Garden Cities, John Matthews and his board of directors, a personal dream is also slowly coming true. The company’s efforts to reduce the school hall backlog in disadvantaged communities of the region are bearing fruit.

Starting entirely unaided, with halls that could be built from 30 per cent of the company’s annual after tax profit, the Archway Foundation initiative has now drawn the attention of powerful partners, and the prospect of waiting more than a century for a hall has eased a little for the schoolchildren of the Western Cape. Joint venture partners on specific projects now include the Garden Route Casino, the Mellon Housing Trust, the Vodacom Foundation and the Western Cape Education Department (WCED). But, says Matthews, many more are needed.

In the beginning, the foundation, established six years ago by the board of Garden Cities shortly after Matthews’ took up his appointment, identified schools where the need was greatest, and began to build the halls. His own schooldays on the Cape Flats were a strong motivator in Matthews’ determination to make the Archway Foundation and its gigantic task work, and he realised that help was needed. The foundation’s efforts were appreciated by the Western Cape Education Department and Province funds have been made available to help finance some of the halls in joint ventures with the Archway Foundation, which has the expertise and infrastructure to deliver each of the halls in around two months.

“We have been involved in 31 projects so far, of which nine have been funded by ourselves, four as private joint ventures with other corporates, and 18 in collaboration with the WCED, whose members we gratefully acknowledge for their participation in this huge project,” says Matthews. The halls are to be found all over the province including Knysna, Mossel Bay, Mitchells Plain, Hanover Park, Kensington and Saldanha Bay.

So far, R42m has been allocated by the Archway Foundation and, jointly, a total of R84.5m has been spent.

“We are well aware of the shrinking fiscus and so we call on other corporates to discuss joint ventures. Although we may have only built 31 out of the 736, an opening of one of these halls graphically demonstrates the positive impact on the children and the community,” says Matthews.

This impact is endorsed by the principals of the schools that receive new halls this month. Cliffie Vraagom, headmaster of the Diazville Secondary School in Saldanha Bay, says the 26-year-old school has been given a new sense of purpose by the RR3.5 million hall. The spirit is strong among the young high-achievers at the school that include a SA Junior Kickboxing champion and the winners of three international science expos over the past five years.

“In spite of not having a practice venue, we have a highly talented brass band that is in constant demand, a wonderful school choir and three drama groups. The hall will enrich the lives of these children alone, and encourage others to participate in the additional activities the hall will provide space for,” he says.

Vraagom has been principal for five years and a teacher at the school since1986. He has a staff of 39 teachers and the school is attended by 1 100 children.

Alice Tomose Shabangu is serving her second year as principal of the Enkululukweni Primary School in Wallacedene, Kraaifontein, following 12 years in the deputy position. She says the R3.5 million hall at her school, which was funded equally by the Archway Foundation and the Mellon Housing Trust, provides a great deal more than a place to gather and perform, or play sport. It is both inspirational and a source of income for the school, whose children cannot afford to pay fees. It will be hired to the community and fund raising events will be held there.

“The kids will not have to roam the streets, there will be a safe place for them until their parents return from work to look after them. And of course the gardens and vegetable beds that the Mellon Trust has provided add to the value and quality of their life. A soccer field has also been laid out and grassed for the school. The children are so excited, this is life-changing for them,” she says.

Estienne Rheinicke is the principal of De Heide Primary School in Recreation Street, Bredasdorp, which grew from an amalgamation of two schools 26 years ago. He has 1 448 children at the school and 42 teachers. De Heide has a 686 m2 hall that was funded jointly by the Archway and the WCED, and Rheinike says already it has raised the status of the school, which, for the first time will host its own eisteddfod next year. And dramatic presentations will be staged there, including the ambitious Charlie’s Circus operetta in which 200 children will participate. Karate and kickboxing will find a home in the hall, and he says the return of physical education (PT) to the curriculum next year presents no problems – just opportunities provided by the new school hall.

“The school halls go beyond the provision of classrooms and teachers for kids in Western Cape schools, they give the kids a sense of pride in their school and in themselves – and a reason to achieve. When you see how they react to the new building, the light in their eyes, you realise just how much they deserve this and how vital it is to provide them with that inspiration,” says Matthews.

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Langebaan Kiteboard Tour in December 2009

The 3rd SAKT (South African Kiteboard Tour) event takes place at Calypso on December 19th and 20th. Spectacular kitesurfing days will attract approx 100 of our top
South African riders and crowds of spectators.

Entry fee: R150 which covers all disciplines and events, you will also receive a comp shirt and goodie bag and free entrance to the after party

This event will count towards the S.A ranking, so be sure not to miss it.

Program:

Friday: registration between 18:00 - 20:00.
Saturday: The main competition day! Registration is open in the morning from 6:00 to 7:30 am and first skippers meeting at 8:00 am. Disciplines are wave riding, coarse racing and freestyle. All wind dependent. There will be an after party Saturday night.
Sunday: Will be reserved to continue with heats not finalized on Saturday. Prize giving ceremony at the end of the day.

This unique event promises to be an exciting festival with South Africa’s top riders. All brands supporting the event will have the chance to present and sell their new collections.

Location: Calypso (Beach Bar), Langebaan. Weather & sea conditions will be perfect for all
disciplines. The beach and surrounding area has ample space for spectators and perfect location for sponsors to do branding.

Media cooperation, PR & advertising activities will guarantee a well
promoted event for its sponsors, partners and visitors.

Be part of this exciting and challenging event! Have a look at www.sakt.co.za for more information.

Taro Niehaus, 2009 Organiser SAKT Kite Surfing Event, +(27) 833212448.E-mail:
info@sakt.co.za

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South African commodity lines at heart of Transnet investment plans

Mining Weekly reported that Transnet commodity corridors in South Africa were likely to be the main beneficiaries of the State owned transport utility's expanded 5 year capital investment program.

Mr Chris Wells acting CEO of Transnet said that the new plan, which would be unveiled in February, would probably involve a 10% increase in the budget of the current rolling plan which stands at ZAR 80.5 billion.

The group had 2 main commodity lines: the coal line, linking the coalfields of Mpumalanga province with the export terminal at Richards Bay and the iron ore line from Sishen to Saldanha.

Mr Wells indicated that the main focus would be on the procurement and upgrading of locomotives and wagons for the commodity lines, but stressed that these projects still had to receive board approval. The group had invested ZAR 62 billion over the last 4 and half years in the upgrading and modernizing of existing facilities, as well as in expanding infrastructure capacity.

Its projects were also fully funded up until the end of the current financial year, and the group currently has ZAR 8 billion in cash on hand, which had been raised "opportunistically", so as to ensure that there was sufficient and timely funding for the projects. It was also confident of being able to fund the expanded project pipeline, without recourse to its shareholder, the South African government.

Transnet was in consultation with manganese exporters on the development of a new export channel which could either flow through the deep water harbor at Saldanha Bay, on South Africa's West Coast or through the new port at Ngqura in the Eastern Cape. Several possible private sector participation models were being considered, with BHP Billiton, African Rainbow Minerals and Assore having already indicated a preference for converting the Sishen line into a dual commodity channel.

The Sishen Saldanha heavy haul line had emerged as Transnet Freight Rail's top performing corridor with exports tons increasing by 32.7% to 21.1 million tonnes in the 6 months to September 30th 2009. The manganese miners would like to have access to this channel so as to boost exports from the Kalahari manganese field to some 12 million tonnes per year from the current position of around 5 million tonnes yearly, most of which is currently moved through the depth and land constrained harbor at Port Elizabeth.

The iron ore channel was in the process of being ramped up from 47 million tonnes to 60 million tonnes and a combined 90 million tonne channel with 78 million tonnes for iron ore and 12 million tonnes for manganese could be pursued. There were also various plans to raise the capacity of the coal rail corridor through to Richards Bay.

(Sourced from Mining Weekly)

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Kumba Assesses Participation in the Sishen-Saldanha Iron Ore Railway Line

South Africa’s largest iron ore exporter Kumba Iron Ore would like to get directly involved in the operation of the Sishen-Saldanha railway line, according to its CEO Chris Griffith. Mr Griffith acknowledged the issue was a sensitive one. This is because although Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) maintains it is running Sishen-Saldanha to international best practice, Mr Griffith believes it could be better operated with private sector involvement. Two of Kumba’s competitors – Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton maintain they have a competitive advantage in the iron ore export business because they own and operate their own railway lines and port handling infrastructure in Western Australia. Mr Griffith agreed with that assessment. Transnet acting CEO Chris Wells has strongly defended TFR’s running of the Sishen-Saldanha line. He said he was aware of the criticism, but said: “On any measure you care to apply, we are running the Sishen-Saldanha line as a world class operation.” The eventual outcome of this debate could have major implications for the proposed increase of export capacity on the line beyond the current planned expansion to 60 million tonnes (mt) per year. Mr Griffith said : “Transnet has not done a bad job, but we believe the line can be run better. If there was an opportunity to run those assets in collaboration with government, we would jump at it. But there are some things you can change and others you can’t. You have to just get on and make the best of the environment in which you find yourself.” Transnet has just completed the Phase 1A expansion of capacity on the line to 41mt/year, and is about to start the Phase 1B expansion to 47mt/year. The para-statal said in its 2009 financial results that approval “in principle” had been obtained to go ahead with the R4.3bn Phase 1C expansion to 60mt/year. The country’s two major iron ore exporters, Kumba and Assmang, previously indicated their desire to push exports well above the 60mt/year level and had been talking about going to 95mt/year. The first indication this may not happen was given on October 29, when Mr Wells said : “There has been a rethink on the economics of further expansion to the 95mt/year capacity. After assessing the capital cost of getting to 95mt/year, it’s clear that a prohibitive tariff would have to be charged. The result is that iron ore exporters are still keen to expand their capacity above 60mt/year, but not to 95mt/year.” That’s not quite the way the iron ore exporters see the situation. A source said: “On the Transnet figures, there is not going to be any expansion of the Sishen-Saldanha line above 60mt/year. The cost and the tariff are just too high. “We have to take a radically different approach to find a solution. We need to get in new people with fresh views to assess the situation. Maybe we need to get the work done by Chinese contractors if that will drastically reduce the estimated cost.” A major change already being looked at for any growth beyond 60mt/year is to diversify the line to handle about 12mt/year of manganese exports as well as iron ore. South Africa’s manganese deposits are located in the same region of the Northern Cape as the iron ore deposits. Mr Wells said Transnet was looking at a proposal to push capacity on the line to just under 90mt/year, of which 75mt would be allocated to the iron ore exporters and 12mt to the manganese mines. The balance of about 2mt/year is being kept in reserve for small black economic empowerment (BEE) iron ore producers, of which there are as yet none. Mr Griffith welcomed the decision to include the manganese exporters on the line, with one proviso which concerned the design of the expanded port facilities to handle the two commodities. He said: “We believe the mining industry has a role to play in the expansion above 60mt/year. Our key concern as iron ore exporters is to ensure that there is no contamination of the iron ore stockpiles at Saldanha Bay from the manganese stockpiles. “That is a huge issue for us, and the expanded port has to be designed to make sure that this does not happen.“ Mr Griffith added Transnet and the iron ore exporters had a window of about three years to carry out the necessary studies assessing the future of the Sishen-Saldanha line above 60mt/year. miningmx

Story copied from http://www.kathugazette.com

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