West Coast could see 500 wind turbines

Cape Town - Wind-driven power projects, which could involve the erection of up to 500 wind turbines, are being envisaged in the Western and Northern Cape.

This has emerged from recently published notices.

Moyeng Energy (Pty) Ltd hopes to erect up to 18 wind turbines near Darling as part of its projected Rheboksfontein wind energy plant.

An area of about 39km² is under consideration, within which this plant and associated infrastructure will be built, if permission is given. It will include access roads, a substation and a 132kV power line that will connect to the transmission network.

Moyeng Energy is looking to construct the so-called Suurplaat wind-energy plant close to Sutherland. The applicant is considering an area of 286km² for this wind farm.

According to the relevant notice of the environmental impact review, this scheme involves up to 400 wind turbines, one or more 400kV power lines to connect to the transmission network, a substation and access roads.

Plans are also being devised to launch a commercial wind farm project at Britannia Bay on the West Coast. Terra Power Solutions Ltd, a Johannesburg company in the GEO Group, wants to erect up to 20 wind turbines about 2.3km south-east of the coastal town should it get approval from the relevant authorities.

Notice has been given regarding the review study process that needs to be done in this connection. The intended area for the wind farm is some 30km from Saldanha Bay.

All of the projects that government is seeking to supply about 10 000 gigawatt hours (GWh) of renewable energy by 2013 could be identified as early as the third quarter of 2010, Sake24.com recently reported.

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Langebaan lagoon. Save SharkBay from the developers

Please help, its now or never...

A fresh attempt is being made at developing Shark Bay in Langebaan Lagoon.

You can help to prevent the destruction of this pristine natural beauty (and world class kitesurfing venue) by following these steps:

1. Download the SaveSharkBay objection document (Our experts have prepared a prewritten response which address all the legal problems with the development)
2. "Cut & Paste" the information into an email. (We encourage you to add your own comments as well, but if you don't have time there is no need)
3. You then need to email it to: lindsay@dougjeff.co.za and CC savesharkbay@gmail.com

Midnight tonight 10th March is the last day of objections, so please email your objection today, as in NOW!

Together, we can stop this development.

Thanks for your support

The SaveSharkBay team

Saldanha Bay police boat gathering dust in Cape Town

A R35-million fleet of new police patrol boats has been confiscated by court officials after the company building them went bust.

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FULL STOP: This half-finished skeleton of a police patrol boat is in a warehouse in Cape Town after being seized by the court

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Nearly three years after the tender was awarded to a Cape Town company, the four hi-tech boats are gathering dust in a warehouse without ever having put to sea.

Now police want to pull the plug on the fleet, which is still under construction and has so far cost taxpayers between R10-million and R20-million.

The vessels were to have had the latest navigational equipment, sleeping and ablution facilities for six permanent crew and eight additional people, and a cruising speed of 21 knots.

They were due to be deployed in Saldanha Bay, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and Richards Bay, where some of the boats from the 90-strong police sea arm - dilapidated from years of neglect - are kept.

The Sea Border Unit is demanding its money back from Eraco Boat Builders, who successfully applied for liquidation last month in the High Court in Cape Town. Eraco claim to have been hard hit by price increases during the recession.

Eraco legal representative Julian Jones, from Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr, said: "As a result of the increase in the project price, SAPS refused to inject further funds into the project or pay for work done. In fact, SAPS has demanded a refund of all monies paid to the corporation and has confirmed that it will not be furnishing additional funds."

One boat is 90% complete, a second 50% and a third and a fourth only 30%, Jones said.

Eraco owner Deon Erasmus said: "We would really like to get the boats finished for the police. I want to save these boats for South Africa."

Police said they were preparing a response. "It's a complicated matter," said national police spokesman Senior Superintendent Lindela Mashigo.

Source http://www.timeslive.co.za

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Industrial development zone in Saldanha Bay

The Western Cape Depart-ment of Economic Devel-opment and Tourism reports that manufacturing output in the Western Cape is 
expected to grow between 2% and 3% in 2010 as the global economy recovers.

Western Cape Finance, Eco-nomic Development and Tourism MEC Alan Winde says that the province’s diversified economy, particularly in strong sectors, such as financial intermediation, insurance, real estate and business services, has kept 
financial figures afloat during the global recession.

“These sectors contribute more than 30% to the provincial economy and are growing rapidly. As the global economy and stock markets recover and invest-
ments increase, more growth is expected. However, further growth will be constrained if the supply of skills is not increased,” he asserts.

The department recognises that increasing the skills levels in the province is important in 
increasing manufacturing output. To this end, it has identified sectors and industries that are well placed to absorb labour, which it will support through skills programmes, funding and cofunding to increase job opportunities and skills availability.

Wholesale and retail, as well as catering and accommodation, which contribute 16% to the provincial economy, are growing rapidly. The growth in tourism, as well as the growth in trade 
locally and globally, also contributes to growth in these sectors.

Manufacturing, contributing 17% to the provincial economy, has not experienced significant growth and its contribution to the provincial economy is declining. But, as the global economy picks up, this industry is expected 
to perform better. Within the industry, there are particularly good prospects in food and beverage sectors.

“The Western Cape has 
escaped the worst of the nationwide slump in the manufacturing of consumer goods, particularly 
because food, beverage and clothing manufacturing form a larger share of the provincial manufacturing sector than is the case nationally,” Winde explains.

Meanwhile, the department 
believes that the continued growth in exports is critical to the province’s economic future. Exports from the Western Cape to the global market increased from R48-billion, in 2007, to R60-billion, in 2008, representing a 24,7% growth. The department plans to increase these figures substantially over the next five
years. The most significant 
export products are vegetable and mineral products, as well as prepared foodstuffs, which make up 56% of the total exports. The largest market is Europe, which buys 46% of the province’s 
exports.

The department also expects the growth of exports to keep pace with the renewed growth of the global economy.

“The global market holds the key to future prospects. If we can increase our global participation, we will be able to scale up production by significantly increasing manufacturing output and employment. The department is optimistic about the province’s export prospects since most of the priority sectors, like oil and gas, business process outsourcing, including call centres and information and communication 
technology (ICT), have significant 
export potential,” says Winde.

While there is a wide range of growth opportunities in existing sectors, there are also economic growth opportunities in new areas.

“Oil and gas services are particularly promising. As these industries develop on the West Coast of Africa, and, with new discoveries of oil and gas, indications are that the market will grow rapidly,” Winde asserts.

Another area of future growth is business process outsourcing, particularly in call centres. This industry is expanding rapidly, and is expected to expand even more as global demand for outsourcing grows and domestic services, such as telecommunications linkages with the rest of the world, improve. The province is particularly positive about supporting development in this sector as it is labour intensive.

Winde points out that there are also many new ICT-based businesses in marketing, design and software development in Cape Town.

“Typically, these operations are developed by young and creative people, who are educated and are global in their outlook and connections. They bring a new creative energy to the city and the province, and are likely to introduce the province to new products, services and markets,” he asserts.

Meanwhile, a prefeasibility 
study for an industrial development zone, in Saldanha Bay, was completed in October 2009. An environmental-management framework is currently being 
developed for the area and the full feasibility study is likely to start in the next few months.

SOurcehttp://www.engineeringnews.co.za

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Pioneer Foods, Morreesburg Koringboere price fixing

Johannesburg - At Pioneer Foods an investigation is under way to determine whether all information was disclosed during the Competition Commission's investigation into the company's role in fixing bread prices.

This could eventually lead to a request for the resignation of the entire board of directors, even should this idea not have the support of all shareholders.

The Competition Appeal Court recently fined Pioneer R195m for its role in bread-price fixing. The Competition Commission has indicated that it will appeal the fine and ask for Pioneer to be fined R1.5bn.

This would represent 10% of the company's total turnover, in contrast to the R195m, which represents 10% of its bread division turnover alone.

Far-reaching steps are possible at Pioneer because the commission will want tangible proof that changes have taken place. Pioneer will have to send a clear message that it is serious about resolving the problem once and for all. This is what the Competition Commission has expected in all recent cases.

The two biggest shareholders in Pioneer are Kaap Agri (27.8%) and the Morreesburg Koringboere (12.2%). The PSG group has a 41% stake in Kaap Agri, via its investment in Zeder.

At the annual PSG Konsult investment conference on Thursday, PSG executive chairman Jannie Mouton said that an increased fine could have a significant impact on PSG's earnings.

A R195m fine would dilute its headline earnings by R10m, or 6c per share. A R450m fine would cost PSG R24m, or 13.9c per share.

Source http://www.fin24.com

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Ship explosion in Jacobsbaai Jacobs Bay

With an explosion that rocked Jacobsbaai, the massive barge carrier Margaret, which was a new vessel when she ran aground off the Cape West Coast, in June last year, was reduced to a smouldering wreck almost half her original size.

According to the salvors, the explosion tipped into the sea the top six river barges the Margaret was carrying as cargo. The barges were salvaged.

"She looks totally different now," said the head of salvors Smit Amandla Marine, Dave Main.

He said the explosion had dropped the vessel from a height of 50m to 30m and had allowed the barges to slide off and got the dry dock walls off. He said though some barges would be damaged at least two would be "okay".

The Margaret, which was built in China, was being towed from the shipyard to the Netherlands when the tow rope broke in a storm near Saldanha Bay on June 24.

The eight-storey-high barge was carrying 12 river barges and two floating drydocks, and was estimated to be worth about R300m.

Its Dutch owner spent R21m trying to salvage the barge before he ran out of money.

Durban blasting expert Charles Mitchell died last week after falling off a ladder while helping prepare the barge for the blast.

Mitchell, of Kloof, was the blasting contracts manager for the Durban-based Blasting & Demolition Services, and had just started work with a team of demolition experts when he fell from a 3m-high ladder.

He had been wearing safety equipment, including a helmet.

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Source http://www.iol.co.za

Springbok under 20 team coming to Vredenburg school

Former SA Schools stars Lean Schwartz (flanker) and Jean Cook (flanker) was on Tuesday named in the SA Under-20 starting line up that will take on the Argentinean Under-20s at the Vredenburg RFC on Wednesday at 17h00.
Both players represented the SA Under-18 High Performance team in international friendlies against France last year. They will team up with captain CJ Stander (No 8) who represented the Baby Boks at the 2009 IRB Junior World Championship in Japan to form the loose-forward combination for the home side.

Fullback Garth April, centre Jaco Taute and lock Kenny Okafor, who missed the SA Under-20’s recent tour to France due to injury, are all selected in the 24-man squad for Wednesday’s international.

Taute and Ruan Combrink will form the centre combination. Wingers Clayton Blommetjies, who was a member of the SA Under-20 squad that competed at the 2009 World Championship in Japan, and Jamba Ulengo, will join April to complete the back three formation for the hosts.

Francois du Toit, who has been one of the outstanding performers for the Shimlas in the FNB Varsity Cup this season, has been selected at flyhalf, while Justin van Staden, who represented Tuks during their 64-17 defeat to Maties in Monday night’s Varsity Cup match, has been drafted on to the bench for Wednesday’s Test. Van Staden got seven points for Tuks after kicking one conversion and scoring one try.

“We want to build on from where we left off in France," said SA Under-20 coach Eric Sauls.

“There were certain aspects in our play such as our defence, scrums and line outs that were good, but can get better with the more games we play as a team. Due to the extreme cold and wet conditions in France, it was difficult to play much attacking rugby which is also something we hope to get right during our games against the Argentineans.

“However we all know that any Argentinean national team scrums well and have always boasted a strong pack of forwards. So I am looking forward to see how our guys compete up front against them.

“Argentinean teams have always prided themselves with solid defensive systems. We want to test ourselves against them and see how we cope with our plays.”

SA Under-20s: Garth April, Clayton Blommetjies, Jaco Taute, Ruan Combrink, Jamba Ulengo, Francios du Toit, Frederick Muller, CJ Stander (c) , Jean Cook, Lean Schwartz, Mlungisi Bali, Peet Marais, Marcell van der Merwe, Francois du Toit, Wessel du Rand. Reserves: Shaun Melton, Brummer Badenhorst, Sebastian de Chaves, Hendrick van der Waldt, Helmut Lehmann, Kenny Okafor, Tiaan Dorfling, Gary van Aswegen, Justin van Staden.

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Source http://www.sarfu.org.za