From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I'm Shannon O'Donnell.

Making headlines today:

South Africa should maximise the contribution of manufacturing into the economy, as "manufacture has not yet reached its full potential", Trade and Industry Minister Mandisi Mpahlwa said on Wednesday.

He indicated that investment into the manufacturing sector had averaged 12% growth between 2004 and 2007, showing that the sector was on a "long-term recovery path".

Mpahlwa noted that many manufacturing companies were operating at full capacity in order to cope with higher demand from consumers, which has also led to companies recapitalising factories, and spending more on capital equipment. He stated that this contributed to South Africa's current account deficit, as much of the machinery and equipment to fit out manufacturing expansion, had to be imported.

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South Africa's consumer confidence has registered one of its largest falls in more than two decades in the second quarter this year, as fuel and transport costs rose, house prices declined and the situation in Zimbabwe worsened.

The First National Bank and Bureau for Economic Research consumer confidence index, declined by a further 18 index points to minus six for the second quarter of this year, after it declined by ten index points from 22 to 12 during the first quarter of the year.

FNB chief economist Cees Bruggemans said that the decline was the largest fall between consecutive quarters in 24 years.

Gold Fields' four-year-old Living Gold venture near Carletonville, which has produced 80-million cut roses and exported 30-million of them abroad, is looking to taking on an additional partner and expanding, Gold Fields CEO Nick Holland said.

The 320-employee venture is an enterprise within Gold Fields' wholly owned Agrihold, headed by CEO Fred Formanek, and has trained more than 600 people in growing and exporting globally competitive roses.

The company needs 50-million rand to carry out its expansion plans and is seeking potential partners.

Fred Formanek:
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Also making headlines:

Oil hits new peak above 144 dollars on dollar and supply concerns
New vehicle sales slowdown accelerates
Reliance Communication may opt for stake in MTN
Coal junior urges RBCT shareholders to open access to port
Price of South African export coal likely to drop to 120 dollars a ton by year-end says analyst
And, 320 000 miners to join Cosatu mass action

In political news:

Zambian president in intensive care in Paris
Zimbabwe central bank chief could face UN sanctions
Kenya parliament passes vote of no confidence against Finance Minister
And, the International Criminal Court's first suspect could go free in 5 days

That's a round up of news making headlines today. For more on these and other stories, visit engineeringnews.co.za, miningweekly.com and polity.org.za