Irma Venter
Irma Venter is a Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor for Engineering News and Mining Weekly.
Gauteng Transport Authority Bill approved by Cabinet, Gautrain 2 ‘held back’ by Treasury
19th June 2018 The bill to establish a Gauteng Transport Authority (GTA) has been approved by Cabinet. Speaking at the i-Transport and UATP Go Green, Go Smart... →
Economic impact of ANC race to be felt only in 2019, says Schussler
5th October 2017 Economist Mike Schussler says South Africa’s economic growth rate will not see a “major improvement beyond 2%, 2.5% for the foreseeable future”. “I... →
Gauteng freeway toll network nearly at capacity, says Sanral
20th September 2017 The busiest section of the Gauteng open-road tolling (GORT) system is between the Buccleuch and Allandale interchanges, in Midrand. The traffic... →
Next year should see the end of e-tolling, believes Outa
13th July 2017 Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) COO Ben Theron says electronic tolling (e-tolling) on Gauteng’s freeways should be a “thing of the past” by... →
General Motors pulls out of SA, GMSA to become Isuzu Motors SA
18th May 2017 US vehicle manufacturer General Motors (GM) on Thursday announced that it would disinvest from South Africa as part of a global restructuring... →
Is there a link between lack of engineers, ANC poll losses, asks SAICE
11th August 2016 The ANC’s attitude towards engineers – who enable proper service delivery – probably contributed to the party’s decline at the polls in the 2016... →
Next phase of auto policy to focus on black companies – Zuma
24th May 2016 The next phase of automotive policy development would have a strong focus on creating black-owned suppliers in the automotive value chain, said... →
Toyota SA opens R6.1bn Fortuner, Hilux assembly lines
24th May 2016 President Jacob Zuma on Tuesday officially opened Toyota South Africa Motors’ (TSAM’s) new Fortuner and Hilux production lines. The Japanese... →
New year brings four challenges for R51bn PRASA project
9th February 2016 Gibela CEO Marc Granger is positive the R51-billion deal that will see the Alstom-led consortium supply 600 new trains, up to 2027, to the... →
Gautrain starts process to acquire 12 new trains
8th January 2016 Gautrain has started the process of acquiring 12 new trains of four cars each. Bombela Concession Company, the operator of the Gautrain system, has... →
All VWs sold in SA comply with local emissions standards – VWSA
5th October 2015 All Volkswagen models affected by the emissions scandal in the US complied with South African emissions standards, said Volkswagen Group South... →
EFF seeks 60% State ownership of mines, govt as custodian of farmland
29th September 2015 When the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) spoke of nationalising South Africa’s mines, it meant that the State would own 60% of the operation, said... →
Regulator to probe VWs sold in SA following emissions scandal
28th September 2015 The National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications (NRCS) announced last week that it would launch an investigation to determine whether emission... →
SA task team seeks benefits from Africa’s burgeoning auto ambitions
25th September 2015 The low oil price has hit Nigeria where it hurts – in the wallet – highlighting the need for Africa’s biggest economy to diversify its income... →
Elections to cause economic policy stagnation, says analyst
2nd September 2015 Next year’s local government elections will be the most important ever held in South Africa’s recent democratic history, believes political analyst... →
Carbon tax set for mid-2016 introduction, says National Treasury
7th August 2015 The implementation of carbon tax in South Africa was set for the middle of next year, said National Treasury chief director of economic tax... →
Funding additional to fuel levy required, says transport economist
7th July 2015 The South African government in 2012 collected R40.4-billion from the national fuel levy, said Stellenbosch University transport economics lecturer... →
Legislation on new Border Agency to reach Parliament in Sept
6th July 2015 Cabinet in June approved the establishment of a Border Management Agency, to be tasked with integrating the functions of all government departments... →
Gautrain to buy more rolling stock, reconsiders funding model
6th July 2015 The Gautrain Management Agency (GMA) and the Gauteng provincial government “were close to announcing” a R3-billion investment, funded by the... →
APDP review made public when ‘complex negotiations’ completed – DTI
9th June 2015 The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) was consulting vehicle manufacturers “in a final round of discussion” in its review of the Automotive... →
Current toll narrative ignores a number of inconvenient truths, says Alli
26th May 2015 There were a number of “inconvenient truths” often ignored in the debate around tolling the 201 km of Gauteng highways upgraded during the Gauteng... →
Local government collaboration must be enforced, says KPMG’s Skosana
26th May 2015 The mandate of local government has expanded greatly over the last ten years, and now includes more comprehensive operational responsibilities, as... →
Gautrain expansion feasibility study expected in Jan 2016
16th February 2015 The feasibility study on the possible expansion of the 80 km Gautrain system should be completed by January next year, says Gautrain Management... →
Fuel price bonanza not all it seems, warns economist
3rd February 2015 Oil prices could bounce back to $65, $70 a barrel, with the price already strengthening in February to above $50 a barrel, said Econometrix... →
No timeline, costs finalised for Gautrain water ingress fix
12th January 2015 As yet, no specific methodology, timeline or costs have been finalised to remedy the water ingress, excessive to contractual specifications, into... →
R400m upgrade planned for N3 between Cedara and Tweedie
11th December 2014 A stretch of the N3 highway between Durban and Johannesburg will be upgraded, starting in the middle of 2015, in a contract valued at around... →
Sub-Saharan infrastructure spend to reach $180bn by 2025 – PwC
2nd December 2014 Infrastructure spend in sub-Saharan Africa would grow from $70-billion in 2013 to $180-billion by 2025, said PwC capital projects and... →
Rhino ambulance, set to assist poaching survivors, unveiled at Tuks
26th November 2014 Rhino conservation initiative Saving the Survivors has received more than R3-million from Dubai-based air services provider dnata – part of the... →
Lions, elephants in need of database similar to rhino project, urges DNA pioneer
28th October 2014 There is a need to develop a database for every threatened species in the world – not just rhinos, says Dr Cindy Harper from the University of... →
Competition Commission starts probe into auto industry
13th October 2014 The Competition Commission on Monday announced that it had launched an “investigation into price fixing, market division and collusive tendering in... →
Roads backlog jumps by R50bn from 2010
6th October 2014 The backlog on South Africa’s road network has reached R197-billion, up from R149-billion in 2010, says South African National Roads Agency Limited... →
Govt will pull plug on e-tolls, believes Outa
19th August 2014 Any user-pays project where less than half the users pay, is a failure, said Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance (Outa) chairperson Wayne Duvenage... →
Even in the supposedly precise world of engineering, miscalculations arise
15th August 2014 Misfortune often finds its roots in the smallest of things. Such as a centimetre or two. Or is that in inch? Perhaps a foot? Swedish or Dutch? The... →
Business market continues decline as economy stumbles
7th August 2014 South Africa’s new vehicle business market declined by 14.5% for the first seven months of the year compared with the same period last year, says... →
CSIR develops durable, labour-intensive ultrathin concrete road pavement
5th August 2014 The Built Environment unit at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has developed a cost-competitive ultrathin concrete... →
Three main challenges for Gibela as it readies for R51bn PRASA contract
30th July 2014 Gibela has three main challenges in executing the R51-billion contract to supply the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) with 600 new... →
Metrorail refurb to run for 15 years, CTLE rail theft being resolved
23rd July 2014 The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) will continue refurbishing its existing Metrorail fleet for another 15 years, despite the... →
Rea Vaya battles low numbers, new-look Phase 1C to be rolled out
11th July 2014 Phase 1A of Johannesburg’s Rea Vaya bus rapid transit (BRT) system should carry around 42 000 people a day, while it had been expected that Phase... →
Gautrain, Metrorail subsidies a necessity, says PRASA boss
8th July 2014 The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa’s (PRASA’s) Metrorail service would remain a subsidised service following its current multibillion-rand... →
Peters aims for 2015 approval in round 2 for transport master plan
7th July 2014 Transport Minister Dipuo Peters said on Monday that she “would love to” present the National Transport Master Plan (Natmap) to Cabinet for approval... →
NDP quality product, but funding a challenge, says KPMG
30th June 2014 As far as infrastructure plans go, government’s National Development Plan (NDP) is “right up there” with the best in the world, says KPMG global... →
