Star 2026-01-13

The proposed R3.4 trillion merger between mining giants Rio Tinto and Glencore could have significant knock-on effects for South Africa, which has increasingly lost its status as a domicile for major global mining companies. Analysts believe Rio Tinto’s interest in Glencore is largely driven by the Swiss-based group’s strong copper exposure, a commodity that has become central to the global energy transition and the expansion of artificial intelligence. However, the creation of what would be the world’s largest mining company would also have implications for South Africa, where Glencore maintains a sizeable operational and corporate footprint. Andrew Bahlmann, M&A specialist and CEO at Deal Leaders International, said in an interview on Monday that possible strategic repositioning of the merged entity will be impactful for Glencore’s ferrochrome, vanadium and other interests.…

Power utility enters 2026 with an additional 4 400MW of available capacity, better than last year Eskom has entered 2026 with an additional 4 400MW of available generation capacity compared with the same period last year, underpinned by a marked improvement in the performance of its power stations, according to Eskom Group CEO Dan Marokane. In a statement on Monday, Marokane said South Africa returns from the holiday break to a structurally stronger system entering 2026 than in five years with the stability reflected not only in structural improvements in the generation fleet, but in fewer emergency interventions and improved maintenance discipline. Marokane outlined that since the results of the recovery plan include Eskom having occasionally pushed the Energy Available Factor (EAF) to 70% on 55 occasions since 2023. Other…

The Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa (Agbiz) has raised concerns about the growing trade imbalance between South Africa and its BRICS partners, warning that the bloc has delivered limited economic benefits in its current form. According to a recent article, South Africa’s trade deficit with its BRICS partners has widened by $9.6 billion (about R157 billion), highlighting structural weaknesses in intra-BRICS trade. Wandile Sihlobo, Agbiz’s chief economist, on Monday said the grouping’s economic potential remains largely untapped. “The exception is China, with which South Africa has deeper trade relations, though more could be done in agriculture and other sectors of our economy if we had a free trade agreement,” he said. Sihlobo added that the path forward for this challenge is not necessarily to abandon the BRICS bloc, but…

Systemic innovation, rather than isolated technological fixes, will be critical to transforming global energy systems and accelerating a just energy transition, according to a new report released by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). Unveiled during a Ministerial Dialogue on the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) at IRENA’s Assembly on Monday, the report finds that meaningful transformation occurs when technological advances are combined with innovation in policy, regulation, market design, system operations and business models. The study highlights 40 emerging and proven innovations, ranging from AI-driven and digital applications to smarter grid planning, decentralised and off-grid solutions, and new financing and ownership models. It concludes that only a systemic, integrated approach can deliver resilient and affordable power systems, expand energy access, and unlock the full potential of the global energy…

Industry experts have broadly welcomed the landmark 25-year partnership between Transnet SOC Ltd and International Container Terminal Services, Inc (ICTSI), saying the deal could mark a turning point for South Africa’s struggling port and logistics system. The agreement, officially signed in December, came into effect on 1 January 2026 and paves the way for the strategic redevelopment of Durban Container Terminal (DCT) Pier 2. Under the arrangement, Transnet Port Terminals (TPT) and ICTSI will jointly manage the upgrade and long-term development of the country’s largest container handling facility. Peter Besnard, CEO of the South African Association of Ship Operators and Agents (Saasoa), last week said DCT Pier 2 is a critical national asset, handling more than 70% of the Port of Durban’s container throughput and about 46% of South Africa’s…

MediCheck, representing over 1 500 affected members, has welcomed Discovery Health's announcement that it will absorb the full cost of a claims processing error rather than pursue recoveries from 16 500 Discovery Health Medical Scheme members. The decision, announced by Discovery Sunday night, follows a week of intensive engagement by MediCheck on behalf of affected members who faced recovery demands – in some cases exceeding R80 000 – for an administration error they did not cause. Discovery Health announced that it will cover the cost of a claims system error that resulted in the overpayment of certain Above Threshold Benefit (ATB) claims during 2025. Affected Discovery Health Medical Scheme members will not be required to repay any amounts related to the error, and no other members of the Scheme…