<p><iframe loading="lazy" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8go1Rzb_sMw" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>The Covid-19 pandemic has impacted the growth of the Africa tech health sector with many companies in the space seeing an the increase in digital adoption.With many countries having to shut down due to lockdowns and curfews as a result of covid-19, the impact on movement seemed to present an opportunity for businesses in the tech health space. A year on, could this have a lasting impact on consumer the health industry as we knew it?&#8230;</p>


The impact of Covid-19 on Africa’s tech health sector


<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="820" height="615" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/5Y7LZGC2P5JCPA3F3253J37NZA-820x615.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-410978" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/5Y7LZGC2P5JCPA3F3253J37NZA-820x615.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/5Y7LZGC2P5JCPA3F3253J37NZA-300x225.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/5Y7LZGC2P5JCPA3F3253J37NZA-107x80.jpg 107w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/5Y7LZGC2P5JCPA3F3253J37NZA-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/5Y7LZGC2P5JCPA3F3253J37NZA.jpg 960w" sizes="(max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /><figcaption>Fatima Zakari (L) assembles Legos with another student during a robotics &#8220;STEM&#8221; learning section of Kabara NGO in Kano, Nigeria July 25, 2021. Picture taken July 25, 2021. REUTERS/Seun Sanni</figcaption></figure>



<p>KANO, Nigeria, Aug 2 (Reuters) &#8211; Teenage girls in the northern Nigerian city of Kano are learning robotics, computing and other STEM subjects as part of an innovative project that challenges local views of what girls should be doing in a socially conservative Muslim society.</p>



<p>In a place where girls are expected to marry young and their education is often cut short, the Kabara NGO aims to widen their world view through activities such as building machines, using common software programmes and learning about maths and science.</p>



<p>&#8220;I came to Kabara to learn robotics and I have created a lot of things,&#8221; said Fatima Zakari, 12. One of her creations is a battery-powered spin art device to create distinctive artwork.</p>



<p>&#8220;I am happy to share this with my younger ones and the community at large for the growth of the society,&#8221; she said proudly.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Read more: <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/2019/digital-technologies-are-transforming-african-businesses-but-what-are-the-obstacles-that-remain/">Digital technologies are transforming African businesses, but what are the obstacles that remain?</a></h3>



<p>Kabara is the brainchild of engineer Hadiza Garbati, who wanted to raise the aspirations of northern Nigerian girls and help them develop skills they might harness to start their own small businesses or enroll at university.</p>



<p>Since it started in Kano in 2016, Kabara has trained more than 200 girls, and Garbati is working on expanding her project to other northern cities.</p>



<p>It is a rare educational success story in northern Nigeria, where more than 1,000 children have been kidnapped from their schools by ransom seekers since December, causing many more to drop out because their parents are fearful of abductions.</p>



<p>Kabara, located in a safe area in the heart of Kano, has been unaffected by the crisis.</p>



<p>Garbati said she had overcome resistance from some parents by being highly respectful of Islamic traditions. The girls wear their hijabs during sessions.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Read more: <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/2016/the-love-affair-between-young-nigerians-and-disruptive-mobile-technology/">The love affair: young Nigerians &amp; disruptive mobile technology</a></h3>



<p>Crucial to her success has been support from Nasiru Wada, a close adviser to the Emir of Kano, a figurehead who has moral authority in the community. Wada holds the traditional title of Magajin Garin Kano.</p>



<p>&#8220;The main reason why we are doing this is to encourage them, to open their minds,&#8221; said Wada.</p>



<p>&#8220;Tradition, not to say discourages, but does not put enough emphasis on the education of the girl child, with the belief that oh, at a certain age, she will get married,&#8221; he said.</p>



<p>&#8220;It is good to encourage the girl child to study not only the humanities but the science subjects as well because we need healthcare workers, we need science teachers,&#8221; he said, adding that even married women needed skills to manage their affairs. </p>



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<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tech-girls-on-the-rise-in-nigeria">Tech girls on the rise in Nigeria</h3>


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<p>(Reporting by Seun Sanni and Nneka Chile, writing by Estelle Shirbon; Editing by Bernadette Baum)</p>


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Teenage girls in northern Nigeria ‘open their minds’ with robotics


<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="820" height="559" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/74HKXN4YGJNTXLGUEOUE6H5HXI-820x559.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-410968" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/74HKXN4YGJNTXLGUEOUE6H5HXI-820x559.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/74HKXN4YGJNTXLGUEOUE6H5HXI-300x204.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/74HKXN4YGJNTXLGUEOUE6H5HXI-117x80.jpg 117w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/74HKXN4YGJNTXLGUEOUE6H5HXI-768x523.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/74HKXN4YGJNTXLGUEOUE6H5HXI.jpg 960w" sizes="(max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /><figcaption>People work at &#8221;The Faktory&#8221;, a fashion design and clothing manufacturing company in Johannesburg, South Africa, March 4, 2021. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko</figcaption></figure>



<p>JOHANNESBURG, Aug 2 (Reuters) &#8211; South African manufacturing activity shrank at its fastest rate in 14 months in July, weighed down by tighter coronavirus lockdown restrictions and civil unrest in some parts of the country, a survey showed on Monday.</p>



<p>The seasonally-adjusted Absa Purchasing Managers&#8217; Index, a gauge of factory sentiment in Africa&#8217;s most industrialised economy, fell to 43.5 points in July from 57.4 points in June, dropping below the 50-point mark that separates expansion from contraction.</p>



<p>The July PMI reading was the lowest since May 2020, Absa said in a statement.</p>



<p>Absa said the economy was hit by several shocks during the month, including a severe COVID-19 third wave, the associated harsher lockdown restrictions, looting and arson attacks in parts of KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng provinces.</p>



<p>&#8220;The riots disrupted supply chains, industrial output and the demand for manufactured goods,&#8221; Absa said in a statement.</p>



<p>&#8220;The severe adverse impact of these events is best highlighted in the business activity and new sales orders indices of the PMI. Both indices declined dramatically in July.&#8221;</p>



<p>In July, <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/2021/south-african-crowds-rampage-overnight-defying-calls-for-end-to-violence-looting-2/">riots broke out</a> in several parts of South Africa after <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/2021/south-africas-zuma-hands-himself-over-to-police-to-begin-sentence/">former President Jacob Zuma handed himself in</a> to start a 15-month jail term for contempt of court. The unrest swiftly degenerated into looting which destroyed hundreds of businesses and killed over 300 people. </p>



<p>(Reporting by Olivia Kumwenda-Mtambo; Editing by Toby Chopra)</p>


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South Africa’s factory activity tumbles after unrest, new COVID curbs-Absa PMI

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<p>Nigeria will be receiving about 4.8 million doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccines from the United States today. Vaccinations are due to resume this week, after the government exhausted the 4 million doses of the Astrazeneca vaccines received in March. Dayo Amzat, CEO of Zedcrest Capital  joins CNBC Africa for more.</p>


Nigeria to receive 4.8m doses of COVID-19 vaccines from the US

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<p>Zambia is preparing to go to the polls next week and President Edgar Lungu has ordered the deployment of the military to quell electoral violence ahead of the votes. The race is between Lungu and Hakainde Hichilema who has been detained several times since he started contesting the top job. The Electoral Commission has banned rallies as part of measures to limit the spread of the coronavirus but that hasn&#8217;t  stopped clashes between opposing political parties. Francois Conradie, Lead Political Economist at NKC African Economics.</p>


As Zambians head to the polls

As Zambians head to the polls, here’s what’s at stake


<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="740" height="416" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106911311-16263497152021-07-14t174537z_2065885000_rc2eko9pqtq8_rtrmadp_0_safrica-zuma.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-410953" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106911311-16263497152021-07-14t174537z_2065885000_rc2eko9pqtq8_rtrmadp_0_safrica-zuma.jpeg 740w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106911311-16263497152021-07-14t174537z_2065885000_rc2eko9pqtq8_rtrmadp_0_safrica-zuma-300x169.jpeg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106911311-16263497152021-07-14t174537z_2065885000_rc2eko9pqtq8_rtrmadp_0_safrica-zuma-140x80.jpeg 140w" sizes="(max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px" /><figcaption>Religious leaders carrying South African flags walk near a looted shopping mall as the country deploys army to quell unrest linked to the jailing of former South African President Jacob Zuma, in Vosloorus, South Africa, July 14, 2021.<br><em>Siphiwe Sibeko | Reuters</em></figcaption></figure>



<p>The South African economy’s buoyant start to the year is likely to be ruined by a combination of renewed COVID-19 containment measures and <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/2021/photos-show-south-africa-riots-in-the-wake-jacob-zuma-arrest/">recent civil unrest</a>, experts have warned.</p>



<p>A third wave of infections led the government to enforce strict lockdowns toward the end of June. President Cyril Ramaphosa announced last week that the alert level would be downgraded to level three from level four, with daily new cases now falling consistently from their July 8 peak and vaccinations gathering pace.</p>



<p>However, some measures limiting economic activity remain in place, and the hit from a roughly month-long lockdown was compounded recently by a <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/2021/south-african-crowds-rampage-overnight-defying-calls-for-end-to-violence-looting-2/">week of riots and looting</a> across the economic hubs of Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal, ostensibly in protest at the arrest of former President Jacob Zuma.</p>



<p><a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/2021/south-africas-zuma-hands-himself-over-to-police-to-begin-sentence/">Zuma handed himself in to the South African Police Service on July 7</a> after being sentenced to 15 months in jail for failing to appear before an inquiry into corruption during his time in office, between 2009 and 2018.</p>



<p>Following the deployment of the military, much of the unrest has calmed in recent weeks, but although at first glance the short-term economic damage seems less concerning than initially feared, analysts are worried about underlying longer-term effects on the broader economy.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="740" height="416" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106911301-16263491062021-07-13t201019z_915695255_rc2wjo9ioubl_rtrmadp_0_safrica-zuma-fire.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-410954" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106911301-16263491062021-07-13t201019z_915695255_rc2wjo9ioubl_rtrmadp_0_safrica-zuma-fire.jpeg 740w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106911301-16263491062021-07-13t201019z_915695255_rc2wjo9ioubl_rtrmadp_0_safrica-zuma-fire-300x169.jpeg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106911301-16263491062021-07-13t201019z_915695255_rc2wjo9ioubl_rtrmadp_0_safrica-zuma-fire-140x80.jpeg 140w" sizes="(max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px" /><figcaption>A fire engulfs Campsdrift Park, which houses Makro and China Mall, following protests that have widened into looting in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa July 13, 2021, in this screen grab taken from a video obtained from social media.<br><em>Sibonelo Zungu | Reuters</em></figcaption></figure>



<p>“To put this into perspective, retail trade and production accounts for about 20 percent of gross domestic product, or almost $70 billion, of which $14 billion may have been lost, according to estimates by local banks,” Robert Besseling, CEO of political risk consultancy Pangea-Risk, told CNBC on Friday.</p>



<p>“Moreover, the impact on poor communities will be disproportionate, since most looted stores and malls are close to townships. These communities will now struggle to find nearby groceries and supplies, even while COVID-19 lockdowns remain in place.”</p>



<p>Besseling said the prospect of future fuel shortages cannot be ruled out, since three of the country’s refineries are now shut, two of which due to maintenance reasons. Only one refinery in the Free State province remains operational, while panic buying has placed extreme pressure on supply chains, he added.</p>



<p>“Therefore the medium to longer term impact of the unrest on the economy is expected to be more substantial than the immediate repercussions of the violence, which will drag down economic recovery prospects and potentially motivate higher rates of criminality and unrest, including copycat instances of looting,” Besseling said.</p>



<p>Zuma’s arrest deepened divisions within the ruling ANC party between the former president’s loyalists and those on board with the agenda of his successor, President Ramaphosa. Besseling suggested that in order to deliver on his promised economic reform agenda, Ramaphosa will have to seize this opportunity to purge Zuma loyalists from his party and governance structures.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-riots-could-not-have-come-at-a-worse-time">Riots ‘could not have come at a worse time’</h3>



<p>The International Monetary Fund expects South Africa’s economy to grow 4% in 2021 and all indicators up to now have pointed to a sharper-than-expected rebound from the COVID-induced recession.</p>



<p>First-quarter GDP grew 1.1% for an annual rise of 4.6%, while increased mobility and business confidence data in the second quarter have also offered cause for optimism.</p>



<p>However, KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng, where many ruined businesses are expected to take years to rebuild, contribute half of the country’s GDP and almost half of its entire population. The port of Durban in KwaZulu-Natal acts as a trade gateway to the southern subcontinent and accounts for around 70% of South Africa’s imports.</p>



<p>Economists are estimating that the cost to the national economy from the destruction caused by pro-Zuma protests is estimated at 50 billion rand ($3.43 billion).</p>



<p>In a research note last week, NKC African Economics noted that other major concerns include the further disruption of supply chains on top of that caused by the pandemic, along with threats to food security.</p>



<p>“The events that occurred in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng could not have come at a worst time” said NKC senior economist Pieter du Preez.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="740" height="416" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106911306-1626349393947-gettyimages-1233944021-AFP_9EU6LA.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-410955" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106911306-1626349393947-gettyimages-1233944021-AFP_9EU6LA.jpeg 740w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106911306-1626349393947-gettyimages-1233944021-AFP_9EU6LA-300x169.jpeg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106911306-1626349393947-gettyimages-1233944021-AFP_9EU6LA-140x80.jpeg 140w" sizes="(max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px" /><figcaption>South African Police Services (SAPS) members arrest a looter at the Gold Spot Shopping Centre in Vosloorus, southeast of Johannesburg, on July 12, 2021.<br><em>Guillem Sartorio | AFP | Getty Images</em></figcaption></figure>



<p>NKC revised down its economic growth forecast for South Africa in 2021 to 3.8% from 4.3%, and said the medium-term outlook is also hindered by falling investor confidence and a lack of fiscal space, which is expected to crowd out fixed investment expenditure.</p>



<p>“Early estimates of the damage are alarming, with 50,000 informal traders and 40,000 businesses affected, putting 150,000 jobs at risk,” du Preez said.</p>



<p>“Approximately 3,000 stores were looted, 100 shopping malls suffered significant fire damage, and almost 1,200 retailer outlets were impacted and damaged.”</p>



<p>All this came in addition to the third wave of COVID-19 hitting harder than expected due to the transmissibility of the delta variant, he added.</p>



<p>“The resultant four weeks of adjusted level 4 lockdown measures will have an impact in Q3, while the current adjusted level 3 measures will continue to hamper activity somewhat,” du Preez said. “In general, we expect an economic contraction in Q3, before the rebuilding commences, yet again, in Q4.”</p>


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South Africa unrest and COVID measures are starting to derail its economic recovery


<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="740" height="416" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106913464-1626783928878-gettyimages-1233680604-AVDjune7.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-410942" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106913464-1626783928878-gettyimages-1233680604-AVDjune7.jpeg 740w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106913464-1626783928878-gettyimages-1233680604-AVDjune7-300x169.jpeg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/106913464-1626783928878-gettyimages-1233680604-AVDjune7-140x80.jpeg 140w" sizes="(max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px" /><figcaption>In this Photo illustration a World Health Organization(WHO) logo seen displayed on an Android phone.<br><em>Avishek Das | Getty Images</em></figcaption></figure>



<p>World Health Organization officials said they are still trying to understand why the delta variant is more transmissible and potentially makes people sicker than the original coronavirus strain.</p>



<p>“We’re really trying to get a better handle on why the delta variant is more transmissible,” said Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO’S technical lead on Covid-19, said at a press briefing Friday. “There are certain mutations in the delta variant that, for example, allow the virus to adhere to a cell more easily. There is some laboratory studies that suggest that there’s increased replication in some of the modeled human airway systems.”</p>



<p>New data is emerging around the world on the highly transmissible strain in recent weeks as scientists try to better understand the new threat. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned lawmakers Thursday that new research indicates the delta strain is more contagious than swine flu, the common cold and polio. It is as contagious as chickenpox. It also appears to have a longer transmission window than the original Covid-19 strain and may make older people sicker, even if they’ve been fully vaccinated.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-read-more-governments-urged-to-boost-cash-grants-to-end-pandemic-fuelled-child-labour">Read more: <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/2021/governments-urged-to-boost-cash-grants-to-end-pandemic-fuelled-child-labour/">Governments urged to boost cash grants to end pandemic-fuelled child labour</a></h3>



<p>The warning on Thursday was made in a confidential document that was reviewed by CNBC and authenticated by the federal health agency.</p>



<p>“The virus itself, as it starts, is a dangerous virus. It’s a highly transmissible virus. The Delta variant is even more so,” Van Kerkhove said. “It’s doubly more transmissible than the ancestral strains.”</p>



<p>WHO officials expect other dangerous variants to also emerge as countries struggle to distribute the life-saving vaccines to their populations.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Read more: <a href="http://Delta variant is one of the most infectious respiratory diseases known, CDC director says">Delta variant is one of the most infectious respiratory diseases known, CDC director says</a></h3>



<p>“They become more fit the more that they circulate and so the virus will likely become more transmissible because this is what viruses do they evolve, they change over time,” Van Kerkhove said.</p>



<p>She said it’s imperative that nations follow public health measures, like practicing social distancing and wearing masks, while nations distribute more vaccines around the world, especially in those with the lowest rates of immunization.</p>



<p>We need “about 70% coverage globally, to really slow down the transmission and reduce the risk of emergence of new variants,” according to Dr. Bruce Aylward, senior advisor to the director-general at WHO.</p>



<p>Still, with current trends, health experts are not optimistic. “This will not be the last virus variant that you hear us talking about,” Van Kerkhove said.</p>


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WHO officials try to figure out why delta is so much more dangerous than earlier Covid strains

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1:22 &#8211; Calls for a four-day workweek<br />
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Could The Stock Market Switch To 4-Days A Week?

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<p>For the past few months, China has been cracking down on Bitcoin mining &#8211; a country that has about 75 per cent of bitcoin miners. What does this mean for the crypto mining space? And does Africa have an opportunity to contribute to the crypto mining ecosystem? Marius Reitz, General Manager for Africa at Luno joins CNBC Africa for more.</p>


Thinking of becoming a bitcoin miner? Here’s what you need to know


<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="820" height="547" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/GettyImages-496939132-820x547.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-399686" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/GettyImages-496939132-820x547.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/GettyImages-496939132-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/GettyImages-496939132-768x513.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/GettyImages-496939132-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/GettyImages-496939132-scaled.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /><figcaption>An Eskom sign stands outside the headquarters for Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd., South Africas state-owned electricity utility at Megawatt Park in Sandton, near Johannesburg, South Africa, on Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2015. A plan to reform state-owned power company Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd. and bring South Africa and its economy out of the dark is starting to show results, according to Chief Executive Officer Brian Molefe. Photographer: Waldo Swiegers/Bloomberg via Getty Images</figcaption></figure>



<p>JOHANNESBURG, July 30 (Reuters) &#8211; A debt crisis at South Africa&#8217;s struggling state-owned utility Eskom could be solved by an agreement for government creditors to write off some of their loans in exchange for climate pledges and an equity injection, a deputy minister said on Friday.</p>



<p>But one analyst was sceptical about the idea, describing it as unrealistic.</p>



<p>Officials in Africa&#8217;s most industrialised nation have grappled for years with ways to lower Eskom&#8217;s debt burden, which <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/2021/south-africas-eskom-cuts-debt-by-20-minister-says/">stood at 401 billion rand</a> ($27.56 billion) in March.</p>



<p>The company, which regularly implements power cuts that hold back economic growth, racked up the debt partly to pay for two mega coal plants dogged by delays and cost overruns.</p>



<p>Two options previously discussed are transferring some Eskom debt to the sovereign balance sheet or moving a portion to a special purpose vehicle.</p>



<p>But in comments at a meeting of the presidential climate commission, South Africa&#8217;s Deputy Finance Minister David Masondo said he did not support those ideas.</p>



<p>Instead he proposed three ways to raise capital: listing Eskom on a stock exchange, inviting a foreign state-owned firm to invest or arranging a &#8220;sovereign-level debt for climate swap&#8221;. Under the last proposal, creditors would forgive some sovereign loans in exchange for commitments to curb Eskom&#8217;s emissions by closing some of its coal units and an equity injection into Eskom.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-read-more-is-chinese-loan-to-south-africa-s-eskom-in-jeopardy">Read more: <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/2019/is-chinese-loan-to-south-africas-eskom-in-jeopardy/">Is Chinese loan to South Africa’s Eskom in jeopardy?</a></h3>



<p>Masondo said the ideas were his personal views, not necessarily the official position of the National Treasury.</p>



<p>&#8220;To get out of this debt situation we really have to think outside the box,&#8221; he said. &#8220;The continuous mantra that Eskom should improve its operational efficiency and that&#8217;s how we are going to deal with this debt, I don&#8217;t see that working, and we also don&#8217;t want them to raise the tariffs.&#8221;</p>



<p>The National Treasury acknowledged an emailed request for comment from Reuters but did not answer questions in time for publication. An Eskom spokesman declined comment.</p>



<p>Peter Attard Montalto, head of capital markets research at Intellidex, said Masondo&#8217;s suggestions risked confusing investors as they did not represent National Treasury or Eskom thinking.</p>



<p>He said: &#8220;It is completely unrealistic for a middle income country to expect principal write-off by creditors, especially when those creditors have traditionally had energy policy trust issues.&#8221; </p>



<p>($1 = 14.5502 rand) </p>



<p>(Editing by Barbara Lewis)</p>


Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd Chief Executive Officer Brian Molefe Interview

South African official floats ‘debt for climate’ plan for Eskom

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<p>Copper prices have surged in 2021. The base metal remains in high demand, much thanks to its need in green energy projects and electric cars. In May 2021, commodities analysts at Goldman Sachs called copper ‘the new oil.’ That’s because electric cars need several times more copper than their gas-powered counterparts. And power grids getting electricity from wind, solar and hydro sources also need copper—much more than the industry is currently producing. Here’s how copper became so important to the world economy and the green energy revolution.</p>
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Why A Looming Copper Shortage Has Big Consequences For The Green Economy

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<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="820" height="527" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/28071458631_cb8e96a364_k-820x527.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-410855" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/28071458631_cb8e96a364_k-820x527.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/28071458631_cb8e96a364_k-300x193.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/28071458631_cb8e96a364_k-124x80.jpg 124w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/28071458631_cb8e96a364_k-768x494.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/28071458631_cb8e96a364_k-1536x988.jpg 1536w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/28071458631_cb8e96a364_k.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /><figcaption>Photo: via Flickr</figcaption></figure>



<p>JOHANNESBURG, July 30 (Reuters) &#8211; Under the stars of the South African night, the movie-goers who used to throng a cinema among the shops of Johannesburg&#8217;s Sandton City mall, have since the pandemic watched the latest releases from a big screen in a rooftop carpark.</p>



<p>Drive-in movies are enjoying a revival in many parts of the world, but for South Africa the stakes are higher because of a slow COVID-19 vaccine rollout that makes a return to normality especially hard and leaves more businesses facing the risk of closure.</p>



<div class="wp-block-group"><div class="wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow">
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-covid-19-this-property-tech-start-up-is-bringing-back-the-drive-in-cinemas-to-sa">COVID-19: This property tech start-up is bringing back the drive-in cinemas to SA</h3>


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<p>Ster-Kinekor, Africa&#8217;s largest cinema group, is betting on the format to win back customers fearful of catching the coronavirus. It filed for business rescue, a local form of bankruptcy protection, in January because of losses related to lockdown restrictions.</p>



<p>&#8220;The big goal for us is to keep the industry alive&#8230; and to keep cinema and big screens top of mind in the consumer&#8217;s repertoire of entertainment,&#8221; acting Chief Executive Motheo Matsau told Reuters.</p>



<p>Like its peers, Ster-Kinekor was forced to close from the end of March 2020 until the end of August 2020. Since August, it has operated under curfews and with limitations on gatherings.</p>



<p>&#8220;Closing down for six months for a business like ours, it&#8217;s a miracle we&#8217;re still around to be honest,&#8221; Matsau said.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Read more: <a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/2021/discover-the-new-wave-of-nigerian-cinema-a-new-stylistic-approach-and-aesthetic-are-emerging-in-nigerian-cinema/">Discover the “New wave of Nigerian cinema”: a new stylistic approach and aesthetic are emerging in Nigerian cinema</a></h3>



<p>He said the drive-in cinema allows the industry as a whole to gauge people&#8217;s willingness to come back to cinemas and establish how strong the case is to rescue the business.</p>



<p>For movie-goers Satya Praksh and her boyfriend Quinton Lamb, the drive-in experience offered a protective personal bubble and a new style of cosy relaxation.</p>



<p>&#8220;I love that we can be warm because it&#8217;s really cold&#8230; and we can bring our own snacks and blankets unlike the (normal) cinema,&#8221; 21-year old Praksh said. &#8220;We can talk during (the movie). We don&#8217;t have to worry about being quiet and tripping over someone&#8217;s feet.&#8221; </p>



<p>(Reporting by Nqobile Dludla; Editing by Olivia Kumwenda-Mtambo and Barbara Lewis)</p>


28071458631_cb8e96a364_k

Ster-Kinekor bets on drive-in cinema under the stars

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<p>The Chemical Industries Training Authority has invested over R1.5 million in South African co-operatives this year. The organistion believes co-operatives have an important role to play in driving socio-economic development in the country and the chemicals sector. CHIETA CEO, Yershen Pillay joins CNBC Africa for more.</p>


CHIETA commits R1.5mn to support rural co-operatives in KwaZulu-Natal

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<p>Small and medium-sized enterprises have over the past few years been flexing their muscles contributing more to South Africa&#8217;s economy. A study by the World Bank shows that formal SMEs contribute up to 40 per cent of national income in emerging economies. But until they can secure a genuine foothold in corporate value chains, the sector is likely to be dominated by a handful of players who had early-mover advantage and access to finance. David Mparutsa, Head: Enterprise &#038; Supplier Development ex SA at Absa joins CNBC Africa&#8217;s Fifi Peters to unpack the value of SMEs&#8230;.</p>


ABSA Insight Series: Finding innovative solutions to bridge the financing gap for SMEs

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<p>The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has launched an investigation into employers forcing workers to be vaccinated, or else. Legal Consultant, Tony Healy joins CNBC Africa for more.</p>


Newsletter

The impact of Covid-19 on Africa’s tech health sector

Teenage girls in northern Nigeria ‘open their minds’ with robotics

South Africa’s factory activity tumbles after unrest, new COVID curbs-Absa PMI

Nigeria to receive 4.8m doses of COVID-19 vaccines from the US

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South Africa unrest and COVID measures are starting to derail its economic recovery

WHO officials try to figure out why delta is so much more dangerous than earlier Covid strains

Could The Stock Market Switch To 4-Days A Week?

Thinking of becoming a bitcoin miner? Here’s what you need to know

South African official floats ‘debt for climate’ plan for Eskom

Why A Looming Copper Shortage Has Big Consequences For The Green Economy

How COVID-19 is shaping demand for smart security solutions

Nigeria pledges 50% increase in education budget in 2 years

Ster-Kinekor bets on drive-in cinema under the stars

CHIETA commits R1.5mn to support rural co-operatives in KwaZulu-Natal

ABSA Insight Series: Finding innovative solutions to bridge the financing gap for SMEs

Mandatory COVID-19 vaccination for workers: Here’s what you need to know

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Newsletter

The impact of Covid-19 on Africa’s tech health sector

Teenage girls in northern Nigeria ‘open their minds’ with robotics

South Africa’s factory activity tumbles after unrest, new COVID curbs-Absa PMI

Nigeria to receive 4.8m doses of COVID-19 vaccines from the US

As Zambians head to the polls, here’s what’s at stake

South Africa unrest and COVID measures are starting to derail its economic recovery

WHO officials try to figure out why delta is so much more dangerous than earlier Covid strains

Could The Stock Market Switch To 4-Days A Week?

Thinking of becoming a bitcoin miner? Here’s what you need to know

South African official floats ‘debt for climate’ plan for Eskom

Why A Looming Copper Shortage Has Big Consequences For The Green Economy

How COVID-19 is shaping demand for smart security solutions

Nigeria pledges 50% increase in education budget in 2 years

Ster-Kinekor bets on drive-in cinema under the stars

CHIETA commits R1.5mn to support rural co-operatives in KwaZulu-Natal

ABSA Insight Series: Finding innovative solutions to bridge the financing gap for SMEs

Mandatory COVID-19 vaccination for workers: Here’s what you need to know

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