R350m venture capital tech fund launched

Tuesday, 19 February 2008

A new R350 million venture capital fund has been launched to give innovators in South Africa a leg up into the global technology arena.
The Hasso Plattner Ventures Africa, named after the co-founder of software giant SAP, aims to invest in and manage a portfolio of investments that have a unique innovative offering either based on the business model, product offering or underlying technology

http://www.sagoodnews.co.za/trade_investment/r350m_venture_capital_tech_fund_launched.html

Old Mutual boost for women-owned firms

Regis Nyamakanga

Financial Services Editor

FINANCIAL services company Old Mutual and the trade and industry department launched a R100m development-finance fund yesterday, to support women-owned enterprises.
The Industrial Development Corporation also plans to pump R400m into the fund.

http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/companies.aspx?ID=BD4A709200

Gulf countries eye SA nuclear technology

By: Sapa
Published: 19 Feb 08 - 14:50
Gulf countries may enlist South African expertise in their plans to develop nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, Kuwait's foreign minister said on Tuesday.Mohamed Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah was speaking after talks in Cape Town with his South African counterpart, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.

http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article.php?a_id=127264

South Africa has one of the highest road death tolls in the world

Lion of Africa, one of South Africa’s leading short term insurers has appealed to Finance Minister, Trevor Manuel, to address the infrastructural issues affecting the country’s transport system in his upcoming national budget speech on 20 February by allocating increased government funds for the upgrading and repair of South Africa’s roads.
“The number of vehicles on our roads has increased over the past couple of years to just under eight million, with a large majority of them being driven by inexperienced new drivers,” says Adam Samie , CEO of Lion of Africa Insurance Company.

http://www.itinews.co.za/companyview.aspx?cocategoryid=14&companyid=228&itemid=549C67D9-7266-4D15-A924-5BA6A1F462F3

Zambia releases fund for hosting 2011 All Africa Games

LUSAKA, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- The Zambian government has released preliminary funding of the projected 230,000 U.S. dollars to startup grading sports infrastructure in readiness for hosting the 2011 All Africa Games (AAG), Times of Zambia reported Monday.

The country is planning to build an extra swimming pool at the land accommodating the Lusaka Olympic Swimming pool ahead of the first ever All Africa Games that the country will host in 2011.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-02/18/content_7625383.htm

The AfDB and Infrastructure Development in Africa: Achievements, Challenges, and New Investment Opportunities

African Development Bank (Tunis)

SPONSOR WIRE
18 February 2008
Posted to the web 18 February 2008

The African Development Bank (AfDB) has been a major force in private and public sector infrastructure development in Africa through the provision of financial and technical resources. , infrastructure development is among the priority sectors outlined in the Bank's Private Sector Development Strategy along with creating an enabling environment, financing systems, and promoting trade. According to the Bank's Strategic Plan 2003-2007, lack of adequate social and economic infrastructure is one of the key constraints to short- and medium-term poverty reduction in Africa

http://allafrica.com/stories/200802181108.html

China Railway Construction wins $2.6 bln bids in Libya

www.chinaview.cn 2008-02-18 00:57:14

BEIJING, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- China's leading railway contractor has won the bids to build two major railways in Libya, which together are worth about 3.2 billion dinars (2.6 billion U.S. dollars), according to the company.

The two contracts won by the China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC) are a west-to-east coastal railway from Khums to Sirt and a south-to-west railway that would facilitate iron ore transportation from southern city Sebha to Misurata as well as passenger transportation along the line.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-02/18/content_7620265.htm

Construction firm eyes bigger slice of power projects market

By: Olivia Spadavecchia

Published: 18 Feb 08 - 17:59

Construction firm Group Five CEO Mike Upton said on Monday that there would be "fairly significant" opportunities for the company in the development of small to medium gas or diesel-fired power plants that could counteract the current power supply shortages.

When asked about what growth prospects the energy crisis would present for the group, Upton told Engineering News Online that "industry's hands were not tied" until Eskom's first new power stations under its expansion plan came on stream in 2012.

http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article.php?a_id=127199

Airbus, South Africa to cooperate on eco research

18 February 2008

Plane manufacturer Airbus and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) have agreed on a partnership to research new aviation technology.

The two organisations will look into new flight technologies in a one-year agreement worth approximately 1.5m rand (£100,600), SouthAfrica.info reports.

According to the CSIR, the research could contribute to the development of the clean and efficient jetliners of the future.

http://news.opodo.co.uk/articles/2008-02-18/18472492-Airbus,-South.php

Tough times ahead for Nigerian broadcasters

Nigerian broadcasters hoping to do continental broadcasting and satellite TV transmission are being frustrated by their South African counterparts who are being backed by some kind of home policies that encourage them to spread their strength to other parts of the continent.|

A position paper prepared over two years ago by one of the operators during an inquisition by the regulatory body, ICASA, sought to make South Africa the hub of broadcast operations in the continent. Since then SABC has made inroads into Nigeria and the activities of its dominant operator in the continent, Multichoice has been on the rise.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1598&Itemid=51

For Motorola, more than an eye on Nigeria

Written by Okoh Aihe, Asst Editor, Communications, who was in Barcelona

Monday, 18 February 2008

As the global communications market looks up to Africa for the numbers and figures, a lead player in the sector, Motorola, equipment and mobile device manufacturers, has vowed that it will not relinquish any inch of the Nigerian market, or any other market in the emerging market for that matter, but instead will unleash a new set of marketing strategies that could see it secure more advantage in the market where it is already a dominant player.

A number of Motorola executives who spoke to Vanguard at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona were emphatic that Nigeria with its huge population and an exploding Mobile market remains an attraction to any player, including Motorola which has decided to overhaul its operational standards in the market in order to square up as dominant player.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2459&Itemid=0