From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, this is the Real Economy Report.

Sashnee Moodley:

The South African National Roads Agency has signed a memorandum of understanding with rock crushing equipment supplier Pilot Crushtec to engender relationships with smaller contractors in the lower end of the construction industry, as part of the organisation’s transformation drive. Tasneem Bulbulia explains.

Tasneem Bulbulia:

The MoU will facilitate access to equipment, finance, training, development, after sales service, maintenance, leasing and rental options for crushing and related equipment.

The continuous expansion and maintenance of the country’s roads is a lucrative sector, but newcomers are hampered from participation by the high cost of capital equipment and a lack of expertise within the field.

Therefore, the MoU is posited to, among others, give SMMEs access to expertise and machinery required to tender and execute major Sanral projects

Sanral CEO Skhumbuzo Macozoma elaborates.

Sanral CEO Skhumbuzo Macozoma:

Tasneem Bulbulia:

Pilot Crushtec CEO Sandro Scherf outlines the company’s objectives in pursuing the MoU, and the role it will undertake.

Pilot Crushtec CEO Sandro Scherf:

Tasneem Bulbulia:

The MoU also presents an opportunity to promote Pilot Crushtec’s locally produced products for road building and manufacturing top grade road stone and aggregates; with these being used both locally and internationally.

Sashnee Moodley:

Other news making headlines:

Mantashe urges continued investment in clean coal tech

Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe has commended Sasol for the “good work” it was doing and the opening of its new Impumelelo Colliery.

Sasol executive director and joint president and CEO Stephen Cornell

Sashnee Moodley:

That’s Creamer Media’s Real Economy Report. Join us again next week for more news and insight into South Africa’s real economy. Don’t forget to listen to the audio version of our Engineering News daily email newsletter.