Hogan Lovells (JD Supra South Africa)

An online recruitment platform is changing the hiring landscape across the African continent in staffing for much needed infrastructure and energy projects. Victor Thien, founder and managing director of afringa, tells us how.

It is fair to say that although the South African mining industry represents 8% of our GDP, and employs approximately 450 000 people, by 2019 figures, it is SA's sweetheart industry. The mining industry was one of the first industries to be permitted to resume activities during the lockdown (and in some instances did not even fully shut down at all). Please see full Publication below for more...

Tobias Faber and Camilla Fröhlich from the Frankfurt office virtually interviewed Pete Frielinghaus, a resilience specialist and fellow of the Business Continuity Institute, on Business Continuity Management (BCM) in Africa and the implications of COVID-19 on BCM. Please see full Publication below for more information.

With more than 3 million cases worldwide, COVID-19 has not spared any continent. As of 14 May 2020, almost 50,000 cases of COVID-19 had been recorded across 52 countries in Africa, with over 2,000 deaths.

On Friday, 8 May 2020, the Labour Court upheld an urgent application by the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) and the SA Cabin Crew Association (the Unions) against South African Airways (SAA) and its business rescue practitioners....

On 1 May 2020, the Labour Court handed down a highly anticipated order in the application instituted by the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) against the Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy (Minister) and the Chief Inspector of Mining (CIM), amongst others. Please see full Publication below for more information.

Pursuant to the Regulations published in terms of section 27(2) of the Disaster Management Act 57 of 2002 (Regulations) and the subsequent amendments thereto, the Information Regulator, established in terms of The Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPI Act) has issued a Guidance Note on the processing of personal information of data subjects in the management and containment of...

On 29 April 2020, regulations were issued in terms of the Disaster Management Act 57 of 2002 that regulate how the country will operate under an Alert Level 4 (Regulations). The Alert Level 4 will be applicable from 1 May 2020 until a new alert level is announced by the government. Please see full Publication below for more information.

Who makes the best chocolate in the world, the Swiss or the Belgians? Either way, neither of these countries owns vast tracts of cocoa plantations. They import the raw materials to make the chocolate. Yet we would all agree that the greatest economic value is unlocked when cocoa beans become chocolate. It is sad to say that resource-based economies are not the wealthy ones. Please see full...

In these unprecedented times with almost half the planet on some form of lockdown, businesses across the globe are looking for practical solutions to complete transactions. Please see full Publication below for more information.

On 16 April 2020, amendments were issued to the regulations published under the Disaster Management Act, 2002, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which will significantly impact the mining industry during the nationwide lockdown. Please see full below for more information.

The Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, Mr Gwede Mantashe, has issued Directions in terms of the Disaster Management Act in order to provide additional guidance to the mining industry during the national state of disaster, which was declared in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic. The latest Directions were issued on 11 April 2020 and will be in effect until the end of the nationwide lockdown.

As the COVID-19 pandemic has gripped countries globally, and there has been widespread reports of opportunists taking advantage of the panic buying to hike prices dramatically. A number of regulatory authorities have taken swift action to protect consumers. Please see full Publication below for more information.

Since President Cyril Ramaphosa declared a National State of Disaster on 15 March 2020, various government Ministers have issued regulations to deal with the emergency.

South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa declared a National State of Disaster on 15 March 2020 in a proactive attempt to curb the spread of COVID-19.

Acting swiftly to try to contain the spread of Covid-19 in South Africa, on 15 March 2020 President Cyril Ramaphosa declared a National State of Disaster. Now the government has gone further - on 19 March 2020 regulations issued by the Minister of Trade and Industry (the "Regulations") were published in the Government Gazette granting certain block exemptions to the healthcare sector in an effort

The 2020 Budget was presented by Minister Tito Mboweni before parliament on 26 February 2020. The tax proposals for the 2020 Budget aim to support a recovery in economic growth, with some relief at the level of personal income tax. The key changes announced are: ? An above-inflation increase in the personal income tax brackets and rebates. ? A limitation on corporate interest deduction to...

Following the enactment of the Competition Amendment Act during 2019 and the subsequent promulgation of a number of the provisions, the latest tranche of sections of the Competition Amendment Act came into operation on 13 February 2020.

After what can be described as a difficult period for mining, many are predicting that the mining sector is experiencing a renaissance and nowhere is this welcomed more than on the continent of Africa. Please see full Publication below for more information.

According to a recent report published by Grand View Research, Inc., it is expected that by 2026, the global complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) industry will generate over USD 200 billion. The CAM industry, which encompasses at least nine different philosophical approaches to medicine preparation and application, requires a workable regulatory system in order to ensure that products are

Africa is still the next big market for multinationals, even in the face of global economic uncertainty and political and regulatory issues. Economic growth continues due to the growing investment in private equity and the untapped markets provided by Africa’s growing middle class and Fintech and telecoms are still likely to be growth areas on the continent.

The world will get half its power from wind, solar by 2050 - Nearly half the world’s electricity will come from renewable energy by 2050 as costs of wind, solar and battery storage continue to plummet. That titanic shift over the next three decades will come as electricity demand increases 62% and investors pump US$13.3 trillion into new projects, according to a report released Tuesday by...

The first decentralised cryptocurrency was created in 2009 and many jurisdictions around the world are now starting to regulate cryptocurrency. Participants in the payment systems have had the comfort of being protected in some way or another in our financial dealings. 

Will Nigeria’s fresh look into gas flaring, finally end it? At present, reports indicate that oil companies in Nigeria produce over four billion standard cubic feet (scf) of gas daily, of which about 700 million scf are wasted through flaring.

Drought leaves key African hydro dam less than a third full - A regional drought has reduced water levels at Kariba Dam, the main source of power for Zambia and Zimbabwe, to less than a third of its capacity. The dam is only 29% full, compared with 88% a year ago and 31% at the start of June, the Zambezi River Authority said in an emailed statement on Tuesday.

Senegal takes delivery of wind turbines for its first large-scale wind farm' - Last week, Vestas wind turbines and components arrived at Port Autonome de Dakar for West Africa's first large-scale wind farm. 

Water Tribunal upholds granting of Yzermyn water licence - The National Water Tribunal has dismissed an appeal brought by the Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) against the Department of Water and Sanitation granting a water licence to Indian mining company Atha-Africa Ventures for the Yzermyn coal mine development, in Mpumalanga.

Namibia installs clean-powered desalination system - Namibia has inaugurated its first ever fully solar-powered seawater desalination system, moving closer to achieve[sic] its efforts in becoming self-sustaining. 

The impact of smart charging for EVs - With many new EVs now out-performing their fossil-powered counterparts’ capabilities on the road, energy planners are looking to bring innovation to the garage — 95% of a car’s time is spent parked. 

UJ designs mobile lab to aid in water contamination testing - The University of Johannesburg (UJ) has created a mobile lab for water testing, amid various sewage spills in South Africa.