A glimpse into what’s happening in the energy, professional services and water and sanitation elds.
BCX, a subsidiary within Telkom Group, is one of Africa’s largest systems integrator and digital transformation partners for enterprises and public sector organisations across various industries within South Africa, SADC, and the UK. For over 40 years, BCX has delivered solutions for how people learn, live, and work every day.
SBS is a leading provider of innovative food and water security solutions. Established over 20 years ago, the company has o ces in Southern Africa, East and West Africa, the USA and an extensive dealer and distributor network in the USA, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Mauritius as well as in other African regions. Originally established in September 1998 as SBS Water Systems (Pty) Ltd, SBS now comprises ve di erent entities operating under the SBS Holdings group of companies.
Our global footprint enables us to provide solutions that have been engineered, designed, and developed to harness and secure resources anywhere in the world. SBS water and food security products and systems are compliant with the highest internationally recognised quality standards –ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 45001:2018.
PETCO is a registered Producer Responsibility Organisation (PRO) that was founded in 2004 as an industry-driven and nanced initiative to support the recycling of post-consumer polyethylene terephthalate (PET) in South Africa. With almost two decades of experience in this landscape, we have steadily increased the collection for recycling rate of PET from just 16 per cent in 2005 to 63 per cent in 2021.
PETCO uses member-generated funds to invest in the collection and recycling value chain and pay PET recyclers who purchase and recycle PET plastic waste into an end-use for which there is demand. This nancial support then makes its way down the value chain, thereby increasing the earnings of informal waste collectors. Our activities enable members to assume Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), taking responsibility for PET products across their entire life cycle, which is now mandatory in South Africa.
Bonitas celebrates its 40th birthday this year and has expanded its capabilities and plans over the past four decades. Its team of experts is always looking at innovative ways to ensure its members get a ordable, quality healthcare, whether it’s keeping its ngers on the pulse of technology, managing your care so lifestyle diseases are identi ed before they become chronic, or negotiating better rates for you. If you are one of its 730 000 bene ciaries, then you will know Bonitas is always on your side – negotiating for better rates and sourcing reputable service providers to help keep you healthy and limit rising healthcare costs. The Scheme o ers 15 plans which means you will nd the perfect t for your particular healthcare needs.
The Leadership Academy for guardians of governance is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Institute of Internal Auditors South Africa. The academy’s vision is to be the preferred and recommended route to obtaining the IIA SA designations through the successful completion of a professional training programme. It aims to support professions in the governance sphere in their quest to shape competent professionals who adhere to the relevant standards. The academy works alongside professional bodies responsible for the pillars of governance, providing high-quality services aimed at realising the profession’s goals.
The merger of Sizwe Medical Fund and Hosmed Medical Scheme brought together Sizwe’s 46 900 membership with Hosmed’s 21 000. The merged entity (Sizwe Hosmed) is the eight-largest medical scheme in the country with the fourth-highest solvency ratio of the top 10 largest medical schemes. The merger is mutually bene cial to both schemes, where the combined balance sheet and increased membership size can unlock e ciencies and economies of scale to the bene t of all members. These improved metrics are important for the market and brokers, as the schemes aim to achieve their key objectives of membership growth and retention.
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President Ramaphosa’s recent announcement that all licencing requirements for private energy projects will be dropped has heralded what is hoped will be a much-needed new era for the country’s ongoing energy crisis
According to local law rm Cli e Dekker Hofmeyr’s environmental law experts Margo-Anne Werner and Madoda Koti, while these advancements present an opportunity for renewable energy entrepreneurs to step up to the task of helping to build a more secure and reliable supply of electricity in the country, the journey won’t be without its challenges.
1. South Africa’s geographical position allows for some of the highest levels of solar radiation in the world, providing solar power projects with an immense amount of potential.
2. The scrapping of licence requirements will mean that large industrial operations such as mining could go o -grid.
3. The Renewable Independent Power Producer Programme (REIPP) is experiencing an oversubscription, meaning utility-scale renewable energy projects that can be selected as preferred bidders are limited. Ramaphosa has, however, announced that the amount of
The South African government has committed R791.2-billion towards infrastructure development in the medium term and has gazetted 15 projects worth R47-billion in the transport sector alone.
Source: Transport Evolution Africa Forum.
new generation capacity procured through Bid Window 6 for wind and solar power will be doubled from 2 600MW to 5 200MW and that additional bid windows will be released “on an expedited basis”.
4. Infrastructure underdevelopment poses a signi cant threat to the proliferation of an embedded energy economy. This includes the lack of transmission infrastructure and lack of access roads and water infrastructure.
5. From a regulatory perspective, delays in environmental permitting, for example, may stymie development or deter investors.
6. From an environmental perspective there are a myriad challenges to consider, including land use scarcity; communities or even competing developers; water use; impacts on biodiversity; and impacts on agricultural resources or mining potential.
7. Aspiring solar entrepreneurs must prioritise compliance from the get-go.
The management consulting industry in South Africa is much sought-after and is also one of the most powerful forces shaping organisational strategy. Revenues generated from business and management consultancy activities in the country, which witnessed slow growth during 2011–2016, are expected to grow at a moderate pace during 2018–2023, from US$16.5-billion to US$20.6-billion in 2023.
Source: statista.com
Minister of Water and Sanitation Senzo Mchunu has expressed support for investment in water infrastructure, particularly in wastewater, by the private sector in Africa. “The demand for water and sanitation infrastructure development and refurbishment in South Africa has been increasing due to both population and economic growth. We also envisage that by the year 2030, there will be a 17 per cent de cit in the availability of water and the projected demand at that stage,” Mchunu said.
He said that the current rate of infrastructure development has to be increased to sustain and support growth in the country.
“It is for this reason that we felt that collaboration with the private sector presents a mutually bene cial path towards achieving this goal. It was quite enlightening to behold the enthusiasm from the private sector to be a partner in projects and programmes towards improving the water sector,” he said.
Situated in KwaZulu-Natal, the community of Ekukhanyeni, which falls under the eThekwini Municipality, has faced water challenges for many years. Population growth in the area had resulted in further strain on water supplies, necessitating the introduction of a water storage solution.
While the traditional approach by South African municipalities has been to construct bulk water storage solutions using concrete, eThekwini Municipality had neither the budget nor the time to undertake a project of this magnitude, making reaching out to SBS Tanks the ideal solution.
After an initial visit to SBS, including a factory tour and presentation, SBS provided the municipal design engineer and his team with the necessary information to make an informed choice on a suitable alternative solution that would meet the needs of the community.
Due to their modular nature, SBS tanks are quick to install. There is no need for access roads to the site, and on-site heavy-duty equipment is not required for the installation process. The lightweight yet durable tank panels can be carried by hand or transported to the site on smaller vehicles, and carry various wind ratings, dependent on the site requirements.
SBS tank panels are coated with Zincalume® for additional corrosion resistance and carry a 65-year life expectancy, with the internal liner covered by a 10-year warranty.
Features such as the durability of the SBS tank system, the rapid on-site installation process, and the use of an internal liner or bladder to contain the water and prevent contact with the tank structure all impressed the municipal design engineer. The company’s over 24-year history in the water storage sector also contributed to the decision-making.
An SBS ST29/06 was speci ed and installed for the bulk water storage of 1.7 million litres, and an SBS ST05/06 with a 50 000-litre capacity was installed at the new pump station.
SBS is proud to have been able to supply a more cost- and time-e ective solution to the eThekwini Municipality to assist with the national government policy of delivering water for all.
Faced with the challenge to supply water to the expanding local community, eThekwini Municipality, reached out to SBS for a solution
More than 40 local, district and provincial municipalities countrywide have seen the socioeconomic benefits of strategic waste management for their communities, thanks to successful partnerships with plastic producer responsibility organisation
For the past 17 years, PETCO has engaged with municipalities towards the shared goal of e ective waste management and recycling.
Key among municipal waste management priorities is the integration of waste pickers into the formal sector. The informal collectors operating in the country play an important role in municipal waste collection systems and diverting waste from land ll. Their integration advances government priorities such as job creation, poverty alleviation, environmental protection, and economic transformation.
PETCO’s experience in working with the entire polyethylene terephthalate (PET) value chain makes it eminently quali ed to assist municipalities with sustainability e orts. In the past year alone, PETCO and partners ensured that 90 402 tonnes of post-consumer PET, which equates to 2.1 billion bottles, were collected for recycling, saving 560 495 cubic metres of municipal landfill space. A further R1.2-billion was injected into the national economy from the sale of recycled materials.
Municipalities are required to develop integrated waste management plans to drive the implementation of the National Waste Management Strategy. Although legislation requiring producer responsibility organisations to co-operate with municipalities came into e ect in November 2021, PETCO has been doing so since 2008.
“Currently, there are very few municipal separation-at-source collection systems, so we work with municipalities to establish kerbside collection projects and expand PET collection into new areas,” says PETCO collections and training project manager Belinda Booker.
PETCO also provides skills development training and mentorship for waste pickers registered with participating municipalities.
“This year so far, we have conducted 28 basic training workshops for 1 357 collectors in eight provinces, and a further three accredited business training workshops,” says Booker.
“We help them to grow sustainable businesses and sponsor infrastructure and equipment to unlock collections and improve the quantity and quality of post-consumer PET collected,” she explains.
Msinga Local Municipality in northern KwaZulu-Natal, which covers two towns and six traditional authority areas, is one recent example where PETCO assists with waste picker integration.
The municipality has registered 138 street- and landfill-based waste pickers and provided them with a material recovery facility within the landfill site to operate and store their recyclable materials. The municipality collects 15 tonnes of PET monthly and sells it to buyback centres in Greytown and Pietermaritzburg.
PETCO recently presented a basic recycling workshop for waste pickers in conjunction with Dannhauser Local Municipality and sponsored an H15 baling machine and 25 bulk storage bags alongside polymer producer Safripol.
“The impact of partnerships on the recycling value chain cannot be underestimated, and collaboration is critical to ensuring that change can be implemented at a national scale,” says Booker.
Plans are underway to assist a further 21 pilot projects in the City of Cape Town with equipment, branding and accredited training.
Bonitas Medical Fund has announced its 2023 product line-up and a prize freeze on contributions for the first quarter of 2023, writes Lee Callakoppen, principal officer of Bonitas.
The average increase from Bonitas for 2023 would have been 5.9 per cent – well below the current in ation rate of 7.6 per cent. However, we’ve frozen contribution increases for the rst quarter of 2023, which e ectively means an increase of 4.8 per cent over the 12 months. We have also shared what members can expect to pay from 1 April 2023.
It’s a balancing act between keeping increases as low as possible while maintaining sustainability. By applying low contribution increases since December 2020, the Scheme has e ectively passed R1.4-billion in savings to members.
The Scheme is nancially stable with over R7.4-billion in reserves and has signed up over 190 000 new members in the last 36 months.
The future of healthcare is around primary and preventative care. There is a rise in noncommunicable or lifestyle diseases, such as diabetes, high blood pressure and cancer, 80 per cent of which are caused by lifestyle risk factors. We o er a range of managed care programmes to help members understand and manage their conditions.
Last year, we announced our partnership with the South African Oncology Consortium to enhance our cancer programme, including screening for early detection, treatment and palliative care. For 2023, we have restructured bene ts to be unlimited for Prescribed Minimum Bene t (PMB) cancers.
Data from the South African Health Quality Assessment shows that Bonitas has an
e ective disease management programme and better outcomes than the industry standard for diabetic members. In 2023, we introduce an annual family bene t of R51 000 for an insulin pump or continuous glucose monitor for type 1 diabetics under 18 years of age.
E ective October 2022, our Panda digital solution will support members in managing their mental wellness. The free app o ers everything from audio sessions with peers and mental health experts to one-on-one virtual consultations with professionals. Members are encouraged to complete an online mental health questionnaire to assess their mental health status.
Launched last year, the Bene t Booster aims to support our preventative care strategy. It unlocked R446-million in additional bene ts for members to extend their day-to-day bene ts. For 2023, we are adjusting the bene t limits in line with utilisation with enhancements seen on several plans.
We implement networks to negotiate favourable tari s for our members, so they can avoid out-of-pocket expenses and get more value. This includes:
• A GP network of over 4 400 practices.
• A pharmacy network, with around 2 500 practices to dispense chronic, acute and over-the-counter medicine, through Scriptpharm.
• DENIS, our dental network, provides access to around 3 000 practices.
• An optical network of over 2 300 practices, through PPN.
Our medicines formulary is aligned to the WHO’s Essential Medicines List to promote a ordability and accessibility to clinically approved medicines.
This service brings all the essential elements of in-hospital care to a patient’s home. In 2023, we include a programme for re-admissions, screening and disease prevention, an alternative to stepdown facilities and kidney dialysis at home.
We’ve amended our rules to allow members to use their savings as they deem t for the new year and have increased savings by up to 9.4 per cent, depending on the plan selected.
For 2023, we’ve partnered with top providers for exclusive o ers across several categories, including lifestyle, wellness, gap cover, short-term insurance, life insurance, and credit solutions.
We remain committed to providing quality healthcare at a ordable prices while ensuring the sustainability of the Scheme.
