Schalk Burger

International organisation the International Energy Agency (IEA) hosted the second in a series of High-Level Energy Transition Dialogues on June 23, ahead of the COP31 summit to be held in Antalya, Türkiye, in November. Government, civil society and private business participants from 20 countries discussed ways to improve energy security, affordability and sustainability, including by accelerating electrification, cutting waste and expanding clean cooking access.

Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau has signed an agreement with multilateral financial institution the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) for South African businesses, State-owned enterprises and financial institutions to access trade and industrial finance. The $14-billion Country Programme also provides funding to support transformation, risk coverage and project funding, as well as funding to expand into continental markets under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

Home Affairs Minister Dr Leon Schreiber calls on citizens who still have the green identity document (ID) to switch to a smart ID through the 203 bank branches that are now part of the department's digital partnership with banks. An estimated 16-million South Africans still rely on the green ID booklet, which is prone to fraud and identity theft.

Africa added more than 4.2 GW of new hydropower capacity in 2025, which is the second successive year new hydropower capacity added exceeded 4 GW, says the International Hydropower Association (IHA) in its '2026 World Hydropower Outlook'. Africa has seen significant hydropower progress for the second consecutive year, which places it at the forefront of global growth.

Early-stage companies investment firm Stocks & Strauss has reached final close of the R400-million University Technology Fund II. The close raises the total capital across its university-linked early-stage investment platform to more than R700-million and deepens a dedicated pathway for commercialising innovation emerging from tertiary institutions, the company says.

JSE-listed retail-focused real estate investment trust (Reit) Hyprop Investments says it remains on track to deliver growth in distributable income per share (DIPS) of 10% to 12% for the financial year ending on June 30. In a pre-close operational update on the five-month period to end-May, the company says its liquidity position is strong, with R1.7-billion in cash and R2-billion in available bank facilities.

The June 30 national shutdown protest action being planned by anti-illegal-immigration group March & March is not a protected action in terms of the Labour Relations Act and employees participating in any action on the day will not be protected by the normal rules for protected mass action, says employer organisation the Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa (Seifsa). Labour federations Congress of South African Trade Unions, Federation of Unions of South Africa, South African Federation of Trade Unions and the National Council of Trade Unions have urged workers to report for work on June 30, and have warned that participation in an unprotected mass action could carry employment consequences.

Renewable energy company Stage Zero has concluded a securitisation transaction with FirstRand Bank to create a funding platform to support the continued rollout of its managed solar and backup systems for South African homes and businesses. The transaction allows Stage Zero to use the predictable revenue profile of its customer contracts to unlock institutional funding for further deployment, instead of relying solely on traditional project-by-project financing.

The Department of Electricity and Energy (DEE) has launched a District Energy Council (DEC) in Upington, in the Northern Cape, that includes representatives from the DEE, State-owned utility Eskom, district and local municipalities, agriculture and business sectors and civil society. The DEC aims to close the gap between Eskom and municipalities, strengthen collaboration between the DEE and municipalities, incorporate large energy offtakers such as agriculture and business, and broader society, and ensure energy-related matters remain front and centre across each local municipality within a district.

The proposed Amendment Bill for the Prevention of Illegal Eviction from and Unlawful Occupation of Land (PIE) Act must strike an appropriate balance between protecting the rights of occupiers and safeguarding public housing assets funded by taxpayers, says industry organisation the National Association of Social Housing Organisations (Nasho). Nasho has called for the PIE Amendment Bill to provide stronger protections for publicly funded rental housing assets.