DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ S.African lawmakers vote to suspend diplomatic ties with Israel, shut embassy
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Supporters of South Africa's ruling African National Congress (ANC) and various political parties including civil society groups gather in solidarity with the Palestinian people outside the Israeli embassy in Pretoria, South Africa, October 20, 2023. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsCAPE TOWN, Nov 21 (Reuters) - South African lawmakers voted on Tuesday in favour of closing down the Israeli embassy in Pretoria and suspending all diplomatic relations until a ceasefire is agreed in its war with Palestinian Islamist group Hamas in Gaza. The Israeli embassy did not immediately respond to a request for comment. On Monday, the Israeli ambassador in Pretoria was recalled to Tel Aviv for consultations ahead of the vote, which on Tuesday was resoundingly adopted by a 248-91 margin. Reporting by Wendell Roelf; editing by Mark HeinrichOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Siphiwe, Cyril Ramaphosa's, resoundingly, Nelson Mandela, Pemmy Majodina, Wendell Roelf, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: National Congress, ANC, REUTERS, Palestinian, Hamas, Court, Fighters, EFF, Nations, Thomson Locations: Pretoria, South Africa, Gaza, Tel Aviv, Israel, Africa, Hamas

☆ South Africa says it discussed aid with Hamas leader, denies reports of support
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Local publication News24 earlier reported a statement from Hamas that the group had received a call of support from South Africa's foreign minister. It said the Hamas statement did not name Pandor. South Africa's Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor attends a press conference as BRICS foreign ministers meet in Cape Town, South Africa, June 1, 2023. REUTERS/Nic Bothma/File Photo Acquire Licensing Rights"We do not have a bilateral relationship with Hamas... Support for the Palestinian struggle against occupation does not equate to support for Hamas," South African President Cyril Ramaphosa's spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, said on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. South Africa has long been an advocate for peace in the region, likening the plight of Palestinians to its own under an apartheid regime that ended in 1994.

Persons: Naledi Pandor, Ismail Haniyeh, Nic Bothma, Cyril Ramaphosa's, Vincent Magwenya, Israel, Tannur Anders, Bhargav, Nick Macfie Organizations: South African Foreign, government's Department of International Relations and Cooperation, South Africa's, REUTERS, Hamas, Twitter, Thomson Locations: JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, Gaza, Israel, South, Cape Town , South Africa, Africa, Israel's

In a response to Reuters questions, South Africa's national treasury said it, along with President Cyril Ramaphosa's office, had appointed a consultant that it did not name to find ways to resolve the issue. It would also allow the decommissioning of three power plants, which the government is considering delaying because of the shortages of generation capacity. Rudi Dicks, the head of project management at the South African presidency, said there was a need to "clarify as a matter of urgency" whether the international loans could be accepted. Of the $8.5 billion pledged to South Africa, $3 billion is from the Climate Investment Funds (CIF), a leading multilateral investor in developing countries. In a statement it said it remained "committed to supporting South Africa's just transition from coal to clean power".

Persons: Cyril Ramaphosa's, Rudi Dicks, Promit Mukherjee, Carien du Plessis, Olivia Kumwenda, Barbara Lewis Organizations: European Union, Reuters Graphics, Reuters, Partners, Investment Funds, Thomson Locations: JOHANNESBURG, Britain, France, Germany, United States, South Africa, Africa

☆ Yellen to meet with donors, private sector on South Africa's energy transition
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Andrea Shalal | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/3] U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen attends media briefing ahead of bilateral talks with South Africa's Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana (not pictured), at the treasury offices in Pretoria, South Africa, January 26, 2023. The United States, Britain, France, Germany and the European Union backed South Africa's "Just Energy Transition Partnership," or JETP, in late 2021 with a combined $8.5 billion, but the total cost could be ten times that high. "The United States' commitment to the energy transition being 'just' is firm. That is why President Biden made an additional commitment to President Ramaphosa of $45 million in grant funding to support South Africa’s efforts," Yellen said. But President Cyril Ramaphosa's plan to transition South Africa away from coal and towards renewable energy has divided the governing African National Congress (ANC).

☆ Yellen says South Africa needs action to maintain energy transition momentum
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Andrea Shalal | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/3] U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen attends media briefing ahead of bilateral talks with South Africa's Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana (not pictured), at the treasury offices in Pretoria, South Africa, January 26, 2023. REUTERS/Siphiwe SibekoJOHANNESBURG, Jan 27 (Reuters) - South Africa needs concrete action soon if it is to maintain momentum on an energy transition program backed by the United States and other countries, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said on Friday after visiting the coal mining region of Mpumalanga. She expressed hope that Washington's focus on a just energy transition would underpin donor interest in backing the nearly $100 billion project aimed at supporting South Africa's gradual phasing out of fossil fuels. The United States, Britain, France, Germany and the European Union have backed South Africa's "Just Energy Transition Partnership" with a combined $8.5 billion, which Yellen called a "substantial down payment" designed to mobilise additional money. "An energy transition that is not just will simply not work.

☆ Russia's Lavrov visits ally South Africa amid Western rivalry
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-23 | by ( Carien Duplessis | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] South Africa's Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor shakes hands with Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, ahead of their bilateral meeting in Pretoria, South Africa, January 23, 2023. Lavrov met his South African counterpart, Naledi Pandor, after flying in earlier in the day on a trip some South African opposition parties and the small Ukrainian community have condemned as insensitive. President Cyril Ramaphosa's government regards South Africa as neutral in the Ukraine conflict and has expressed a desire to mediate. The South African armed forces said last week the exercise is a "means to strengthen the already flourishing relations between South Africa, Russia and China". There was no official public comment from the Ukrainian embassy but officials said it had asked the South African government to help push President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's 10-point peace plan, which he proposed to the G20 in November.

SummarySummary Companies Auditors cite past 'financial irregularities'Utility reports $719 mln net loss for 2022Expects bigger loss this yearEskom says reliant on government supportJOHANNESBURG, Dec 23 (Reuters) - South Africa's Eskom said on Friday that auditors have questioned the utility's ability to survive as a going concern citing past financial irregularities. Auditors Deloitte & Touche LLP in a report said there is “a material uncertainty relating to Eskom’s ability to continue as a going concern,” the utility said in its annual financial report. [1/2] Locals walk past electricity pylons during frequent power outages from South African utility Eskom, caused by its aging coal-fired plants, in Orlando, Soweto, South Africa, September 28, 2022. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko/File Photo 1 2In response, Eskom said it was investigating the incident and was finalising a disciplinary process against an individual. Eskom CEO Andre De Ruyter resigned this month saying a lack of political support had made his position "untenable".

☆ South Africa's Ramaphosa awaits ANC panel decision on his fate
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

He has said the money stolen was the proceeds of the sale of buffaloes and far less than the millions of dollars alleged when the theft came to light in June. Ramaphosa said on Sunday he would attend the meeting of the African National Congress National Executive Committee (NEC) and would accept its decision. Party leaders and supporters of Ramaphosa clad in the colours of the ANC party were seen arriving at the venue of the meeting on Monday. Having received firm backing from his allies within the party, Ramaphosa has vowed to fight on, with his spokesman saying the panel's findings would be challenged. Reporting by Kopano Gumbi; Writing by Bhargav Acharya; Editing by James Macharia Chege and Nick MacfieOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

[1/3] South African president Cyril Ramaphosa speaks at the Green Hydrogen Summit at Century City in Cape Town, South Africa, November 29, 2022. The inquiry centred on the theft of a millions of dollars of cash from the billionaire president's farm in 2020, which came to light in June. The country's biggest opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, has called for an early election and the report has plunged the governing African National Congress (ANC) into crisis. The ANC's executive committee is due to meet to discuss the panel report on Thursday evening. Asked by Reuters about a local media report that Ramaphosa was due to address the nation on Thursday, Ramaphosa's spokesman Vincent Magwenya said: "An announcement is imminent.

☆ Reaction to expert panel report on South Africa's Ramaphosa
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, former minister and chairwoman of the African Union Commission, attends the 54th National Conference of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) at the Nasrec Expo Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa December 17, 2017. REUTERS/Siphiwe SibekoJOHANNESBURG, Dec 1 (Reuters) - Cyril Ramaphosa's future as South African president was in question on Thursday, a day after a panel report found preliminary evidence he may have committed serious misconduct. "We need to look at the report, study its implications very carefully, follow the parliamentary processes and allow matters to take their course." NKOSAZANA DLAMINI-ZUMA, EX-WIFE OF FORMER PRESIDENT JACOB ZUMA"I think the president has to step aside now and answer to the case." JOHN STEENHUISEN, LEADER OF MAIN OPPOSITION PARTY, THE LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC ALLIANCE (DA)"The report is clear and unambiguous.

☆ South Africa's economy at a pivotal point as outlook improves but political, energy risks remain
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-29 | by ( Elliot Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

South Africa's long-awaited economic reforms have begun to improve the country's outlook, but the age-old problems of political uncertainty and a failing power system still pose significant risks. But deep divisions within the ruling African National Congress (ANC) and his own cabinet have made for sluggish progress. However, political frailties and persistent issues at a state-owned utility continue to pose present economic risks. Montana said that in order to secure sustained economic growth, the South African government will need to prioritize energy sustainability. "Energy will require financial assistance from international players, but they will also need to ensure that it doesn't have a negative impact on South African society," he said.

☆ Sorting electricity issue in South Africa like 'fixing a plane as it's flying': Cyril Ramaphosa
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-25 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailSorting electricity issue in South Africa like 'fixing a plane as it's flying': Cyril RamaphosaCNBC correspondent Arabile Gumede discusses South African President Cyril Ramaphosa's state visit to the U.K., the future of trade between the two countries, and the electricity issue that he has to face back home.

Search resuls for: "Cyril Ramaphosa's"

12 mentions found