15 March 2024

South Africa: Government scraps sale of South African Airways (SAA)!

The South African Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) has announced the termination of negotiations by mutual consent for the transaction to sell a controlling stake in South African Airways (SAA) to the Takatso Consortium. Minister of Public Enterprises Pravin Gordhan explained during a media briefing on 13 March 2024 in Cape Town that while three years ago, a valuation of SAA’s business and assets had been reached, circumstances have now changed – prompting a disagreement on the revised transaction structure.
According to Minister Gordhan, the South African Government is convinced that South African Airways (SAA) can sustain itself for the next year to 18 months and there are various, other ways in which immediate financing can be obtained. He further said that at no stage, in the course of the months that come, will SAA get money from the fiscus. South African Airways (SAA) will revert to being fully state-owned.
The deal between the South African Government and the Takatso Consortium originates from June 2021, when the Takatso Consortium was named as SAA’s new Strategic Equity Partner (SEP). The SEP would privately own a 51% stake in SAA while the South African government would hold the remaining 49%. Prior to the deal, South African Airways (SAA) was forced to enter into business rescue proceedings in December 2019.
We'll keep you posted!

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Western Cape: Section of the R43 in the Overberg fully closed until September 2024!

The South African National Roads Agency (SANRAL) has announced that a three kilometres section of the R43 from the Kleinmond interchange on the N2 (Exit 90 to Kleinmond and Hermanus) will be closed for at least six month (September 2024). This is due to  road safety improvement which involves a full upgrade and reconstruction of layerworks, as well as widening the road to 3.7m wide lanes, with 2.4m wide shoulders in both directions. All traffic will be rerouted via the Botrivier interchange on the N2 (Exit 92) that is approximately two kilometres from the road closure.


14 March 2024

South Africa: South African Airlines (SAA) adjusts its Johannesburg <> Perth schedule!

The flag carrier airline of South Africa, South African Airways (SAA), has announced that it has undertaken a schedule review of its upcoming service to Perth in Western Australia to identify areas for enhancement. SAA customers travelling from Perth can expect more convenient departure and arrival times, allowing for easier domestic and regional connections and reduced travel times. This change also assists connecting customers from New Zealand and other cities in Australia.

"We are thrilled to introduce this enhancement to our flight schedule, which directly addresses feedback and preferences from our customers," says SAA’s Chief Commercial Officer, Mr Tebogo Tsimane. 

From its inaugural flight on 28 April 2024, SAA's flights from OR Tambo International Airport (JNB) in Johannesburg to Perth Airport (PER) in Perth will depart at 20:55 and arrive at 12:20 the following day. The schedule for outward bound flights remains unchanged.
On 29 April 2024, the inaugural flight from Perth to Johannesburg will now depart Perth at 23:50 and arrive in Johannesburg at 04:45 on 30 April 2024. All times are local for both Johannesburg and Perth. Customers already booked on the earlier departure time from Perth will be accommodated on the flight on the same day.

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Kruger National Park: Problems with diesel pump at Crocodile Bridge Rest Camp! [update]

update (15 March 2024): SANParks has announced that the diesel pumps have been repaired and are accessible again.

According to South African National Parks (SANParks), problems with the diesel pump are currently experienced at Crocodile Bridge Rest Camp in Kruger National Park. SANParks advises visitors to the Rest Camp to fill up at alternative stations until further notice. The closest petrol station inside Kruger National Park is located at Lower Sabie Rest Camp, which is situated approximately 36 kilometers northwest of Crocodile Bridge Rest Camp. The closest petrol station outside Kruger National Park is located in the town of Komatipoort, approximately 8 kilometers from Crocodile Bridge Rest Camp.
The Crocodile Bridge Rest Camp is located  in the south-eastern corner of the Kruger National Park, on the northern bank of the Crocodile River. It is situated near the Crocodile Bridge Gate.

Durban: Five beaches are currently closed for swimming due to water quality!

The eThekwini Municipality, the local government body responsible for governing and managing Durban in KwaZulu-Natal, has released updated lists of beaches that are currently (as of 13 March 2024) open and safe for swimming, closed for swimming and of swimming pools that are currently open to the public. According to the lists, 18 beaches in Durban are currently open for swimming, while swimming at five beaches, namely Country Club, Thekwini Beach, Laguna Beach, Reunion and mDloti Main, is prohibited due to water quality. 32 swimming pools in Durban are currently open to the public.

The following beaches are open for swimming:
- operating hours 06:00 - 18:30 -

  1. uShaka
  2. Addington
  3. Point Beach
  4. North Beach
  5. Bay of Plenty
  6. Wedge
  7. Battery Beach
  8. South Beach
  9. uMgababa
  10. uMhlanga Main Beach
  11. Bronze Beach
  12. Westbrook
  13. Brighton
  14. Pipeline Beach
  15. Anstey's Beach
  16. Warner Beach
  17. Winkelespruit
  18. Toti Main Beach

Beach(es) closed for swimming:

  1. Country Club
  2. Thekwini Beach
  3. Laguna Beach
  4. Toti Main Beach
  5. Reunion
  6. mDloti Main

Recreational activities other than swimming at beaches closed for swimming are allowed!

 

 

12 March 2024

Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park: Park shops with changed opening hours due to stocktaking at the end of March 2024!

The Management of Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park has announced that due to monthly stocktaking all shops in the National Park will have to temporarily change its operating hours on selected dates at the end of March 2024. The shops in the Mata-Mata Rest Camp (on 22 March 2024) and the Nossob Rest Camp (on 26 March 2024) will be open from 07:30 to 09:00 and from 15:00 to 19:15, while the shop in the Twee Rivieren Rest Camp will only be open from 15:00 to 19:45 on 28 March 2024.

George: Gwaing River and the Gwaing River mouth temporarily closed for any water activities until further notice! [update #2]

update (15 March 2024): The George Municipality has informed the public, that the Gwaing River and River Mouth remain closed following a sewer spill into the river that was caused by a damaged pipeline earlier this week. The damaged pipeline and electrical lines that were damaged by a service provider were subsequently repaired and are operational.
However, as a precautionary measure, the George Municipality’s Civil Engineering Department is currently conducting water quality tests over the next few weeks until it can be confirmed that the river`s water quality meets the minimum requirements. 

update (13 March 2024): The George Municipality has informed the public that repairs to the Proefplaas Sewer Pump Station Pressure Main Pipeline, which was damaged on 12 March 2024 by a service provider working on overhead electrical lines, have been completed and the pumps are once again operational.
The damage caused a sewer spill into the Gwaing River catchment area and currently the Gwaing River and River mouth remain closed for swimming and water activities as a precautionary measure. We'll keep you posted!

The George Municipality has announced that the Gwaing River and the Gwaing River mouth near Herolds Bay is temporarily closed as a precautionary measure, for swimming and any water activities until further notice. This is due to damage to the Proefplaas Sewer Pump Station Pressure Main Pipeline by a service provider working on overhead electrical lines, which has caused a sewer spill into the Gwaing River catchment area.
Civil Engineering Services has a service provider on site trying to contain the spill and remedial measures are being applied in order to re-commission the sewer pump station. All protocols are being followed and the Department of Water and Sanitation, as well as the Breede-Gouritz Catchment Management Agency (BGCMA) have been notified. We'll keep you posted!