A young man (19) died in a motorcycle accident on Nelson Mandela Drive in Secunda The rider allegedly lost control over his motorbike, which then collided with a tree and slammed into the palisades of the Sasol Club, Ridge Times reports the young man’s parents were also on the scene The police are investigating a case of culpable homicide Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal Read original story on www.citizen.co.za 28 February2025 – The Portfolio Committee on Mineral and Petroleum Resources conducted an oversight visit to Sasol operations in Secunda Mpumalanga yesterday as part of it’s the week-long oversight visit to Mpumalanga The committee was briefed about the company’s operations social labour plans (SLPs) and strategies to mitigate air pollution Responding to committee members’ questions about air pollution,Sasol said they have an air quality monitoring system conduct regular checks and submit reports to the Department of Forestry The company assured the committee that it is complying with all environmental laws and regulations relating to air pollution resulting from their operations and said that it was making good progress to improve air quality and mitigate air pollution The committee advised about the importance of finding a balance between economic development and the protection of the environment and warned that any decarbonisation must not take away people’s jobs as South Africa is battling a high unemployment rate The committee also commended Sasol for complying with SLPs and visited some of the community projects funded by the petroleum company The committee will today conclude its oversight week with a visit to the Sasol plant in Sasolburg ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON MINERAL AND PETROLEUM RESOURCES For media enquiries or interviews with the committee Chairperson E-mail: smokoena@parliament.gov.za Parliament will play a crucial oversight role in ensuring that South Africa’s commitments during its G20 presidency are implemented effectively and aligned with national priorities like economic growth omaotwe@parliament.gov.za Subscribe to daily business and company news across 19 industries The plant is under pressure to reduce its emissions with the authors estimating that a carbon price of R2,000 per ton of CO2 in 2030 would be required to achieve South Africa's NDC commitment Sasol is also facing challenges with its process feedstock because the coal that the plant uses is becoming increasingly expensive and difficult to obtain The plant also uses natural gas from Mozambique but this supply is expected to decline in the coming years South Africa’s commitments under the Paris Agreement along with tightening global climate regulations require Secunda to navigate these pressures Sasol is also facing financial constraints with a high level of debt and constant struggles to generate cash flow While Sasol has explored abatement strategies the report finds these efforts limited by economic viability concerns and the reality that alternatives like green hydrogen and biomass are not yet commercially feasible for such large-scale A proposed option would involve importing natural gas from other countries in the region and switching processes to converting crude oil into chemicals Authors also recommend a phased approach that considers technologies like carbon capture and storage (CCS) and using selective gas imports as transitional measures The report identified downstream opportunities that could position Sasol as a contributor to new lower-emission sectors while maintaining relevance in the domestic and export markets The authors are urging government to balance environmental commitments with industrial realities Adjusting policies to offer temporary relief on carbon taxes or emission allowances may provide Sasol with the needed breathing room to transition responsibly Aggressive carbon taxes without viable transition pathways could lead to unintended economic drawbacks affecting jobs and regional economies dependent on Sasol’s operations As the nation moves toward a lower-carbon economy Sasol Secunda should be allowed to contribute while also reducing its environmental impact Choose a topic below and thereafter view all articles on the topic using the "Next >" button or swiping left Choose a topic below and thereafter view all articles on the topic using the "Next >" button or the keyboard right arrow key Rod Crompton receives funding from TIPS and the African Climate Foundation He is affiliated with the Southern Centre for Inequality Studies The African Energy Leadership Centre at Wits Business School received funding from Trade and Industry Policy Strategies (TIPS) for this research University of the Witwatersrand provides support as a hosting partner of The Conversation AFRICA View all partners this output accounted for 2.6% of GDP directly and 5.2% indirectly Sasol also employs more than 28,000 South Africans It makes significant contributions to corporate taxes It sustains a whole town built specifically for its Secunda workforce Sasol’s Secunda facilities are rare and interesting. Firstly, they use coal rather than oil or gas as a feedstock to make petrochemicals and liquid fuels as the largest manufacturer of petrochemicals in South Africa However, Secunda faces two major challenges. First, its reliance on coal as the primary feedstock makes it the world’s largest single point emitter of carbon dioxide emissions converting the existing Secunda plant to use sustainable feedstocks is not economically viable We found that South Africa’s petrochemical sector is at a crossroads Compared to the petrochemical industry averages the Secunda facility’s coal-based technology results in a much higher amount of carbon dioxide emitted per ton of product Given the technical challenges and likely financial impossibility of converting Secunda to sustainable feedstocks at its large scale we concluded that the Secunda facility is entering the sunset phase of its life When the coal-based plant at Secunda gets to the end of its life it will leave a big hole in the South African economy and end the supply of petrochemical feedstocks South Africa needs to start planning for that eventuality Secunda was initially built in the late 1970s to use coal as its primary feedstock gas from Mozambique was introduced as a supplementary feedstock Our research evaluated the possibility of converting Sasol’s operations to use green hydrogen and sustainable carbon as alternative feedstocks to coal and gas we found this option to be both technically and commercially infeasible South Africa’s international commitments to decarbonisation, along with shareholder pressure, have pushed Sasol to pledge a 30% reduction in its greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 to achieve this target it has announced an 11% cut in production This poses challenges for the supply of chemicals and liquid fuels and could negatively affect employment and the economy Secunda’s reliance on coal is unsustainable in other ways Its own coal supplies have reduced and deteriorated in quality such as steel maker ArcelorMittal and Consol Glass that it will stop supplying them with gas in 2027 This poses a significant threat to manufacturing in South Africa unless viable alternatives are found in time Without affordable and sustainable feedstocks Sasol faces the dual challenge of maintaining production while reducing its carbon footprint The South African government’s policy decisions on carbon taxation and environmental regulation – such as the proposed carbon tax increase to US$30/tonne of CO₂ by 2030 – could further pressure Sasol Higher carbon taxes could tip Secunda over the edge leading to economic disruption and job losses Our research suggests another way South Africa could meet its nationally determined contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions Prioritising renewable electricity and cutting emissions from Eskom’s coal-fired power stations could allow Secunda to continue some of its emissions This would help preserve the country’s only source of petrochemicals and carbon capture and storage technologies instead of coal None of these options are financially viable in the short to medium term Biomass feedstocks are not available at the scale required and green hydrogen remains too expensive Carbon capture and storage technologies are not yet commercially viable we believe that there is no commercial case to do so Running this equipment carefully to the end of its useful life should be the main priority These financial constraints make the capital-intensive investments required for decarbonisation even more daunting When this will happen will be partly determined by government regulation and leniency and partly by how Sasol manages the transition it will have to find a way through a host of difficulties Our research identified several economic development substitutes for South Africa developing green hydrogen for the export of ammonia and fertiliser developing green steel using hydrogen-based direct reduced iron technology Each of these is in line with global trends towards decarbonisation investment and infrastructure to get off the ground our research calls for a detailed analysis to assess the feasibility and economic potential of these sectors once a symbol of South Africa’s industrial prowess South Africa has a unique opportunity to redefine its petrochemical sector There is no simple solution – policymakers must balance the need to reduce emissions with the socio-economic realities of thousands of jobs and billions in economic output the transition to a greener future is fraught with risks but also opportunities – if the right investments and strategies are pursued A man was shot dead in the passenger seat of a vehicle on the pavement in front of his offices in Pringle Street Ridge Times reports the drive-by shooting happened at about 10:45 The area was cordoned off as an active crime scene it is known that a message was posted on a neighbourhood group about a red or maroon vehicle with no number plates driving up and down Pringle Street at around 10:00 neighbours were alarmed by several gunshots but his identity could not yet be confirmed by SAPS Read original story on www.citizen.co.za SuperSport Schools Plus Photo: Supplied.Armaan Manack and Kamogelo Phiri blasted unbeaten centuries to set St David’s Marist Inanda up for a massive 158-run win over Hoërskool Secunda in their Schools SA20 Gauteng Regional Finals match on Wits University’s B Field on Friday afternoon Hoërskool Noordheuwel and Hoërskool Middelburg crossed swords on the Wits University A Field and couldn’t be separated after 40 overs Both sides were bowled out for 88 runs and the match was declared a tie St David’s flexed their batting prowess with a comfortable seven-wicket win over Middelburg no batsman recorded an individual milestone and they lost three wickets on their way to 121 runs the Jeff Levin-coached side was warmed up and raring to go at full throttle They wanted to pick up from where they left off in their win over Hoërskool Middelburg They made the Secunda fielders chase leather as they piled up 229/1 in their 20 overs That big total was a mountain too high for Secunda who tumbled to 71 all out in 13.4 overs in reply Armaan Manack and Kamogelo Phiri joined hands in the second over of the St David’s innings after Morteza Manack suffered an early dismissal The duo paid no attention to the loss of that wicket they went on the offensive and rocketed their way to an unbroken 214-run second-wicket partnership off only 111 balls Manack tonked 15 fours and four sixes for his unbeaten 110 off 55 balls while Phiri cracked 14 fours and two sixes in his 106 not out the St David’s pair became the first centurions of the Schools SA20 regional finals Jean Loock and Nijan Swart were the only Secunda bowlers who went at a rate of less than 10 runs an over The rest of the bowlers saw their economy rates rise to double figures Damian de Beer was the sole wicket-taker with a single wicket for 26 runs from two overs saw to it that Secunda did not make a good start to their daunting run chase He shared the new ball with Morteza Manack and struck twice in his second over They were the first two of Emslie’s victims Emslie and Jared Stern acted like relay runners; one picked up from where the other left off Stern was the fourth bowler St David’s employed and he ripped through Secunda’s middle and lower order He bagged his first wicket in the 10th over and he didn’t stop until Secunda was all out capturing four wickets for 14 runs in 3.4 overs While spectators were treated to a boundary festival by St David’s on the B Field those following the action on the A Field were served a low-scoring thriller Noordheuwel and Middelburg found themselves deadlocked and the match ended in a heart-stopping tie Noordheuwel was bowled out for 88 in 19.3 overs while Middelburg was bowled out for 88 in 20 overs Noordheuwel went in to bat first and struggled to get off the blocks In his return of three wickets for 11 runs from four overs Herman Potgieter struck Noordheuwel’s innings a hard body blow with the dismissal of Corné Olivier in the 15th over after the Nories‘ batsman had tallied a patient 33 off 46 deliveries snapping up three wickets for only four runs Noordheuwel responded to Middelburg’s brilliance with the ball with some inspired bowling of their own JD Bezuidenhout and Dian Taljaard got stuck in early and saw to it that Middelburg was three wickets down by the end of the powerplay which ensured that Middelburg’s batsmen struggled to settle in Gavin Genis (17) and Eduan Strydom (39) gave the Mpumalanga side hope with a 43-run fifth-wicket partnership that appeared to have set Middelburg up for a comfortable victory they needed 10 runs from 2.1 overs with five wickets in hand when Strydom was dismissed four balls later He was one of two wickets snared by Corné Olivier in the 19th over It yielded three wickets for Noordheuwel and left Middelburg stranded on 88 Botha finished with three wickets for six runs in one over while Olivier and Bezuidenhout picked up two wickets each St David’s Marist Inanda 229/1 (Armaan Manack 110 Hoërskool Noordheuwel 88/10 (Corné Olivier 33 Hoërskool Middelburg 88/10 (Eduan Strydom 39 Related News Sensational Rowles Puts SA u19 1-0 Up in Namibia Cricket SA 2025-04-28 WINDHOEK: Jason Rowles claimed an incredible five-wicket haul to set South Africa Under-19 Men on their way to a one-sided 10-wicket win over TSHWANE: Building on the momentum of previous SA20 U19 Women’s Camps the second instalment of the SA U19 Women’s national training JOHANNESBURG: Cricket South Africa (CSA) has today announced the 15-player South Africa Under-19 Men’s squad set to tour Namibia for a TSHWANE: Cricket South Africa (CSA) is gearing up to host two national training camps for the South Africa Under-19 Women’s team smashing an unbeaten 117 runs against Saints Christian School WINDHOEK: Jason Rowles claimed an incredible five-wicket haul to set South Africa Under-19 Men on their way to a one-sided 10-wicket win over The Eastvaal Motor Group has added Kia and Renault to its existing portfolio in Secunda and revamped its Ford and Mazda dealership as part of the process the two new brands in town found themselves at the same premises as the Ford/Mazda dealership with the previous used car part of the dealership also completely revamped to accommodate the new brands “We are excited about the two new brands here as part of our bigger multi-franchise dealership,” Phillip Els “Our dealership now has Ford on the one side of the building then the entrance to the service centre and on the other side the showroom floors for Mazda overseeing the different service departments of all four brands.” Phillip says Renault is basically the group’s dealership in Bethal relocating to Secunda with UD Trucks and Nissan still in place doing business in Bethal “Kia is a new franchise for us but both it and Renault are making their debuts in Secunda “Both the new brands will have to make inroads into this community and we are working hard to increase their footprint here but we intend to change that,” he tells us He says their area of responsibility for all the brands cover more or less the same region With the Secunda and the surrounding towns known for their mining activities and related industries they also service a large farming community “Agriculture is an integral part of this area on the Highveld with large mixed farming activities in the region,” Phillip tells Dealerfloor “Secunda is expanding with new suburbs developing and Sasol is playing a vital role in the local economy in terms of job creation and growth are also crucial role players in this region With Ford and the focus on bakkies it is a no brainer that mining and the agricultural sector form an important customer base for us,” Phillip says Asked if the addition of two more brands bring challenges but with the infrastructure of the dealership and staff in place they are ready to expand the brands in this part of the country Isuzu introduced the latest evolution of the MU-X locally with the latest model line-up raising the bar with improved styling The range is also being bolstered with the addition of a new flagship model Proton says it will soon address questions about its future in South Africa The 15th edition of the Simola Hillclimb was characterised by difficult emotions mixed with brave competition at the highest level during the King of the Hill challenge Human beings have an innate inner drive to be autonomous The transition from a career in the OEM environment to the business at dealership level was like chalk and cheese Audi Centre Sandton was named 2024 Dealer of the Year while Hatfield Motor Group walked away with the coveted 2024 Dealer Group of the Year prize during Audi South Africa’s annual Vorsprung Awards For a dealership to make an 180-degree U-turn within two years and then went on to win the overall Volkswagen Dealer of the Year award This dealer-focussed innovation is made possible with the support and endorsement of Absa Vehicle and Asset Finance All content copyright of Panthera Media Pty Ltd 2020 We use cookies to personalise content and ads and to analyse our traffic and improve our service You consent to cookies if you continue to use our website Home | South Africa are crying foul over worsening spilling sewage in their community The concerned residents say the situation poses a serious health hazard They say the spillages do not only lead to a foul smell but also spill into their yards and even houses They have accused the Govan Mbeki Local Municipality of not doing much to fix the problem Raw sewage flows from manholes to the streets and homesteads Some of the residents say their health is in serious danger as the situation worsens by the day “The whole area in Embalenhle is the same thing that is happening All the drains are not fixed and we have been reporting this to the municipality and even the councillors The councilor doesn’t even attend to this situation decided to go further because we have been reporting this So we took another step so that we can resolve these issues.” says they have sought the intervention of the provincial and national governments Zuma says more than R1 billion has since been allocated to them to address the issue “We have been allocated a budget of about R1.1 billion to resolve all challenges of Embalenhle That includes the upgrading of the waste treatment plant also construction of the last pump station and then the network that moves towards that particular area But while we have not reached the stage of implementation we are assisting communities with regards to trying to suck out the manholes with the wastewater that is there But we must indicate it’s a bit of a strain because it’s a lot of communities and it’s hitting hard on the budget of the municipality because we have to rent trucks on almost daily basis to try and bring relief to our communities.” The Govan Mbeki Municipality was found guilty of water pollution and violating environmental acts The municipality was fined R200 million and further ordered to repair certain infrastructure before December 2026 Zuma says they have made progress in that regard “We have done relatively well with regards to other areas we almost do not have any form of spillage on the basis that all the pump stations that we have constructed and upgraded are functional The only thing that remains is that we have to do a lot of work to make sure that we are able to make sure that what remains also will be the upgrade of the waste treatment plant All pump stations are currently functional You’ll remember that when you were last here we were still in the process of appointing service providers for the upgrading and revamping of those pump stations but we would have been more excited if we were able even to have started with the implementation of the upgrading of the Embalenhle waste treatment plant.” the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs has appointed a task team to assist municipalities to improve their sewer systems we have seen the challenges coming back and the management of the sewer I’ve since established a team led by Dr Ntiwane and as well as the human settlement site so that they begin to look at what best can we do and how much resources can we advance to do that The other challenge is to make sure that the pipes we also discourage communities to deposit any instrument that we are not supposed to do Some of the areas we found inside the sewers are blockages and that’s therefore created spillages across our municipalities we do have a plan and we’ll be presenting these plans to the exco of the province in making sure that we assist the municipalities further moving forward.” residents of Embalenhle have called on government to quickly come up with a permanent solution top-order batsman for Hoërskool Middelburg latches onto a short delivery Photo: Nadia Kruger.Ruben Brandmuller’s bat proved to be the difference for Hoërskool Middelburg as they defeated Hoërskool Secunda in the Mpumalanga Premier League on Saturday Relive all the action on SuperSport Schools – (www.supersportschool.com) The top-order batsman compiled a match-winning innings of exactly 100 at a crucial time to rescue his side from trouble shared in a key partnership of 98 runs with Herman Potgieter who also scored a century (103*) earlier in the Middies’ campaign but he then fell victim to Alonzo Blackenberg despite being called on the bowl only later in the innings He sent down 8.1 overs and snapped up 5/42 helping to stem the flow of Middelburg runs while sending half of the team’s batsmen packing they couldn’t quite match the home side’s batting performance as the Middies’ bowlers put their run chase under heavy pressure Ceejay Webb was the pick of the Secunda batsman which showed just how difficult the visitors found it out in the middle leaving Hoërskool Middelburg the winners by 51 runs Vaughn van Zyl cleaned up Hoërskool Hoogenhout quickly to help propel Hoërskool Nelspruit to a comfortable eight-wicket victory at home Rico Nel weighed in with 2/14  as Hoogenhout mustered a disappointing 123 all out mostly thanks to Tokkie Buhali’s hard-fought innings of 45 Nel then went on to do the damage with the bat Nathan Duncan chipped in with 36 runs as the openers put up 97 to take Nelspruit to within sight of a convincing victory An unbeaten 21 from Jayden Meyer ensured there were no hiccups as Nelspruit sauntered across the line Hoërskool Middelburg 216 (Ruben Brandmuller 100 Rovonne Singh 2/29); Hoërskool Secunda 165 (Ceejay Web 31*; Zubair Desai 2/14 Hoërskool Hoogenhout 123 (Tokkie Buhali 45; Vaughn van Zyl 5/26 Rico Nel 2/14); Hoërskool Nelspruit 124/2 (Rico Nel 50 Secunda-based vet Dr Darko Zupanc has been fined R120 000 after being found guilty of breaking various industry rules Half of his fine is suspended for three years on condition that he is not found guilty of a similar transgression during this period This information was published in the Government Gazette on December 6, according to Ridge Times The South African Veterinary Council (SAVC) imposed the costs order after Zupanc was found guilty on five of the charges animal activist and founder of The Paw Company (an animal welfare organisation) filed against him in a comprehensive complaint to the SAVC last year The disciplinary hearing was held in Pretoria on November 21 almost 20 months after Van Zyl lodged the complaint It included accusations of unprofessional conduct by Zupanc Allegations against him included allowing unqualified or unregistered personnel to perform professional work such as diagnosing and administering drugs This was depicted in Facebook posts and videos that have since been removed Some of these videos and photos used as evidence featured his wife Zupanc was found guilty of allowing persons not duly qualified and registered as veterinary professionals to perform veterinary work an inspection report revealed that the medicine cupboard where schedule 2 to 4 medicines were stored was not locked which housed scheduled medicines including schedule 6 medicines accessible to laypersons or unauthorised employees Allegations against Zupanc appeared in the national media in February after which he applied to the Middelburg High Court for an interdict against Van Zyl Van Zyl and The Paw Company are opposing the application Van Zyl and Wrigley were subpoenaed to testify at the SAVC’s disciplinary hearing but were later informed they did not need to attend as Zupanc had pleaded guilty Ridge Times applied to the SAVC’s inquiry body to attend the final hearing on November 21 This was denied following Zupanc’s opposition He stated that the charges stemmed from incidents two to four years ago and that his practice has since completely changed Zupanc stated that he now has a team of four veterinarians and two veterinary nurses and expressed concern that publicity around this case would ‘cast a shadow over his current team’ “Any public attention would unjustly implicate them and harm their reputations,” his opposition to media presence read Zupanc also cited ‘fear for the safety of himself and his family’ as a reason for opposing media presence He also cited devastating emotional and financial tolls Since the publication of the verdict in the Government Gazette it has been circulated on WhatsApp groups by concerned residents Van Zyl is disappointed in the fine imposed on Zupanc “Although I am glad the SAVC has finally stepped up to hold Dr Zupanc to account I do not believe a mere R60 000 payable to the council is an adequate punishment It is but a slap on the wrist and benefits only the SAVC,” said Van Zyl Read original story on www.citizen.co.za a cornerstone of Sasol’s production capacity recorded an 11% quarter-on-quarter decline – total production dropped to 1,627kt compared to 1,820kt in Q4 2023/24 Fuels production within this segment fell by 8% declining from 892kt to 823kt over the same period This is one of the steepest quarterly declines in the last five years and contributing to a historic loss in the stock market “The decrease in production volumes at Secunda was largely due to planned maintenance shutdowns,” Sasol stated in its quarterly production metrics report Sasol says it is sacrificing short term output to focus on asset integrity and long-term operational reliability Chemicals Africa recorded a 10% increase in advanced materials volumes “This growth underscores the strength of our market demand and operational efficiencies in Africa,” Sasol highlighted Sales volumes were however down 9% compared to the previous quarter and 5% lower than Q1 FY24 mainly due to challenges at Secunda and export vessel scheduling movements Chemicals America saw a contrasting picture with advanced materials volumes declining by 10% Total volumes dropped from 10kt in the previous quarter to 9kt in Q1 2024/25 but revenue was up 12% from a year before on the back of higher prices for base chemicals Chemicals Eurasia experienced an 11% decrease but a 5% revenue increase towed upwards on high value products The declines in Chemicals America and Eurasia align with broader trends in regional demand fluctuations and operational adjustments though they represent the largest drops in these segments since 2020 Deloitte sounded the alarm in the global market in its 2023 The future of materials report: Sasol’s slow turn to sustainable practices seems to be at the root of the decline in global markets While production challenges weighed heavily on the quarter’s metrics Sasol is optimistic for the remainder of the year “We are implementing targeted strategies to address production inefficiencies and enhance supply chain resilience,” the company noted The Q1 results offer a sobering reflection on the pressures faced by Sasol but also hint at opportunities for recovery “"We have made good progress on our transition agenda highlighting our commitment to become sustainable into the future as well as supporting South Africa's energy transition,” Sasol concluded Sasol is a global chemicals and energy company We harness our knowledge and expertise to integrate sophisticated technologies and processes into world-scale operating facilities produce and market a range of high-quality products Sasol comprises three distinct market-focused businesses Our more focused portfolio is underpinned by a transition to a lower-carbon future and our 70-year track record demonstrates we have the capabilities and competencies to deliver sustainable value in these three core businesses Advancing chemical and energy solutions that contribute to a thriving planet Sasol's investors consist of both equity investors (those invested in the Sasol ordinary shares or the ADRs) and lenders/debt investors (banks and institutional investors lending to Sasol or investing in its issues of debt instruments such as local bonds loans and other credit facilities and convertible instruments) Supply Chain is the custodian of all external spend for the Sasol Group It is responsible for managing supply and demand so as to ensure cost-efficiency and maximise return on spend while at the same time ensuring effective logistics of a range of deliverables Explore existing opportunities to energise your career to the next level Whether you are seeking a Learnership or you are Student or Graduate or Experienced Hire Find out how you can add value to the Sasol Team Access media releases and view latest social media updates  South Africa – A consortium comprising TotalEnergies Renewables South Africa (Pty) Ltd and Reatile Renewables (Pty) Ltd (Reatile) has achieved Financial Close on an agreement to supply 260 MW of wind and solar PV energy to Sasol and Air Liquide at Sasol’s Secunda operations in South Africa Sasol and Air Liquide Large Industries South Africa signed two Power Purchase Agreements (PPA) with TotalEnergies and Mulilo in February 2023 for the decarbonisation of Sasol’s Secunda site where Air Liquide operates the world’s largest oxygen production plant.  The PPAs include Northern Cape based Mulilo De Aar 2 South Wind Farm which will produce 140 MW and Paarde Valley Sasol has become South Africa’s largest private sector buyer of renewable energy With renewable energy being a cornerstone of Sasol’s strategy the company currently has 688 MW of RE projects under construction with Air Liquide comprising a large Free State based 97,5 MW solar project; the Impofu cluster consisting of three onshore wind projects totaling 330 MW of wind renewable energy; and now Paarde Valley PV2 Solar PV Farm and the Mulilo De Aar 2 South Wind Farm adding 120 MW and 140 MW respectively.  Sasol has two renewable energy plants in operation which include Sasol’s own 3 MW solar PV facility in Sasolburg which reached commercial operations in October 2024 Executive Vice President of Sasol’s Business Building “Sasol is committed to a responsible transition towards a sustainable future and this transaction is a further milestone in it progressing its renewable energy commitments and transition journey to a lower-carbon future.  Our plans to meet our target of 1 200 MW of renewable energy is moving at pace and in an advanced stage of development.  Once operational the projects will significantly contribute to Sasol achieving its 30% GHG reduction target by 2030.” With Sasol being South Africa’s largest private sector buyer of renewable energy the renewables procured by Sasol to date is expected to inject R18-20 billion of capital investment into SA economy The targeted commercial operations date for Paarde Valley and Mulilo De Aar 2 is expected at the end of 2026 Discover a wealth of content related to Sasol and our activities on our social media accounts all master's students will build solutions for industry partners and develop skills in end-to-end product development and entrepreneurship and live on one of the most advanced campuses in the world Discover how our award-winning campus helps you think better and work smarter Explore our high-tech venues for your next NYC event Walk our campus from wherever you are in the world The Jacobs Technion-Cornell Institute is a place for dynamic experimentation where the boundaries of academia are expanded  AI co-founder and philanthropist Tom Secunda today announced a landmark donation to Cornell Tech Cornell University’s tech campus in New York City totaling $10.5 million to create the Cornell Empire AI Post-Doctoral Fellowship Program Fund This donation will advance the mission of Empire AI providing researchers and faculty with unparalleled access to computing power and opportunities to engage in groundbreaking AI research for the public good “I’m proud to be supporting Cornell’s top AI researchers in their pursuit of new groundbreaking AI developments that will benefit the people of New York By giving these researchers the freedom to explore all the opportunities that this nascent technology has to offer we are opening up a new world of technological development,” said Secunda who is a member of the steering committee for the Jacobs Technion-Cornell Institute at Cornell Tech “I’m also honored to be contributing to the advancement of Empire AI which is shaping up to be one of the most impactful public-private technology partnerships in recent memory.” will establish the Cornell Empire AI Post-Doctoral Fellowship Program Fund at Cornell Tech in partnership with the Jacobs Technion-Cornell Institute The gift will benefit researchers at both the Cornell Tech campus in New York City and at Cornell’s Bowers College of Computing and Information Science in Ithaca It will also support an annual public conference to be held at Cornell Tech to showcase the research work being conducted by the Cornell fellows and faculty utilizing Empire AI Secunda’s generous support represents a remarkable opportunity for Cornell University which is already a national leader in AI research to bring more top AI scholars from around the world to both its Cornell Tech campus in New York City and to the Bowers College of Computing and Information Science on our Ithaca campus,” said Kavita Bala “The transformational potential of their work will be facilitated by the computing resources now available through the Empire AI consortium and will also showcase New York State’s leadership in AI.” Empire AI is a new resource for high-performance computing power that enables responsible AI research and development The public-private technology partnership was anchored by key support from New York State and Governor Kathy Hochul in 2024 The Empire AI Consortium connects Cornell and several other collaborating research universities and institutions across New York to a central computing infrastructure “This computing resource is a partnership in a research instrument – one that can be matched in compute capability with these researchers’ combination of leading-edge discovery and thoughtfulness about how AI is harnessed to address many real-world challenges,” said Krystyn Van Vliet Cornell Vice President for Innovation and External Engagement Strategy “The Cornell Tech community is grateful to Tom Secunda for his wisdom and generosity in creating this opportunity for our campus and for the AI research community,” added Greg Morrisett Jack and Rilla Neafsey Dean and Vice Provost of Cornell Tech “Tom’s support allows us to significantly expand our research in AI here in New York City by attracting an elite cohort of the best researchers in the world which will now progress much more quickly thanks to Empire AI will allow our campus to further increase its significant economic impact on New York City and its growing tech sector.” Faculty associated with the Jacobs Technion-Cornell Institute at Cornell Tech will also be key participants The fellowship program will drastically increase capacity for faculty doing AI research by allowing them to recruit an elite cohort of up-and-coming researchers The highly selective cohort will additionally benefit from Empire AI’s large computing resources The very first of these systems at Empire AI Alpha was among the top 250 most high-performing systems in the world notably at the current leading edge of processor capabilities for AI-enabled research I’m proud to be supporting Cornell’s top AI researchers in their pursuit of new groundbreaking AI developments that will benefit the people of New York.” Stay in the loop on all things Cornell Tech This milestone underscores Unitrans commitment to fostering an inclusive workplace and highlights the growing representation of talented women in the transportation industry "We believe in creating social and economic value through our business practices," says Grant Fleetwood executive human capital for Passenger at Unitrans "Female bus drivers deliver several benefits to our operations including improved safety and higher customer satisfaction we contribute to a more equitable society by promoting a diverse and inclusive workforce." The Secunda Depot challenges this perception by demonstrating the significant impact of a more gender-equitable workforce It operates 165 buses and employs 220 drivers 72 of which are women - 32% compared to the industry's average of 5 to 10% we understand the transformative power of a diverse workforce We will continue to champion gender diversity as we remain committed to creating a workplace where everyone is treated equally and has the opportunity to thrive,” says Fleetwood The company employs various strategies to attract women to its talent pool including a professional driver learnership programme we have successfully trained more female drivers and increased the number of women employed in our depots across the country," says Fleetwood "We are also increasingly seeing that bus driving is no longer perceived as a male-dominated field and we are very proud of the women leading this change at Unitrans." introducing more women to the driving fleet has contributed to the success and growth of the operation "It has enhanced performance as our female drivers bring different perspectives and problem-solving approaches contributing to improving customer satisfaction It is a testament to what can be achieved with a genuine commitment to diversity and inclusivity." The company has found that female drivers tend to bring a thoughtful and patient approach to their work This is particularly helpful in roles that involve working closely with the public and handling various traffic situations who began her journey as a bus driver in 2015 and has since risen to the role of supervisor attributes the success of women drivers at the Secunda branch to more than just the prioritisation of diversity She highlights the importance of fostering a supportive environment where women are empowered to thrive "The support for women has made all the difference There's a culture here that encourages women to reach their full potential and that’s what enables their success." the female drivers show exemplary discipline adaptability and a keen understanding of the vehicles they operate They often tend to be gentler on the fleet This has led to reduced maintenance costs and improved overall efficiency where Unitrans is responsible for transporting large numbers of children female drivers have proven exceptionally competent and adept at handling young passengers with care and professionalism the employment of more women has also served as a means of economic empowerment in the town that has historically battled high unemployment rates Providing women with stable and well-paying jobs has assisted in addressing economic disparities and supporting women's financial independence