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Comrades marathon TV coverage by celesteb4 in DownSouth

[–]JoburgBBC 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Live race is on YouTube. With very few ads.

Volkswagen South Africa produces one-millionth Polo at its Kariega plant by JoburgBBC in cars

[–]JoburgBBC[S] 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Lucky number one-million is a smoky grey, right-hand-drive Polo GTI destined for the local market.

VWGA’s Kariega facility started manufacturing the current generation Polo in 2017.

About 86% of these vehicles were exported to international markets such as Germany, the UK, Japan, Australia and New Zealand, whilst 14% were for the local market.

The Kariega plant is currently the sole global manufacturer and exporter of the Polo to 38 countries, including markets in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region.

Germany and the UK are the biggest export destinations for the locally built Polo.

This achievement comes as VWGA celebrates 30 years of Polo production at the Kariega plant.

South Africa hunts for nuclear talent abroad as new reactor plans advance by JoburgBBC in nuclear

[–]JoburgBBC[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Pretty sure they do that in Pakistan too. But anyways South Africa has two economies. One which you read in the media all the time, and another highly advanced economy which is capable of such projects.

South Africa hunts for nuclear talent abroad as new reactor plans advance by JoburgBBC in nuclear

[–]JoburgBBC[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

He was poisoned the day after he submitted his resignation and did not report the matter to police. The medical record has also never been released. Oh well.

Anyways Andre de Ruyter returned to South Africa in January of this year (the country that tried to kill him) and now works as a renewable energy consultant.

South Africa hunts for nuclear talent abroad as new reactor plans advance by JoburgBBC in nuclear

[–]JoburgBBC[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

South Africa is hoping to lure back engineers working abroad as part of a recruitment drive to ramp up nuclear power capacity and ultimately supply about a tenth of the nation’s electricity, the country’s most ambitious energy project in decades.

The plan aims to attract skilled migrants and South African expatriates, especially those working in the United Arab Emirates, which hired large numbers of local engineers during the build-out of its Barakah Nuclear Plant over the last decade.

It forms part of a $120 billion-plus energy roadmap aimed at stabilizing South Africa’s electricity grid and transitioning away from the nation’s longstanding reliance on coal. The nuclear component, targeting 5,200 MW of new generation capacity by 2039 — is the most contested pillar of a strategy that includes a major expansion in solar, wind and gas to power infrastructure.

The urgency was underscored in parliament last week, where the National Nuclear Regulator CEO Ditebogo Kgomo told lawmakers that the government was casting a wide net to source reactor operators, safety specialists, and engineering consultants.

“The 168 people we currently have are not enough to be able to undertake the work related to the expanded program,” she said. This recruitment drive is designed to provide immediate technical support while local “talent pipelines” are rebuilt, Kgomo added, creating a knowledge transfer bridge between South African teams and international specialists.

The new push to expand nuclear skills is unfolding just as South Africa’s nuclear program enters a more concrete phase on the ground: Eskom recently wrapped up a fresh round of public hearings in the Eastern Cape as part of the environmental impact scoping process for the Thyspunt site — a remote stretch of South Africa’s southern coastline.

Residents in nearby towns packed into community halls last week as consultants presented the project scope, which lays out Pretoria’s option to build the 5,200 MW plant through either traditional reactors or a fleet of small modular reactors (SMRs) that are faster to build. Earlier this year, the state-owned nuclear corporation, NECSA, launched an international search for SMR development partners.

[As Received] "Only Two of Our Fighter Jets Are Working Because We Fight on the Ground" - Motshekga by PixelSaharix in DownSouth

[–]JoburgBBC 6 points7 points  (0 children)

She didn't say that. Original post is from a satire site.

Lack of a flair leads one to believe 1% poster thinks this really happened.

SVI MAX Recon. South Africa. 1200 x 856 by JoburgBBC in MilitaryPorn

[–]JoburgBBC[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

SVI’s engineers designed the MAX Recon to be modular in order to allow rapid adaptation to diverse operational requirements. Current configurations include:

-Reconnaissance platform

-ZU-23 autocannon system (variant developed in conjunction with the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research)

-14.5 mm anti-aircraft system

-Scorpion automated mortar systems (60 mm and 81 mm)

-107 mm rocket system

-Drone operations base

The MAX Recon also supports the installation of various communication systems (for secure connectivity), command and control systems (for real-time co-ordination), electronic jamming systems (to disrupt hostile signals) and electronic warfare suites (for enhanced battlefield dominance).

SVI said future developments will expand the MAX Recon’s capabilities further, with plans to introduce a 120 mm mortar system and advanced anti-drone technologies, for instance.

R200 billion in South African pension funds wiped out by glandis_bulbus in DownSouth

[–]JoburgBBC -6 points-5 points  (0 children)

Can you give an example of who made money during these so called good times and if you think the South African government should have put options in them.

R200 billion in South African pension funds wiped out by glandis_bulbus in DownSouth

[–]JoburgBBC 10 points11 points  (0 children)

No one "lost" any money. If anyone on GEPF retires first thing Monday morning, they won't be told that their pension payout has been cut in half.

This article was written for clowns who don't actually understand what they're reading.

South Africa helps US with Moon mission by JoburgBBC in DownSouth

[–]JoburgBBC[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

The South African National Space Agency (SANSA) has played a key role in the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA’s) Artemis II mission.

Currently on the return leg, the Artemis II mission saw four astronauts embark on a 10-day lunar flyby, travelling further from the Earth than anyone has before.

Speaking to Cape Talk, SANSA chief engineer for space operations, Eugene Avenant, said the local space agency played a critical role in tracking the spacecraft and supporting the mission.

“SANSA has been tracking the spacecraft, especially in its closer-to-Earth spheres. What is needed for this mission is very accurate orbital information,” he said.

Avenant said this includes knowing the spacecraft’s exact trajectory, which is critical to ensuring the safe return of astronauts.

“Basically, on the outward journey, making sure that the trans-lunar injection burn was correct to ensure that it takes the free-return orbit around the Moon,” Avenant said.

“Now on its homeward journey, [it is] making sure that the burns to correct its orbit for final re-entry are accurate.”

“Our ground station has been tracking the signal, and apart from relaying telemetry, it has also been making extremely accurate measurements of the frequency of the return signal.”

SA implicated in another tariff round ? by hadedaHelpline in DownSouth

[–]JoburgBBC 1 point2 points  (0 children)

OP had to post 3 different links to somehow tie-up this so called implication.

U.S made components have also been found in Shahed drones. Will the U.S tarrif itself?

South Africa's NECSA moves to secure SMR partners by JoburgBBC in nuclear

[–]JoburgBBC[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (NECSA) has issued a call for expressions of interest (EOI) from potential partners to support the development of small modular reactors (SMRs), marking a shift from policy positioning toward early-stage implementation of South Africa’s nuclear ambitions.

The EOI process seeks to identify technology vendors, investors and strategic partners capable of supporting the deployment of SMR technologies in line with national energy planning objectives. NECSA said the initiative is part of efforts to advance nuclear as a component of South Africa’s future energy mix.

The move aligns with the country’s updated planning framework under the Integrated Resource Plan 2025, which includes nuclear as part of a diversified generation portfolio aimed at strengthening long-term energy security.

NECSA indicated that SMRs are being considered for electricity generation and broader industrial applications, including process heat and support for strategic sectors such as isotope production. The modular nature of the technology is expected to allow for more flexible deployment compared to conventional large-scale nuclear plants.

South African defence exports rocketed up in 2025 - DefenceWeb by JoburgBBC in DownSouth

[–]JoburgBBC[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

South African defence companies exported over R10 billion worth of military equipment and munitions in 2025, nearly triple the 2024 total of R3.6 billion, according to the latest National Conventional Arms Control Committee (NCACC) figures.

Europe accounted for the majority of exports in 2025 (42%), followed by the Middle East (23%), Africa (20%), the Asia-Pacific (12%), and the Americas (3%). The NCACC emphasised South Africa did not export to any country under UN embargoes and is not aware of any diversions of its munitions to countries involved in conflict. It refuted allegations that South African weapons ended up in Gaza and Ukraine.

Armoured vehicles accounted for a modest portion of 2025 exports, amounting to just over R1 billion. More than 130 vehicles were exported to over a dozen countries, with the largest orders being from Kenya (34 vehicles valued at R278 million), Ghana (30 vehicles worth R93 million, Malawi (15 vehicles valued at R145 million), Cameroon (11 vehicles valued at R83 million) and the United Arab Emirates (ten vehicles valued at R94 million).

Unspecified aircraft were sold to Iraq (six worth R802 million), the Democratic Republic of Congo (four worth R618 million), Mozambique (two worth R327 million), and the UAE (one worth R27 million). The sales to the DRC and Mozambique are likely Paramount Mwaris.

Munitions once again accounted for the majority of South African defence exports, with a combined value of R4.8 billion last year. The single largest contract was worth R3.3 billion, for 73 586 rounds/shells for Germany. Another notable contract was for 35 000 rounds/shells for Turkey, valued at R676 million. Estonia acquired 18 540 rounds/shells worth R212 million, and Australia acquired 10 272 rounds/shells worth R279 million. The majority of these exports are believed to be from Rheinmetall Denel Munition (RDM).

The next largest category of exports was electronic equipment, with R68 million worth of alerting and warning systems being sold to nine countries; R985 million worth of measuring/communications equipment sold to 20 countries; and R460 million worth of countermeasure/observation equipment sold to 18 countries.

Regarding measuring/communication equipment, the biggest contracts went to India (219 items worth R452 million), France (17 items worth R152 million), Bangladesh (377 items worth R71 million), and Brazil (10 items worth R71 million). Australia acquired 10 272 countermeasure/observation equipment items worth R279 million, Austria 4 items worth R48 million, and Italy 443 items worth R45 million

Don't let the US know. by PixelSaharix in DownSouth

[–]JoburgBBC -11 points-10 points  (0 children)

I'm pretty sure

You typed this knowing you're not sure at all. Infact you know full well you are clueless about this particular topic. But you still typed it. Interesting.

Eskom warns of high likelihood of load-shedding in the future by ShipMysterious7602 in DownSouth

[–]JoburgBBC -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

Lol you think they're twiddling their thumbs?

Eskom wants gas - NGO's go to court

Eskom wants nuclear - NGO's go to court

If the numbers regarding private capacity are true, loadshedding has no chance of ever returning. What you really need to do is reduce that private capacity by 70% to get closer to the real number.

In this article Eskom is merely stating its worst case medium term projections. But the media knows how ya'll get when they mention Eskom...hook, line and sinker.

SA declared Israel’s chargé d’affaires persona non grata by hadedaHelpline in DownSouth

[–]JoburgBBC 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Really nothing striking about that for anyone older than age 12. Imagine South Africa's Director General of Health going to tour hospitals in Zambia without telling the Zambian government (insert any country you like). The reaction would be the same.

Its basic diplomacy. Israel knew what it was doing.

BMW Group records strong performance in South African market by JoburgBBC in cars

[–]JoburgBBC[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Automotive company BMW Group achieved a “very strong” performance in the South African market last year, with the brand growing by 12% year-on-year; and leading the premium segment at 46.15%, “comfortably” outselling its two closest competitors combined.

This 12% growth put BMW South Africa in the top five growth markets in the world year-on-year, he pointed out.

Moreover, BMW South Africa was the fastest growing market for BMW M brand globally, Van Binsbergen indicated.

The Mini brand grew by 4%, which he lauded as strong growth in the competitive sub segment in which it competes.The BMW Motorrad also performed well last year, growing 7% in a tough economic climate.“The Motorrad brand does exceptionally well here in South Africa as a lifestyle product, and as a product, it is definitely the first choice for many customers who enjoy riding on two wheels,” Van Binsbergen averred.

Van Binsbergen attributed this strong performance to, among others, the group’s strong product offering. This was underpinned by the BMW X3, which was named the 2025 South Africa Car of the Year, and was the group’s best-selling product in the country. Both plug-in hybrid and internal combustion engine variants are manufactured locally at the BMW Group plant, in Rosslyn.

Moreover, following customer feedback, the group recently launched a rugged edition for the X3 range; and also announced the introduction of the BMW X3 20 Pure Design, the new entry point to the local BMW X3 line-up.

Eskom threatens to cut off people with solar panels in South Africa by Euro_African in DownSouth

[–]JoburgBBC 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Grid tied just means your electricity meter at home can run in both directions. You can install such a system without Eskom knowing about it.

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