prospects

Japan's Isuzu Motors and General Motors South Africa are to invest R80-million in a new joint venture company that will take over the distribution of medium and heavy Isuzu trucks in SA and its neighbouring countries.

The City of Cape Town has signed a 20-year agreement to buy "clean" electricity from Darling Wind Farm, paving the way for an innovative partnership between local and foreign investors, the government and the community of Darling to get SA's first commercial wind farm up and running.

As South Africa celebrates Youth Day, new research reveals that the country's young people believe they are better off than their parents were - and that their children will be even better off than they are now.

Bill Lynch, who built Imperial into South Africa's largest transport and mobility conglomerate after arriving in the country 35 years ago with little money and no job, has been named 2006 Ernst & Young World Entrepreneur Of The Year.

A survey of 252 foreign businesses operating in South Africa has given the thumbs up to the country's economy, reflecting a sharp increase in business confidence compared to 2002 and considerably higher levels of confidence in the government.

Energy experts say South Africa has moderate hydroelectric potential, and that the establishment of small hydroelectric projects around the country could help provide a sustainable future energy supply.

South Africa moved another step closer to diversifying its energy sources when synfuels producer Sasol opened an 865km natural gas pipeline from Mozambique. A new power plant commissioned by the government may go the way of natural gas too.