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SA's Hunter makes history in France

South African Robert Hunter of the Barloworld team won a wind-battered 11th stage of the Tour de France on Thursday after 182km of drama-filled racing between Marseille and Montpellier. The 30-year-old won a sprint finish just ahead of Swiss Fabian Cancellara and Brazilian Murilo Fischer to claim his, South Africa's and his continent's first-ever win in the race.

Welcome wage news for hospitality workers

Exploitative wages in the hospitality industry will be outlawed following the Labour Department's announcement on Monday that minimum wages for workers in the sector will be introduced in July. Briefing the media in Cape Town, Deputy Director General of Labour Les Kettledas said the wages will apply to all the sector's entities across the country.

CCMA prevents strike in private bus sector

The Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) has averted a national strike that could have affected about 25 000 bus drivers in the private bus sector. The three unions that had planned the action signed an agreement with the employers on Tuesday, said spokesperson Lusanda Myoli.

Soweto gets luxury business train

A luxury business express-train service is set to hit Soweto's tracks in March, Metrorail said on Wednesday. Spokesperson Brenda Motau said the 530-seat train is being launched by Metrorail to run between Soweto and Johannesburg. "It is expected to begin a trial phase in March and be fully operational by April," said Motau.

Durban launches rubbish-dump power plant

Africa's first power plant to run on methane gas extracted from a rubbish dump began generating electricity in Durban on Tuesday. The plant, built with funding from the French Development Bank, was officially opened by eThekwini mayor Obed Mlaba at the city's Mariannhill landfill site.

Economists hint at petrol-price drop

The petrol price may drop by 10 cents a litre in July, economists said on Monday. Absa Capital economic strategist Chris Hart said the drop could be attributed to a more stable rand and an easier international oil price. "The petrol price is likely to drop by roughly ten cents a litre," he said. However, the possible drop in oil prices should not be celebrated too soon.

Good news as petrol price set to fall

The retail price of all grades of petrol will fall by 10 cents per litre from Wednesday September 1, the Department of Minerals and Energy announced on Friday. This follows a 15 cents fall on August 1 and an eight cents decrease on July 4.

New pipeline to help ease SA fuel crunch

A $600-million diesel and petrol pipeline linking the Mozambican capital, Maputo, with neighbouring South Africa will be in operation by the end of 2009, an official with the company overseeing the project said on Monday. "We will start building it in mid-2008 and it will be ready by 2009," said an executive with pipeline firm Petroline.

Work on Limpopo power plant starts in September

Work on a multibillion-rand hydro-electric plant in Limpopo will start in September, with completion scheduled for 2015, the Sekhukhune municipality announced on Thursday. It forms part of Eskom's capacity-expansion programme aimed at resolving the country's energy shortages, municipal spokesperson Sizwe Yende said.

SA job creation improves in 2007

The number of jobs created by South African business has increased by 7% this year, a survey released on Monday has shown. According to the latest Grant Thornton employment-growth survey, the percentage represents a significant improvement from last year's employment figures.