JOHANNESBURG – 17 October, 2023 – The African transport and logistics sector is a rapid adopter of industrial automation, embracing technologies such as the internet of things (IoT) and operational technologies (OT) to enhance efficiency. However, cautions Ben de Klerk, Eastern Cape Branch Manager at Datacentrix, a leading hybrid ICT systems integrator and managed services provider, with these advancements comes a well-documented history of cybersecurity vulnerabilities that still demand attention.

The rapid development and deployment of new technologies are also often associated with limited protocols governing their use, which poses its own set of risks, he explains.

The complex landscape of cybersecurity risk

“The local transport and logistics industry relies heavily on the smooth flow of goods across a complex network of multiple entities; from suppliers and manufacturers to distributors and retailers,” De Klerk explains. “This intricate supply chain structure is highly vulnerable to cyberthreats, as attackers can exploit any particular point in the supply chain.

“Moreover, the industry’s reliance on IoT and OT devices – such as sensors, GPS trackers and automated control systems – introduces new potential vulnerabilities.”

In fact, De Klerk maintains that this is a serious security challenge within the sector, as these sensors often lack robust built-in security features. This vulnerability opens the door to cyberattacks that can disrupt operations, compromise data, and lead to costly downtime, he says.

“Another area of great concern to OT security leaders within the transport and logistics industries is the risk of either unwitting, unaware, or malicious insider threats.”

Addressing security challenges

In order to mitigate these risks and bolster cybersecurity, organisations within the transport and logistics sector should look at adopting a comprehensive approach that combines technical, personnel and policy-based measures, De Klerk advises.

Ideally, this should include:

·      Identifying and prioritising assets: Start by identifying and categorising OT assets based on their importance to the business. This prioritisation helps focus security efforts on critical assets first.

·      Safeguarding devices: Secure all IoT and OT devices by implementing encryption, firewalls, access controls and regular patch management to prevent attacks and the associated costly downtime.

·      Securing supply chain and remote access: Establish secure supply chain access protocols to ensure that only authorised personnel have access to critical systems. Implement robust authentication mechanisms for remote access.

·      Undertaking regular security assessments: Conduct routine security assessments to identify vulnerabilities and take corrective action before they occur, assess the effectiveness of security measures, and proactively address potential weaknesses.

·      Establishing employee training: Employees can be a significant source of vulnerability in any organisation, so it is essential that employees are educated on cybersecurity best practices to enhance their awareness of potential threats and empower them to respond effectively.

·      Putting in place robust cybersecurity policies: Develop and implement strong OT cybersecurity policies and processes, with continuous monitoring and a disaster recovery plan to ensure business continuity.

“As the African transport and logistics sector continues its digital transformation, securing OT and industrial control systems (ICS) systems is of paramount importance. By adopting a multifaceted cybersecurity strategy, including risk assessment, device security, employee training, and policy development, organisations within this space can navigate these challenges and safeguard their operations in this dynamic industry,” De Klerk concludes.

For more information on Datacentrix’s cybersecurity services, please visit https://www.datacentrix.co.za/security-services.html

About Datacentrix:

Datacentrix provides leading ICT integration services and solutions to South African organisations, ensuring their success and sustainability into the digital age. The company’s approach is to partner with its customers, equipping them with valuable insight and helping to align their ICT undertakings with their business strategy.

Datacentrix offers a deeply specialised skills component and is endorsed by the world’s foremost technology partners. The company is recognised for its agility, in-depth industry knowledge, proven capability and strong overall performance.

Datacentrix is a Level One (AAA) B-BBEE Contributor, with 135 percent procurement recognition. For more information, please visit www.datacentrix.co.za.

CONTACTS

icomm, Nicola Read, 083 269 2227, datacentrix@pr.co.za, www.icomm-pr.co.za

The government of Nigeria is inviting investors to explore the potential in the country’s mining sector at the 8th Nigeria Mining Week.

The country’s Minister for Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Oladele Alake said the event which is slated to take place this month will offer vast opportunities in the mining sector and is seen as a way to promote growth, profitability, and the shared benefits of the Earth’s resources.

Nigeria Mining Week

The 2023 edition of the Nigeria Mining Week will take place from 16^th to 18^th October with a theme ‘Capitalising on Nigeria’s critical minerals resources for its economic growth’. The key objectives of the event include knowledge sharing, investment promotion, sustainable practices, skills development, and infrastructure development.

Dr. Alake encouraged both local and international investors to take advantage of the opportunities in the mining sector. Nigeria is said to have vast mineral resources beneath its soil that hold the potential for growth and prosperity, not just for the nation but for the wider African continent.

The Minister emphasized the importance of collective action and collaboration between public and private sectors, civil society, and international partners to unlock Nigeria’s mining potential and contribute to the nation’s economic diversification. The country has further made substantial progress in the mining sector, implementing critical reforms, modernizing the regulatory framework, and attracting both local and foreign investments. These efforts have led to significant improvements in the mining activities in Nigeria.

Egyptian gold mine, Sukari, has released its revised life of mine plan, which targets several significant improvements.

The new plan outlines long-term increased gold production, with an average gold production of 506,000 ounces per year from 2024 to 2032, and an average of 475,000 ounces per year over the life of the mine (2024 to 2034). This represents a 5% increase in life of mine gold production compared to the previous year (FY22).

Life of mine plan

The plan includes various strategies to lower operational costs, such as an improved opencast schedule with a 40% reduction in the strip ratio, an increased underground schedule, and the integration of a gold gravity circuit to increase gold recoveries. The average life of mine all-in sustaining costs (AISC) are projected to be US$922 per ounce, which reflects a 34% reduction compared to FY22.

The plan indicates significantly reduced operational risk, which contributes to greater stability and sustainability in gold production. Sukari aims to reduce carbon emissions by connecting to the Egyptian national grid, which is expected to result in approximately US$41 million of annual cost savings based on current diesel prices. The plan also aims for a 39% reduction in greenhouse gas intensity compared to the previous year, reflecting a more environmentally friendly approach.

The plan identifies opportunities to extend the current 11-year life of the mine (2024 to 2034) through exploration and resource development in underground, surface satellite deposits, and adjacent exploration licenses. The plan also mentions that there are additional opportunities that have not been included in the life of mine plan, which could further reduce costs, carbon emissions, and improve operational efficiencies.

To stay ahead in the industry’s war for talent, AfriSam has over the years placed skills at the forefront of its people development initiatives. With its several training programmes, the company has successfully created a pool of talent, not only to the benefit of its operations, but the industry at large.

Glenn Johnson, General Manager Construction Materials at AfriSam, believes it is fundamental for the construction materials industry to develop people. The industry, he says, needs strong technical skills at the core of its operational excellence.

With that in mind, AfriSam has over the years invested significantly in its in-house training initiatives, namely the Engineer-In-Training, Artisan Learnerships, Trainee Works Manager programmes and general operational training. This has recently been expanded with the introduction of the Trainee Operational Managers programme for the readymix business unit.

Engineer-In-Training

Johnson explains that the Engineer-In-Training is a structured training programme for young graduates who have come through AfriSam’s bursary pipeline. “Selected individuals – those who demonstrate the best aptitude for the aggregates and readymix businesses – are integrated into the programme with the aim of developing a pipeline of electrical, civil, mechanical and mining engineers,” he says.

AfriSam has a two-pronged approach to developing its Engineer-In-Training graduates further. They are either given a chance to move into line management or to stay in their chosen technical discipline, be it mechanical or electrical engineering, or a multifunction of the two disciplines.

The Trainee Works Manager programme exposes candidates to all the critical aspects of works management on aggregate operations, including legal training, blasting certificates, financial management and, more importantly, people management amongst others.

The Trainee Operations Manager programme follows the same pattern, but with a specific focus on readymix concrete production, including technical specifications, product application and customer interface. Candidates are also exposed to the financial and operational aspects of the readymix business.

The Artisan Learnership Programme targets candidates who have completed their National Qualification Framework (NQF) courses, be it internal employees (18.1 learners) or external candidates (18.2 learners). “AfriSam has recorded massive success with these programmes,” Johnson says. “To provide context, since 2012, a total of 83 artisans – both 18.1 and 18.2 learners – came through the system.”

Despite the recent challenges brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic and the continued downturn in the construction sector, Johnson says the company continues to show the resolve to develop people. “I also urge other industry players, who have generally lagged behind, to play their part in developing skills the industry needs, now and well into the future,” he concludes.

After the recent X.e series agitator unit launch in July 2023, SEW-EURODRIVE South Africa secured an order for nine units earmarked for the mining industry – a world-class first!

SEW-EURODRIVE has an extensive and proven reputation for providing reliable high performance solutions for mixing and agitation applications in various industries globally. Significantly, the X.e agitator units have proven suitable for mixing and blending liquids and other materials in the harsh African operating environment.

“The X.e agitator units are ideal for applications where high power ratings are required for stirring and mixing materials, and what is significant is that we can customise these agitator units to suit the customer’s specifications,” Jarrod Futter, Engineering Manager at SEW-EURODRIVE explains. “For example, we offer various bearing and shafting options and modular systems for the unit which can be selected to meet the customer’s budget and expectations.”

Due to the customer’s requirements for nine low-ratio and moderately high torque and force application, the X3FSM240e HD version was selected. The selection process depends on multiple factors, including the input speed, motor power, loading distance, axial loading and most importantly, the radial loading in the application and required output speed,” Futter adds.

X.e agitator

The X.e agitator differs completely from previous X Series vertical drives. The X.e agitator unit is purpose designed for mixing and agitation, focusing on a stronger and dynamically improved housing. This allows for higher radial load applications, with a maximised bearing distance and an intelligent housing split above the maximum oil level to minimise potential leaks completely and offer better servicing and maintenance capabilities. The X.e agitator also features a new robust, integrated foot design with multiple aligned foot holes to allow for easy mounting and stiffness as well as huge strides in thermal improvement.

During the X.e agitator design process, SEW-EURODRIVE applied the ‘digital-twin’ concept that ties real-world testing to a digital Finite Element Analysis. Explaining the process, Futter says this methodology allows the matching of real-time figures during testing to the digital analysis, achieving the same results. “This enabled many cost benefits, minimised the need for physical testing and allowed the team to see and solve problems before they happened. The digital-twin concept is a more energy efficient and environmentally friendly solution for development and testing, and minimises potential waste,” Futter adds.

As an example, he says that the extended bearing distance could be further optimised along with the oil flow characteristics. Using fluid simulation the piping could be optimised internally, allowing the designers to see how the flow occurs before creating a physical unit to evaluate the theory. The simulation results could then be checked with real-time tests to ensure the oil flow occurs as designed and optimal lubrication is achieved.

The X.e agitator unit has a unique application-specific reinforced and extended bearing distance concept, with the distance between the lower and upper output shaft bearing mounted further apart. This creates a greater shaft distance between these loading points, which allows the low speed shaft to handle higher radial forces. “In layman’s terms – the lever has been made longer to move a larger load,” Futter says.

The X.e agitator unit not only features a pressurised internal lubrication system that allows for continuous oil flow to all upper bearings and gears to ensure the units are well lubricated, but the unique labyrinth seal ensures protection from external particles that may damage the oil seals.

Offering three sizes with various torque ranges and gear units, SEW-EURODRIVE offers client-specific products all safely encapsulated inside the gearbox for client and product protection.

SEW-EURODRIVE is committed to sustainable engineering solutions, and the X.e agitator unit is testament to this. The housing has been developed for easy servicing and maintenance, attributed to sustainable long term use. Therefore, components are easily replaceable. The efficiency gains are attributed to using the X.e series gearing, which has been extensively adapted from the original X- series. Using standard existing components, the X.e agitator series required less design time to achieve the final product.

With five production plants worldwide and a footprint in more than 50 countries, SEW-EURODRIVE offers a quick turnaround in aftersales support and aggressive lead times. “We are looking forward to making history with delivering the first nine X.e agitator units in the world and offering world-class aftersales support,” Futter concludes.

Steinmüller Africa continued its commitment to serving the communities operates in which through corporate social responsibility initiatives by renovating a Mpumalanga school. Hlalanathi pre-school in eMahlahleni was the beneficiary of the initiative, which was undertaken in January 2023.

Hlalanathi pre-school

The school, which currently accommodates 24 learners, received prefabricated modular classrooms as well as a kitchen. The donation of these units ensures that the learners will have a safe and adequately equipped place to learn, while the kitchen provides a facility to give the children meals during school hours.

The handover was conducted by Steinmüller Arnot Project Manager, Heinrich Geyser, who expressed the importance of education and the positive impact this initiative will have for current and future learners: “Education is a fundamental right for everyone in this country. This initiative ensures that no child is deprived of this right.”

The learners and teachers showed immense gratitude for their new facilities. Steinmüller Africa is proud to play a role in initiatives that enrich communities across the country and is dedicated to improving the lives of those it can reach.

The Atlas Copco pump selection programme, available to IPR customers via the company’s website, offers a range of benefits that can greatly enhance the pump selection process.

IPR is a specialised dewatering and dredging pump specialist and is the master distributor for Atlas Copco pumps in southern Africa. Ruaan Venter, Business Development Manager at IPR, highlights the advantages customers can enjoy when using this programme.

One of the key advantages is the programme’s ability to provide accurate pump selection. By inputting relevant parameters such as flow rate, pressure requirements, fluid type and site conditions, the programme can recommend the most suitable pump model. This ensures that customers obtain a pump that meets their specific needs, minimising the risk of oversizing or under sizing the equipment.

Atlas Copco pump selection programme

Time and cost savings are another significant benefit of the Atlas Copco pump selection programme. “Instead of manually researching and comparing various pump models, customers can rely on the programme’s recommendations,” Venter says. “This streamlines the selection process enabling faster decision-making. Additionally, selecting the appropriate pump from the start, irrespective of the application, avoids costly mistakes such as equipment failure or excessive energy consumption.”

To keep pace with record equipment orders, vibrating screen and feeder original equipment manufacturer (OEM) Sandvik Rock Processing is driving manufacturing agility at its South African facility.

Director Operations for the EMEA (Europe, the Middle East and Africa) Region, Riaan Steinmann, says the goal of agile manufacturing is to respond quickly to customer and market demands, while maintaining production output and quality.

“We have recorded a solid growth in the past three years in our screens product range. As a result, Sandvik Rock Processing Solutions South Africa is now well positioned as one of the leading vibrating equipment suppliers not only in South Africa, but in Africa at large,” says Steinmann. “We have also made strong inroads in other regions such as Europe and the Middle East.”

In fact, Sandvik Rock Processing South Africa’s exports have increased significantly with numerous screens being shipped across the African continent and internationally. A case in point is the recently completed order to supply over 72 screens and associated equipment to a large copper mining operation in Central Asia.

Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions is steadfast in its commitment to making a positive societal impact. This commitment is not just in words, but evident through the company’s unwavering dedication to community involvement, education and transformational projects. These are not just seen as mere initiatives but as strategic investments that yield tangible results for communities.

A testament to this commitment is Sandvik Mining and Rock Solution’s recent partnership with the Adopt-a-School Foundation, specifically with the Modilati Secondary School in Hammanskraal. This alliance strives to transform the educational landscape, ensuring an environment that nurtures teaching and learning.

Under the banner of this partnership, Modilati Secondary School has witnessed significant advancements. Notably, the school achieved a 100% pass rate for science in the 2022 matric class. Steven Lebere, Adopt-a-School Foundation’s Chief Executive Officer, praises the model, highlighting Modilati Secondary School as an exemplar of its potential.

Modilati Secondary School

Modilati Secondary School’s journey with the Adopt-a-School Foundation began in 2007, but it’s the recent collaboration with Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions that has accelerated its progress. Jan Prinsloo, Stakeholder Management Specialist at Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions, highlights the mutual benefits of such investments. “Helping the world advance through engineering means making a positive societal impact as we strengthen our brand,” he says.

Zenzele Pavers and Cladding, a family-run Pretoria-based manufacturer, credits its unwavering commitment to quality and its lasting partnership with leading cement supplier AfriSam for its successful growth.

Today, the business serves both local homeowners in Pretoria North, Ga Rankuwa, Soshanguve and broader regions, as well as large developers and construction contractors. Since its inception in 2007, Zenzele has specialised in precast products from concrete pavers and bricks to cladding, kerbs, blocks, and tiles.

‘The backbone of our success is high-quality cement, ensuring consistency in results and colour,’ says Founder and Owner Wendel Krook. ‘Our enduring relationship with AfriSam, who mirrors our dedication to quality, reliability and consistency, plays a significant role in our growth.’

Core principles 

The company’s core principle of delivering a product that is good enough for their own home has attracted a diverse clientele, ranging from local families to large commercial customers. Zenzele Co-Founder Hengelene Krook says, ‘Our loyal customer base is built upon quality, service and the trust that our products will pass the test of time. ‘This commitment to quality extends to Zenzele’s workforce, marked by low staff turnover and retention of skills and experience, ensuring attention to detail in all business aspects. General Manager Jacqueline O&Kelly, Zenzele’s first employee, applauds AfriSam’s support and reliability in meeting Zenzele’s high-quality standards.