Author:rowan-watt-pringle
Can biofuelโs dirty secret be transformed into socioecological success? January 21, 2026 In November, Jaco de Klerk wrote about โBiofuelโs dirty secretโ, noting biofuel productionโs high COโ emissions, its use of arable land and its contribution to deforestation and food security concerns. But is there a way to turn this worrying problem into an ecological and agricultural solution? ROWAN WATT-PRINGLE investigates whether converting invasive plant biomass into fuel could do just that. As Jaco noted, global biofuels production emits 16% […]
AI through the looking glass January 26, 2026 Over the course of the last year, FOCUS has profiled the role artificial intelligence (AI) is playing across a variety of industries. Continuing this theme, several of the contributors to this handbook discuss what the future holds, at what many are describing as an inflection point for the industrial application of AI. Throughout the last year, AI has been a consistent touchpoint when discussing supply chains, fleet operations and a host of […]
Fasten your seatbelts for unpredictable turbulence January 1, 2025 The 2024 Air Freight Outlook report from market analytics platform Xeneta predicted a return of โclassic seasonalityโ. However, another turbulent year has followed, mainly due to the dramatic rise of e-commerce out of Asia and the impact of conflict in the Red Sea. According to the latest report, these market forces are set to spill over into 2025. The 2025 Air Freight Outlook report, authored by Niall van de Wouw, Xeneta […]
Wheels starting to turn for sustainable transport February 5, 2025 Over the course of 2024, it was encouraging to see developments in the local electric vehicle (EV) and sustainable transport market. The signs are certainly there that government regulations on the transformation of the transport industry are not just empty words on a page, and that South Africa can push on as a leader in the shift to greener transport on the continent. Last year, I agreed with SABOAโs Sharmini […]
New Tata Ultra: World-class allrounder June 24, 2024 Tata Motors recently launched its new generation Ultra smart truck range in South Africa. ROWAN WATT-PRINGLE reports that customers are already benefitting from the two versatile models, with the Ultra T.9 and T.14 boosting profitability in a range of applications. The commercial launch of the multipurpose heavy duty Ultra range was announced by Tata Motors and its local distributor, Tata Africa Holdings Limited (Tata Africa), which is responsible for the retail and […]
Structuring sustainability in Africaโs image February 5, 2024 At times, it feels a little bit like everyone is throwing all their eggs into the electric mobility basket, and that South Africa and other developing countries are clinging to the coattails of European advances, instead of visualising their own path forward. While there is obviously no need to reinvent the wheel when it comes to renewable energy and greener transport, South Africa has an opportunity to create sustainable transport solutions in […]
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