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banners[number++] = "<h3>Agriculture & Agri-processing</h3><p>The diverse topography, climate and soil varieties of the Highveld and Lowveld regions within Mpumalanga ensure a diverse agricultural landscape.The drier Highveld region, with its cold winters, allows for the cultivation of crops such as cereals, legumes and nuts. There is extensive irrigation in the Loskop Dam area in the northwest. Ermelo, in the centre of the province, is one of South Africa's main centres of sheep farming and wool production.<br /><br />Subtropical fruit flourishes in the Lowveld, with the town of Nelspruit being a major citrus producer. Sugar is cultivated in the far eastern regions of the province, near the border with Mozambique. Mixed farming and potatoes, sweet potatoes and beans are mostly grown in the southern and western parts of the province.<br /><br />Commercial forests occur along the province's borders with Swaziland, in the south, and the Kruger National Park, in the north-east, with the area around Sabie in the north being regarded as the centre of forestry.<br /><br />The structure of the economy of agriculture in Mpumalanga is an excellent illustrator of the broader make-up of South African agriculture in that large commercial farming enterprises exist side by side with subsistence farmers. Large concerns are active in the cultivation of maize, sugar, timber, vegetables, fruit and tea, and in the rearing of poultry and cattle. Crop farming and livestock rearing (including goats) largely define the subsistence sector, although there is a growing trend for bigger concerns (sugar, tea and tobacco) to contract independent growers. In this way, the formal and informal economies connect to the mutual benefit of both parties.</p><p><a href=/pls/cms/ti_secout.secout_prov?p_sid=1&amp;p_site_id=150>Click here for more News &amp; Companies in this Sector</a></p>"
banners[number++] = "<h3>Banking</h3><p>South africa has a well-regulated and sophisticated financial services sector. Mpumalanga's citizens have access to a full range of financial products, although these are more readily available to urban than to rural dwellers.The South African Reserve Bank is the central bank and regulatory body for the banking sector. It sets monetary policy and decides on domestic interest rates. Merchant banking and investment banking are the most competitive sectors within the banking sector and several international banks have a presence in South Africa.<br /><br />The four major retail banks in South Africa – Standard Bank, Absa, Nedbank and First National Bank – offer the full spectrum of retail banking services and competition to reach customers in the emerging second economy is intense. Rural communities are often members of burial societies or saving groups (stokvels), but products such as the Mzansi account for low-income earners are attracting them to formal banking.<br /><br />Six of Nedbank's regional offices are in Mpumalanga and it has 25 branches and 55 ATMs in more than 20 towns. The bank's reach into rural area has been enhanced by its branch-in-a-box concept, while its Business Banking division remains strong. FNB has several portable branches servicing rural areas. Standard Bank and Absa both have more than 50 branches in the province. Standard Bank supports small and medium enterprise development through its credit indemnity agreement with Khula Enterprise Finance.</p><p><a href=/pls/cms/ti_secout.secout_prov?p_sid=3&amp;p_site_id=150>Click here for more News &amp; Companies in this Sector</a></p>"
banners[number++] = "<h3>Business Support Services</h3><p>Mining and agriculture are the bedrock of Mpumalanga's economy. The strong manufacturing sector is dependent on the strength of the two primary drivers, but each of these important sectors also needs a wide range of business-support services to keep the wheels of the economy well oiled. Mpumalanga is well served in this regard.Business-support services include those services that are not the primary concern of the business, but contribute significantly to the smooth running of every business operation. In many cases, especially with large operations such as in the mining, manufacturing and agriculture sectors, these services are outsourced to specialist service providers. Services include catering, security, cleaning services, stationery and air conditioning, software and hardware management, staffing, marketing and recruitment, postal and courier services, and accounting and bookkeeping.<br /><br />Although the South African economy experienced slowdowns in 2009, prospects for the future remain robust. The decision of listed electrical wholesaler ARB to open an office in Nelspruit during this period is indicative of the confidence in the ability of events such as the 2010 Fifa World Cup and initiatives such as the Maputo Development Corridor to boost growth in the region. ARB stocks and distributes the essential materials required for electrification in the construction and mining industries. Security services are vital to any small or large business in South Africa, and in this regard a company such as Group 4 Securicor (G4S) provides the type of support that allows business to continue as normal. G4S operates nationwide and, with more than 15 000 employees, it has the most comprehensive operational footprint among security companies in South Africa's nine provinces.</p><p><a href=/pls/cms/ti_secout.secout_prov?p_sid=5&amp;p_site_id=150>Click here for more News &amp; Companies in this Sector</a></p>"
banners[number++] = "<h3>Development Finance</h3><p>The provincial government has committed to spending R200-million towards growing the provincial economy, while the Provincial Growth and Development Strategy foresees an amount of R1.2-billion being contributed by the private sector towards the same goal.Organisations like the Mpumalanga Economic Growth Agency (MEGA) exist to unlock economic growth in areas with potential. Meanwhile, the provincial government has declared its commitment to promoting and developing SMMEs. Indeed, the provincial budget for 2009/10 allocates nearly R500-million to economic development and planning, which has within its ambit the development of a coherent SMME strategy for the province.<br /><br />National development finance institutions<br />National development finance institutions (DFIs), some of which have been in operation for more than 100 years, have customised their product offering to better suit the changing needs of poor communities in South Africa. The country's various national institutions now offer a wide range of products across all levels and sectors.<br /><br />South Africa's economy has shown positive signs in terms of SMME growth and economic activity at the lower level of the model. SMME and entrepreneurial activity is considered critical for the sustainable growth of any developing economy, so it is crucial that these individuals and companies are supported, both financially and in terms of mentorship.</p><p><a href=/pls/cms/ti_secout.secout_prov?p_sid=42&amp;p_site_id=150>Click here for more News &amp; Companies in this Sector</a></p>"
banners[number++] = "<h3>Education</h3><p>The provincial government of Mpumalanga has identified education as a high-priority concern. Premier David Mabuza, in his State of the Province address in June 2009, referred to 'systemic weaknesses' and expressed his 'grave concern'.The provincial government's 2009/10 budget allocated nearly half of its entire expenditure of R22.5-billion to education. Focus areas include reducing the teacher-pupil ratio and extending the number of no-fee schools. The latter programme now benefits 573 725 of the province's scholars. Further conditional grants were made available for Grade R, school-building maintenance and a province-wide schoolnutrition programme.<br /><br />An innovative scheme operating out of the Ligbron Academy of Technology in Ermelo and supported by Absa bank and the provincial Department of Education connects four rural schools with a home base through video conferencing and desktop-sharing technology. The focus is mathematics and science teaching.<br /><br />Another privately supported initiative is the Star Schools mathematics and science programme, sponsored by Tsb Sugar. Students from Sidlamafa High School in Kamhlushwa attend extra classes on Saturdays and public holidays. In 2009, two graduates from this programme were studying aeronautic engineering at Wits and civil engineering at the University of Cape Town. Mpumalanga has no university of its own, but distance university Unisa and the Tshwane University of Technology have campuses in Nelspruit.</p><p><a href=/pls/cms/ti_secout.secout_prov?p_sid=10&amp;p_site_id=150>Click here for more News &amp; Companies in this Sector</a></p>"
banners[number++] = "<h3>Engineering</h3><p>Despite the economy going off the boil in response to international events, engineers in Mpumalanga have been kept busy. Large-scale projects such as the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit, being built for the 2010 Fifa World Cup, have created numerous opportunities in the engineering sector.The Maputo Development Corridor is a provincial and multinational project designed to improve infrastructure along the N4 highway and to spur industrial, commercial and retail development along the route. Road- and bridge-building, upgrading and maintenance are just some of the activities that Mpumalanga's engineers are contributing to this big scheme. The province's demand for engineers of every sort is great because of the concentration of power stations, mines and heavy industrial manufacturing.<br /><br />Eskom and Sasol have announced major capital projects that will also increase the workload of engineers. Aveng has been appointed to manage the liquid-fuel pipeline project that will deliver liquid fuels to Gauteng from Maputo. Many of the region's large companies, like Steval Engineering, have in-house engineering capabilities, while groups like Mpumalanga Consulting Engineers provide specialised services.<br /><br />The province is also well endowed with related engineering services supporting the primary industries. Zest Electrical Motors has offices in Louis Trichardt and Middelburg, supplying a wide variety of electric motors to the mining, steel and petrochemical concerns that are so prominent in that area.</p><p><a href=/pls/cms/ti_secout.secout_prov?p_sid=11&amp;p_site_id=150>Click here for more News &amp; Companies in this Sector</a></p>"
banners[number++] = "<h3>Food &amp; Beverages</h3><p>The nkomazi and Malelane regions of Mpumalanga – south of the Kruger National Park and in the vicinity of the Mozambique border – are ideal for sugar cultivation.National production levels fell between 2007 and 2008 on the back of South Africa's exclusion from preferential trade agreements that the European Union (EU) signed with other countries in Southern Africa. As a result, 400 000 fewer tonnes of sugar cane were crushed and 13 000 fewer tonnes of sugar were manufactured. This problem is set to intensify in October 2009, when Swaziland joins other Southern African countries with duty-free access to EU markets.<br /><br />Regional cooperation was the key to the creation of the Maputo Sugar Terminal in Maputo Harbour. The terminal is jointly owned by the sugar associations of South Africa, Mozambique, Swaziland and Zimbabwe. In 2005, another example of regional cooperation was the creation of a marketing company called Mananga Sugar Packers. This is a 50-50 partnership between Royal Swaziland Sugar Corporation and Mpumalanga's leading sugar company, Tsb Sugar.<br /><br />About 44 000 hectares in the province is under sugar cane. Commercial farmers account for 27 000 hectares, emerging farmers for 9 500 hectares and the area's biggest sugar producer, Tsb Sugar, has 7 800 hectares of its own. The commercial farmers annually produce 2.5 million tonnes of cane, while the emerging farmers produce 750 000 tonnes.</p><p><a href=/pls/cms/ti_secout.secout_prov?p_sid=13&amp;p_site_id=150>Click here for more News &amp; Companies in this Sector</a></p>"
banners[number++] = "<h3>Manufacturing</h3><p>Mpumalanga's strong manufacturing sector is closely tied to the province's abundant mineral and agricultural resources.In 2009, manufacturing represented 17.7% of Mpumalanga's gross geographic product (GGP), a figure that is slightly lower than in previous years. This is because of an increase in mining activity and a downturn in steel production. It was also a reflection of a national trend. The provincial MEC for Finance, Yvonne Nkwenkwezi Phosa, reported to the legislature in June 2009 that the national figure for manufacturing in the first quarter of the year was 22% down on the previous year's figure.<br /><br />Steel demand is likely to increase again as Eskom's power station building and rehabilitation programme gathers speed. With boosted expenditure on infrastructure and an increase in energy capacity coming on stream in the near future, prospects for manufacturing in Mpumalanga look good.<br /><br />Investors interested in any kind of beneficiation will find a plentiful supply of raw materials, good infrastructure and a welcoming provincial government agency. The Mpumalanga Economic Growth Agency exists to promote investment and trade. It provides information to potential investors, finds local partners for joint ventures, assists in finding potential suppliers of raw materials and feedstock, and generally does all it can to smooth the way for concerns.</p><p><a href=/pls/cms/ti_secout.secout_prov?p_sid=40&amp;p_site_id=150>Click here for more News &amp; Companies in this Sector</a></p>"
banners[number++] = "<h3>Mining &amp; Metals</h3><p>South africa is a world leader in a wide range of minerals and mineral products. Historically, mining was the catalyst that turned South Africa into an industrial nation.The telecommunications network in Mpumalanga is also well developed. Vodacom's enhanced network which now reaches 97% of South African's population, ensures that voice and data services are available in all major centres in the province, and in most other areas as well.The diversity on offer in Mpumalanga is truly remarkable. By way of example, the luxury guest house La Roca is two minutes' drive from the capital of the Lowveld, Nelspruit. Easy day trips can be made to the Kruger National Park, Blyde River Canyon and Pilgrims Rest; astonishing variety in such close proximity. Views of the northern Drakensberg and the adjoining nature reserve add to the relaxing environment.<br /><br />Not far away, at Hazyview, corporates or individuals can slide along Africa's longest cable trail through 1.2km of indigenous forest. A total of 10 platforms link the trail through the trees of the Sabie River Valley and provide stunning views of the valley basin, bird life and the forest. Skyway Trails employs 13 local people and trains people for the adventure tourism industry.</p><p><a href=/pls/cms/ti_secout.secout_prov?p_sid=19&amp;p_site_id=150>Click here for more News &amp; Companies in this Sector</a></p>"
banners[number++] = "<h3>Oil &amp; Gas</h3><p>Sasol's synfuel plant at Secunda, about 100km east of Sasolburg in western Mpumalanga, has the capacity to produce 150 000 barrels per day of liquid fuel from coal.Sasol is an integrated oil, gas and chemicals company with an increasing interest in gas. Products manufactured at the Secunda complex include petroleum, paraffin, jet fuel, creosote, bitumen, diesel and lubricants. Gas by-products include oxygen and acetylene, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and hydrogen and nitrogen. The primary feedstock for synthetic-fuel production is coal, and the plant is located in the heart of Mpumalanga's coalfield region.<br /><br />Sasol is currently involved in the construction of a Sasol Advanced Synthol (SAS) reactor in Secunda, which is expected to increase Sasol's synthetic-fuels operation by 20% by 2015. Hitachi Power Africa is involved in the construction process. The reactor will produce synthesis gas to be converted into valuable liquid fuels and chemical products.<br /><br />The company has also applied for a manufacturing licence for Project Mafutha, a scheme just north of Mpumalanga that would add 80 000 barrels per day to its capacity. Sasol has not yet decided to go ahead with the project, but wants the licence in case studies prove that the plant will be viable. The international economic slowdown may cause the project to be put on hold, in an announcement made by Sasol in March 2009 that its future expenditure on capital projects was to be cut by 40%.</p><p><a href=/pls/cms/ti_secout.secout_prov?p_sid=26&amp;p_site_id=150>Click here for more News &amp; Companies in this Sector</a></p>"
banners[number++] = "<h3>Telecommunications</h3><p>The most exciting news in 2009 for all South African telecommunications users was the landing of the Seacom cable. This event delivers on the long-awaited promise of expanded bandwidth at a far cheaper cost than before.The anchor tenant of the Seacom cable is Neotel, South Africa's second national operator (SNO). Previously Telkom had a monopoly. In another interesting development in 2009, Neotel announced that it would team up with cellphone company MTN to lay a 5 000km fibre- optic cable to all of South Africa's bigger cities at a cost of R2-billion. This will give both companies a chance to compete more strongly with Telkom and Vodacom.<br /><br />The mobile revolution continues in South Africa as still more consumers opt for mobile phones over the more traditional fixed-line option. A Statistics SA survey on telecommunications in South Africa in 2007 showed that between 2001 and 2007, mobilephone ownership had grown from 32.3% to 72.9%, while fixed-line ownership had shown a significant decrease. In 2007 alone the number of Telkom fixed-lines dropped by 110 000, a trend the national utility has been unable to reverse in recent years. This trend is partly due to the move to mobile technology, but also a result of the continued growth of Neotel, which was launched in direct competition to Telkom in 2006. While regions of rural Mpumalanga remain at the far outpost of what telecommunications providers can reach, most of Mpumalanga is well connected and supportive of good business.<br /><br />The mobile market in South Africa is dominated by Vodacom, MTN and Cell C. In June 2006, Virgin Mobile came on stream, but still trails the established big names significantly, despite excellent recent growth.</p><p><a href=/pls/cms/ti_secout.secout_prov?p_sid=23&amp;p_site_id=150>Click here for more News &amp; Companies in this Sector</a></p>"
banners[number++] = "<h3>Tourism &amp; Leisure</h3><p>Mpumalanga is home to one of the iconic landmarks most frequently associated with South Africa – the Kruger National Park – but its tourist offering caters to a very diverse market, from abseiling to business conferences to zebra spotting.The total number of foreign visitors to South Africa rose by 8.3%, to a total of 9.7 million, in 2008. The tourism sector is an important source of employment, accounting for about 7% of jobs in South Africa. It is an established fact that a successful tourism enterprise can create jobs more quickly than almost any other type of enterprise, and consequently it is no surprise that national, provincial and municipal governments are turning to this sector as a means of stimulating the economy.<br /><br />The tourism sector accounts for 8% of Mpumalanga's gross geographic product (GGP) and it is expected that this will rise in the period leading up to and after the 2010 Fifa World Cup. The capital city of Nelspruit, in the municipality of Mbombela, is a designated host city for the international event, which will doubtless bring a string of related opportunities to Nelspruit and surrounding areas. In 2006, the province earned R4.5-billion from its foreign tourists.<br /><br />Mpumalanga has approximately 70 game and nature reserves, most of which are private, while the provincial parks board looks after 13. The landscape ranges from the majestic Blyde River Canyon, forested valleys and streams in the north-east through large commercial forests and dramatic cliffs on the edge of the escarpment to the bushveld and grassland in the west. The Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport (KMIA) provides easy access into the region, while its proximity to Swaziland and Mozambique makes it easy for citizens of those countries to visit the province.</p><p><a href=/pls/cms/ti_secout.secout_prov?p_sid=24&amp;p_site_id=150>Click here for more News &amp; Companies in this Sector</a></p>"
banners[number++] = "<h3>Transportation</h3><p>Transport and infrastructure are the lifeblood of all economies, but the provincial economy of Mpumalanga is particularly reliant on these sectors for two reasons. Firstly, to get large amounts of raw materials out of the province as efficiently as possible.Infrastructure is being boosted by preparations for the 2010 Fifa World Cup. This includes upgrading public-transport routes in and around Nelspruit, developing reliable mass public-transport systems, lay-bys and shelters, pedestrian walkways and high-occupancy vehicle-traffic lanes. Facilities in health and disaster management such as emergency vehicles and medical equipment are also being constructed to handle any eventuality.<br /><br />The provincial government's roads and transport budget increased by 8.9% in the 2008/09 financial year and again by a huge 36%, to R2.1-billion, in 2009/10. A conditional grant of R50-million was set aside for the improvement of coal-haulage routes in anticipation of increased tonnages resulting from several power stations being rehabilitated. Public transport similarly received a conditional grant of R370-million. Simultaneously a 2010 Public Transport Operational Plan was launched, designed to improve all aspects of the system. These figures give some idea of the importance of this sector at this time. In addition, an amount of R477-million was allocated to public works.<br /><br />This is in line with the national trend. National government is committed to spending R700-billion on infrastructure in the three years to 2011. A total of R4.1-billion will go to the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) in the various provinces.</p><p><a href=/pls/cms/ti_secout.secout_prov?p_sid=43&amp;p_site_id=150>Click here for more News &amp; Companies in this Sector</a></p>"
banners[number++] = "<h3>Utilities</h3><p>Mpumalanga's industrial and commercial sectors are well served with respect to water and electricity provision, as are all of the province's urban areas. As is the case in much of South Africa, however, it is in the rural areas where services are lacking.Although electrification statistics show that upwards of 80% of South African households had access in 2007 (compared to 36% in 1993), figures in rural areas were barely above 50%. With some rural areas being very remote, options such as solar-energy generation are increasingly being explored as a way of delivering power to institutions such as clinics and schools. In addition to the historical legacy, whereby former homeland areas (like the far north-western part of the province) were deliberately deprived of services, Mpumulanga has struggled to find personnel with the requisite technical skills to roll out some services.<br /><br />All municipalities have adopted indigent policies with regard to Free Basic Electricity (FBE). A total of 93 535 households in the southern district of Gert Sibande receive FBE. However, the provision of FBE in some municipalities is low. One of the problems being addressed is ageing electricity infrastructure.</p><p><a href=/pls/cms/ti_secout.secout_prov?p_sid=45&amp;p_site_id=150>Click here for more News &amp; Companies in this Sector</a></p>"
banners[number++] = "<h3>Forestry &amp; Paper</h3><p>Mpumalanga has extensive commercial forests and sophisticated processing plants dealing with everything from sawn logs, pulp and paper to board.In light of its importance to the province’s economy, the tough times experienced by the forestry and paper sector in 2009 were a cause for concern. Since 2003, reduced demand for paper is something that companies in the sector have become accustomed to. The sharp dip in demand for timber, however, has come as something of a shock. York Timbers, employer of about 3 500 people in Mpumalanga, entered into discussions with unions about the possibility of closing three of its eight processing plants in mid-2009. Paper and packaging giant Mondi reduced paper production at its KwaZulu- Natal plant and shut down several mills and machines in Europe. Shares of companies in the sector fell sharply for the six-month period to December 2008.</p><p><a href=/pls/cms/ti_secout.secout_prov?p_sid=27&amp;p_site_id=150>Click here for more News &amp; Companies in this Sector</a></p>"

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