The importance of a reliable and safe bus service cannot be underestimated in South Africa. Mphumudzeni Muneri talks to Andrew Pelis about how Great North Transport has driven home a competitive advantage based on reputation.

Public transport in South Africa has long been a topic of much debate. Today, competition remains as rife as ever, despite the recent downturn in the economy. One company that has ridden out the tough times better than many has been Great North Transport (GNT).

Mozambique is on the brink of a transformation driven by its mineral resources; and Riversdale Mining is bringing some much needed expertise and capital to the party, as chief operating officer Andries Engelbrecht tells John O’Hanlon.

Riversdale Mining, a resource company with its headquarters in Sydney, Australia, was set up in late 2004 by a group of experienced coal mining professionals interested in exploration, mining and development projects.

Deputy director of Boskalis Offshore Bas van Bemmelen talks to Jane Bordenave about the company’s cradle to cradle approach to projects and how it has come to be a world leader in subsea soil intervention.

Founded in 1995, Boskalis Offshore is the specialised oil and gas organisation within the Royal Boskalis Westminster Group. It is based in the Netherlands, but operates globally and has realised projects on every continent. It works to excavate trenches and provide coarse gravel cover for subsea cables and pipelines.

Namibia’s telecommunications infrastructure is currently undergoing amazing transformation. Andrew Pelis learns exactly why Telecom Namibia has been recognised for the impact its work has had on the creation of a vibrant national business environment.

After reporting profits for two consecutive quarters, General Motors Co. has announced that its CEO Edward E. Whitacre Jr. is to be replaced by Daniel Akerson from 1 September. Mr. Whitacre will remain chairman until December, when he will hand over that title to Mr. Akerson as well.

The announcement was made after GM reported its best results since 2004, with net income of $1.3 billion for the second quarter improving on the $865 million profit made in the first quarter.

The UK’s biggest energy supplier, Centrica, is buying natural gas assets in Canada from Suncor Energy in a deal worth £229 million.

Direct Energy, Centrica's North American unit, will gain 241 billion cubic feet equivalent of natural gas reserves in the Wildcat Hills area of Alberta, increasing its resources by about 60 per cent to 641 billion cubic feet.

Twenty miles north-west of Calgary, the assets consist of 97 producing wells and related infrastructure, as well as 42,000 net acres of undeveloped land.

General Motors Co. has reported profits for the second successive quarter, and is widely expected to be on the brink of a landmark IPO which could raise as much as $16 billion to begin the process of releasing it from government ownership.

GM reported second quarter profits of $1.3 billion today, on revenues of $33.2 billion, bringing its half-yearly profits to a total of $2.2 billion on revenues of $64.7 billion. GM reported a first-quarter profit $1.07 billion in May, compared with a $5.98 billion loss a year earlier.

Vedanta Resources is in talks to purchase assets or take a substantial stake in the UK oil and gas exploration company Cairn Energy.

According to a report by Bloomberg, the talks are at an advanced stage, with an announcement possible later this month. The companies are said to be discussing a range of options, including an equity stake, asset purchases or a complete takeover of Cairn.