Latest news with #JohanduPlessis
The Citizen
29-06-2025
- Automotive
- The Citizen
Lowveld training centre gears up bikers for safer rides
The Lowveld is known for its scenic motorbike routes, particularly in the Sabie area and along the Long Tom Pass – a road that has proven deadly for some reckless bikers. Since its establishment in 2023, Lowveld Motorcycle Training CC has focused on equipping bikers with the skills needed to ride safely and remain aware of their surroundings. ALSO READ: Sabie Classic tests mountain bikers' mettle The organisation's two founders, Johan du Plessis and Francois Niehof, launched the training centre with a mission to reduce the number of devastating motorcycle accidents in and around the Lowveld. 'You can get a bike learner's permit at the age of 16 and ride a bike with a 125CC engine without ever doing a riding test, which is not safe at all,' Du Plessis said. Learners can ride for a full year on this permit – a major contributing factor to bike accidents in South Africa. 'To ride a motorbike you need to possess certain skills, like good balance and hand-eye co-ordination. If you don't have these skills you shouldn't be riding,' he explained. Among other things, they teach bikers basic safety principles, such as wearing proper protective clothing and using suitable equipment. 'We dress for the slide, not the ride,' Du Plessis added. Other training areas they focus on are carrying a passenger, riding in a group, and how to safely execute an emergency brake or turn. Du Plessis also believes in teaching road awareness from a young age. 'Look twice for bikes,' he tells schoolchildren, aiming to instil safe habits early. The team has delivered voluntary talks at schools such as Hoërskool Bergvlam and Lowveld High to educate students about bike safety. ALSO READ: Unlucky incident unveils hidden quad bike in Mbombela, possibly stolen They recently provided training for 78 Checkers Sixty60 drivers from Mbombela, Hazyview and White River. The focus was on teaching safe riding techniques and testing to ensure they are fit to ride. Checkers has confirmed that since starting the training in May 2025, there have been no accidents involving their riders. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Guardian
10-04-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
UK boiler upgrade grants could be extended to heat batteries
The UK government is considering expanding the boiler upgrade grant scheme to cover sources of low-carbon heating for domestic homes other than heat pumps, the Guardian understands. The government has a target of 600,000 heat pump installations annually by 2028. But data from the Resolution Foundation on Wednesday revealed worryingly low uptake of heat pumps. Last year, installation of gas boilers outnumbered heat pump installations by 15:1, according to the Resolution Foundation report, and only one in eight new homes were equipped with the low-carbon option, despite the government's clean energy targets. According to government data, 62,031 vouchers have been issued to households to install heat pumps under the boiler upgrade grant scheme since it began in April 2022, suggesting the government is way off its target. The scheme provides grants of £7,500 to householders who switch from gas boilers to heat pumps. The grants are specific to heat pumps and do not apply to other forms of low-carbon heating. A cross-party group of MPs has called for subsidies to be spread to other low-carbon technologies, including heat batteries. Miatta Fahnbulleh, the minister for energy consumers, visited a home with energy from a heat battery last month and met two leading British suppliers of the batteries, Sunamp and Tepeo. Heat batteries, or zero-emission boilers, can be installed in homes that have central heating radiators, and it is hoped they could be used in the 20% of domestic properties where heat pumps are not suitable. They are not eligible for the £7,500 grant in the boiler upgrade scheme or for VAT exemption, which heat pumps get. Johan du Plessis, the founder and chief executive of Tepeo, said: 'Heat batteries offer a practical, flexible and cost-effective solution, particularly for homes where heat pumps may not be viable. We welcome the minister's engagement and look forward to working with the government to ensure that all homes have access to clean, affordable heating by extending the boiler upgrade scheme and VAT relief to heat batteries as part of the warm homes plan.' Heat batteries are about the size of a washing machine. The boiler is filled with iron ore and takes in electricity to heat the ore and blow air across it. The air then heats the plumbing pipes running through and the ore stays hot for days, which allows the boiler to function as a heat battery, dispensing hot water when it is needed. Sign up to Down to Earth The planet's most important stories. Get all the week's environment news - the good, the bad and the essential after newsletter promotion A computer programme tells the boiler to take in electricity when it is cheap and green, and also takes account of the weather and household heating demand.
