Daily news update: ‘RamaphosaMustGo’ march, Alexandra shootings, ANC wants a ‘second Eskom’

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Daily news update – 16 July

Luthuli House march goes ahead but Ramaphosa vows to fight for the soul of the ANC

Some supporters and members of the ANC on Friday marched to Luthuli House to demand the removal of party leader Cyril Ramaphosa.

The march to the party’s Luthuli House headquarters started moments after Ramaphosa addressed the SACP’s elective congress in Ekurhuleni on Friday morning.

According to one of the organisers of the march, Carl Niehaus, the march was just the beginning of a series of planned rolling mass action in different parts of the country.

In his address at the SACP’s congress, Ramaphosa appeared to be unshaken by the growing calls for him to step aside.

Police launch manhunt after Alexandra deadly shootings

The police in Gauteng have launched a manhunt for the suspects who shot and killed five people in Alexandra, north of Johannesburg.

The shootings happened at different places on Thursday evening.

In a statement, the police’s provincial commissioner Lieutenant General Elias Mawela said it is alleged that about four armed suspects went on to rob and shoot people in the area.

ANC wants to establish second power parastatal to challenge Eskom

President Cyril Ramaphosa says the ANC is considering establishing a second state-owned power utility to compete against the struggling Eskom.

Ramaphosa made the announcement on Friday, at the South African Communist Party’s (SACP) 15th national congress in Boksburg, east of Johannesburg.

The president said the proposal for a second power utility was made by Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe, when Eskom implemented stage 6 load shedding.

Seven people ‘brutally’ murdered on Free State farm

Seven people have been killed on a farm in Kestell, in the Free State.

The victims were all shot.

On Friday, the farm owner came across the lifeless bodies of the farm workers inside their house on the farm. The victims were six women and a young man.

Petrol price expected to drop in August

After a series of steep petrol price increases, South Africans might be in for some relief.

The Automobile Association (AA) on Friday said fuel prices could decrease in August, based on the unaudited mid-month data from the Central Energy Fund (CEF).

The AA, however, said that drop in petrol (15c/l) and diesel (32c/l) prices will be lessened by the reintroduction of the general fuel levy.  

KZN’s Sihle Zikalala ‘not vulnerable’

The ANC in KZN has at least six party members showing interest in contesting Premier Sihle Zikalala’s position as the provincial chairperson.

Those tipped to stand against Zikalala in next week’s ANC provincial elective conference include Treasury MEC Nomusa Dube-Ncube, Community Safety MEC Peggy Nkonyeni, KZN Legislature Chair of Chairs Siboniso Duma, businessman Sandile Zungu and former KZN provincial government director general Nhlanhla Ngidi.

The high number of ANC members willing to take on Zikalala is being viewed by some as a sign that the premier has become vulnerable.

Eskom confirms stage 2 load shedding for this weekend during evening peak hours

As the country continues to experience rolling blackouts due to a shortage of generation capacity, Eskom has announced stage 2 load shedding will be implemented on both Saturday and Sunday from 4pm until 10pm.

On Friday, stage 3 power cuts started at 5am and will conclude at 12pm.

Stage 2 load shedding will also continue during the evening peak for the rest of next week.