Daily news update: Earth tremor, Nersa, Ramaphosa and Musk and the Springboks

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Daily news update – Wednesday, 25 September 2024

Earth tremor hits parts of Joburg, Roodepoort and Soweto

An earth tremor was felt in several parts of Johannesburg.

It is understood the tremor hit just before 8pm on Tuesday evening.

Johannesburg Emergency Services spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi said the Council for Geoscience is yet to confirm the tremor and the magnitude.

“Earth Tremor experienced in most parts of Johannesburg South, Roodepoort, Soweto and surrounding areas at around 19h35.

“The Council for Geoscience still to confirm its magnitude, at this stage no injuries/damages have been reported through our City of Johannesburg Emergency Services Call Centre, residents are urged to call us on 011 375 5911 for any Life Threatening Emergencies,” Mulaudzi said.

Nersa publishes Eskom’s request for hefty 36% electricity tariff hike

In electricity news, the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) has officially published Eskom’s multi-year revenue application, which includes hiking up tariffs for direct customers by around 36% next year.

Eskom’s controversial proposed electricity tariff increases for the next three years have gone out with public submissions open until 4pm on 1 November.

The utility submitted its application to Nersa in August for a proposed 36.15% hike during its 2026 financial year; 11.81% in 2027 and 9.10% in 2028.

Eskom’s proposed tariff hike  follows an almost 13% hike this April with the hefty increase already sparking controversy with the Democratic Alliance (DA) launching a petition calling for the application to be rejected.

Ramaphosa and Elon Musk discuss investment opportunities in South Africa

In investment news, President Cyril Ramaphosa met with South African-born American billionaire Elon Musk at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

According to the Presidency, Ramaphosa and the Tesla owner discussed investment opportunities in South Africa.

The meeting comes amid reports that Starlink may soon become available in South Africa.

Starlink is a satellite internet constellation operated by Musk’s SpaceX, providing fast and reliable internet through Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites. This could be a game changer for rural areas where fast internet connections are limited.

Speculation had been rife that Starlink was not yet available in South Africa due to the country’s BEE regulations. However, Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) chairperson, Mothibi Ramusi, told ITWeb TV earlier this month that ICASA has yet to receive a formal application from Starlink to operate in the country.

SA man trying to jump fence into Swaziland nabbed with over R400K

The Hawks have confiscated more than R424 000 from a South African man who was trying to skip the country into Swaziland.

The 39-year-old man was handcuffed by the Border Management Authority (BMA) on Heritage Day.

Hawks spokesperson Captain Dineo Sekgotodi said the South African man was trying to cross the Oshoek border of South Africa to Swaziland by jumping through the fence when he was stopped and searched.

“He was holding a black plastic bag whereby cash amount of R424 800 was found and seized. Information was escalated to the Hawks Secunda based Serious Commercial Crime Investigation who took over the crime scene.

“During interrogation, the suspect was asked about the money where was it coming from and where was it taken to. He couldn’t give clear explanation. It was also discovered that the money was not declared as per FIC Act 38 of 2001 in terms of section 54 read with section 30,” Sekgotodi said.

Gauteng legislature and DA in war of words over ‘interference’ in corruption claims

Provincial leadership and the opposition are struggling to reach an agreement on internal processes.

The Democratic Alliance’s Gauteng leader, Solly Msimanga, accused members of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature (GPL) last week of conspiring to remove a member pursuing fraud allegations.

The department hit back on Monday, declaring the allegations false while elaborating on the decisions made at the time.

Msimanga on Friday called for the resignation of former speaker Ntombi Mekgwe, deputy speaker Nomvuyo Mhlakaza-Manamela and ANC chief whip Lesego Makhubela.

Etzebeth breaks record and Libbok in for Rugby Championship decider

In rugby news, Eben Etzebeth will set the record as the most capped Springbok of all time in Mbombela on Saturday when he runs out at lock against Argentina, while Jaden Hendrikse and Manie Libbok are paired as starting halfbacks for the first time in the title-deciding match of the Rugby Championship at the Mbombela Stadium.

The three are promoted from the bench in a match-23 that shows six personnel changes from the team that went down 29-28 against the same opposition in Santiago del Estero over the past weekend.

In total Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus made nine changes and one positional switch to the starting XV from last week’s encounter, recalling six double Rugby World Cup winners in Bongi Mbonambi, Frans Malherbe, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Cheslin Kolbe, Damian de Allende, and Siya Kolisi, who resumes as captain after watching from the coaches’ box in Argentina.

The Springboks need only a point from the match to guarantee their first Rugby Championship title since the abbreviated version in 2019 and their first full tournament title since 2009 (Tri Nations), while they will also clinch the title if Argentina win the match without a bonus point based on competition points.

Warmer weather expected in most of parts SA, but cold front looming

The South African Weather Service (Saws) said while warmer weather is expected throughout most of South Africa for the week, the south western parts of the country can expect a cold front from Wednesday.

The warmer temperatures will be welcomed after last weekend freezing weather and heavy snowfall in certain parts of the Free State and KwaZulu-Natal which caused the closure of the N3 highway in both directions between Harrismith in the Free State and the Tugela Plaza in KZN.

Saws issued a Yellow Level 2 warning for damaging winds leading to localised damage to settlements (formal and informal), as well as the  risk of localised runaway fires, are expected over the central  and eastern parts of the Northern Cape.

It also warned about extremely high fire danger conditions expected in places over the western parts of both the Free State and North West,  the northern parts of the Northern Cape, the north-eastern parts of the Western Cape, as well as parts of the Limpopo Valley.