Daily news update: Load shedding, employment rate, and ANC Gauteng conference

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Daily news update – 29 June

Eskom guzzling millions of litres of diesel a day to keep the lights on

As South Africans quiver at the thought of stage six load shedding from 5pm on Tuesday evening, Eskom said it was guzzling through millions of litres diesel per day to try and keep the lights on.

Eskom’s top brass were addressing the media on the current system challenges which have plunged the country into stage 4 rolling blackouts from last week.

Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter said the grid is under severe pressure.

Pravin ‘provoking workers’ – Gordhan slammed for saying Eskom ‘wage agreement reached’

The National Union of Mineworkers (Num) and National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) have slammed Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan for announcing that a wage agreement has been reached between the unions and Eskom.

Gordhan on Tuesday during a media briefing said an agreement had been reached with unions to bring the illegal industrial action by Eskom employees to an end.

The unions say they noted the comments made by Gordhan and want to set the record straight.

Total employment figures up by 0,4% compared to last quarter of 2021

Total employment in South Africa has increased by 0,4% in the first quarter compared to the fourth quarter of 2021, thanks to increased employment in community services, manufacturing and mining.

There has also been an increase of 2,0% compared to the first quarter of 2021.

According to Statistics SA, this means that 42 000 more people were employed quarter-on-quarter, with 10 104 000 people employed in March 2022 compared to 10 062 000 people employed in December 2021.

ANC will resume Gauteng conference in July to deal with outstanding matters

The ANC in Gauteng has resolved to reconvene its provincial conference next month, in order to conclude deliberations on policy documents and finalise the election of additional provincial executive committee (PEC) members.

The newly elected ANC Gauteng provincial chair Panyaza Lesufi announced this on Tuesday, during a media briefing at Luthuli House in Johannesburg. He said the reconvened conference will take place from 9 to 10 July 2022.

Motsoaledi advises Zimbabwean Exemption Permit holders to ignore ‘false hope created by HSF’

Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has slammed the Helen Suzman Foundation (HSF) for lodging legal action to challenge his department’s decision to terminate the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit (ZEP).

In November last year, Cabinet decided not to renew the ZEP beyond the end of December this year, a decision that is likely to affect more than 150,0000 Zimbabwean nationals who live, study and work legally in South Africa with the permit.

Enyobeni tavern tragedy: Musician relives night that 21 teenagers died

A musician who performed at Enyobeni tavern relived the events that took place on the night when 21 teenagers tragically died while partying on Saturday.

Brian Mapasa said that the event wasn’t initially a “pens down, mask off” gathering but a birthday party.

However, pupils hosted a “pens down” celebration at a park in Amalinda and later made their way to Enyobeni tavern.

Outa calls for R1.50 fuel levy reprieve to be extended for July

Consumers are set to pay around R26.70 per litre of fuel this month if the government reduces the fuel price reprieve to 75 cents per litre as planned.

The fuel levy reprieve of R1.50 per litre has been in place since April, but that’s due to change to 75 cents this month.

No, AfriForum hasn’t taken over control of the country’s borders from the SANDF

The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has clarified reports stating that civil organisation AfriForum has ‘taken over’ border patrol at Musina in Limpopo.

“We would like to reiterate what the Department of Home Affairs said, that it would be illegal for any civil organisation or NGO, including business, to conduct patrols at any borders of the Republic of South Africa,” the SANDF said in a statement.

Earlier this month, Home Affairs said that if AfriForum had been patrolling the country’s border, this would be viewed as illegal.

Ntshavheni’s deadline for SA’s analogue switch-off was unlawful, ConCourt rules

The Constitutional Court (ConCourt) has ruled that the process followed by Communications and Digital Technologies Minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni to determine the deadline for South Africa’s switch from analogue to digital television signal, was unlawful and unconstitutional.

This after free-to-air broadcaster e.tv appealed the Pretoria High Court’s dismissal of its bid to stop government’s 30 June 2022 deadline – previously 31 March 2022 – for broadcast digital migration.

Uncapped players Moerat and Louw included on Springbok bench

Salmaan Moerat and Elrigh Louw are in line to make their Springbok debuts from the replacements bench against Wales in Saturday’s opening Test at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria, with head coach Jacques Nienaber opting for a settled squad as they target a strong start to the season.