Daily news update: Load shedding, Solly Mapaila elected SACP general secretary, Springboks vs Wales

Here’s your morning news update: An easy-to-read selection of our top stories. Stay up to date with The Citizen – More News, Your Way.

Daily news update – 17 July

Load shedding should stop by the end of next week, says De Ruyter

Eskom CEO André de Ruyter says the rolling blackouts being experienced by South Africans since last month should conclude by the end of next week.

The Eskom CEO made the announcement on Saturday during President Cyril Ramaphosa’s oversight visit to Eskom’s Tutuka Power Station in Mpumalanga.

“Towards the end of the coming week we should emerge from load shedding… we’ve got a couple of big units returning, so that’s positive news.

“Towards the end of July, the risk [of load shedding] will be significantly diminished once Koeberg two comes back to the grid – that’s about 920MW, so that will bring a large measure of relief,” De Ruyter said.

Solly Mapaila elected unopposed as SACP general secretary

Solly Mapaila has been elected unopposed as the new general secretary of the South African Communist Party (SACP) at the party’s 15th national congress in Boksburg, east of Johannesburg.

Mapaila, who was previously the SACP’s first deputy general secretary, takes over from Blade Nzimande after 25 years at the helm of the party. Nzimande was elected as the SACP’s national chairperson.

ANC members facing criminal charges can’t contest top positions

ANC members who are facing criminal charges won’t be able to contest leadership positions in the governing party in the upcoming elective conference due to take place in December.

According to a Business Day report, acting ANC secretary-general Paul Mashatile is blocking anyone facing serious criminal charges from participating or being nominated by branches.

Police arrest two suspects in connection of mass farm murders in Free State

Police have arrested two suspects in connection with the murder of seven people who were brutally killed on a farm in the Free State. 

Six women and a man were shot inside their home on Lismor farm near Kestell, this week.

Their bodies were found by the farm owner who came across the lifeless bodies of the farm workers inside their house on the farm. 

Brigadier Motantsi Makhele said in a statement on Saturday that they had arrested two men aged 22 and 34.

BA.5 variant: What is it and why is it reinfecting so many people with Covid-19?

The BA.5 variant – part of the Omicron family – is the latest Covid-19 variant to cause widespread waves of infection globally.

According to the World Health Organisation’s most recent report, it was behind 52% of cases sequenced in late June, up from 37% in one week.

In the United States, it is estimated to be causing around 65% of infections.

Imperious Boks clinch series win after dominant third Test win over Wales

The imperious Springboks produced a dominant performance to power to a 30-14 (halftime 17-8) win over Wales in the third Test decider at the Cape Town Stadium on Saturday afternoon, to clinch the three match series 2-1.

It was a fantastic performance from the home side, who celebrated Eben Etzebeth’s 100^th international appearance and Bongi Mbonambi’s 50^th in the best possible way.

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