Category: Key Issues

Cabinet has commended the return to service of Kusile Power Station’s Unit 4 from planned maintenance, bringing back 800 megawatts to the country’s power grid.

“This milestone is central to generating capacity for the national grid in addressing the frequency of load shedding,” Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, said at a post Cabinet media briefing on Thursday.

Cabinet was further encouraged with the progress to return Units 1, 2 and 3 at Kusile ahead of schedule in October and the end of November 2023.

Cabinet has also welcomed Eskom’s stable rating by Moody’s Investors Service, which will improve its credit worthiness.

The ratings agency upgraded the power utility’s rating from positive to stable, following the utility’s Debt Relief Act passed in July.

“This rating will enable Eskom to plan ahead in implementing planned maintenance on its generation fleet,” Ntshavheni said.

Cabinet has further commended the National Energy Regulator of South Africa’s granting of trading and import/export licence applications to the National Transmission Company of South Africa (NTCSA).

The NTCSA is wholly owned by Eskom, as the State-owned company is being restructured into the generation, transmission and distribution subsidiaries.

The NTCSA applied for a trading licence in order to be able to buy and sell electricity from power stations and independent power producers.

“This paves the way for procurement of power from across the region,” the Minister said.

Water challenges 

On water security, Ntshavheni said water authorities and local government are addressing water challenges affecting a number of areas across the country.

The Minister noted that major water losses in Gauteng fall in the areas of the cities’ responsibilities, including Tshwane, Ekurhuleni and the City of Johannesburg.

She also warned that water losses experienced on the side of the cities is higher and this is due to the non-repair of damaged water infrastructure and leaking pipes, which are left unattended.

“The Minister of Water and Sanitation and Rand Water have been intervening to ensure how to manage water shortages,” Ntshavheni said.

The Minister also reminded citizens that their actions are crucial to ensuring a sustainable and equitable water supply.

“We must all play our part to save every drop by not watering lawns or filling swimming pools with drinking water. Wash your car using a bucket, take a two-minute shower instead of a bath, fix all water leaks in your house and report leaking water pipes to your local municipality,” Ntshavheni said.

Whether young or old, unemployment is a thorn in the flesh of many South Africans, writes Neo Semono.

Whether in our families or within our circle of friends, many of us know someone who is without a job. The situation is so dire that we may even know more than one individual who does not have a job, and it is not due to the lack of trying nor to the lack of qualifications.

Those who are unemployed want to wake up in the morning to go and make an honest living for themselves and their loved ones. Through their work, they also want to make a difference in the country that they live in.

Recent data has shown that the country’s joblessness rate has come down slightly. Statistics South Africa’s Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) has shown that the unemployment rate decreased from 32.9% in the first quarter to 32.6% in the second quarter of 2023.

Granted, the figure is marginal – but 154 000 new jobs were created in the second quarter, taking the number of employed persons to 16.3 million – a flicker of hope for those who may have given up on finding work.

Finding a job is hard and is further exacerbated by the costs that job seekers may not be able to cover. In the quest to find jobs, money is borrowed to visit internet cafes to search and apply for work, to printout CVs and to drop off said applications at prospective employer’s offices.

Having altered the CV more times than one can remember, and filing out more online applications and Z83 forms, hope and confidence take a knock when one does not get that invitation to a job interview.

While that hope is sometimes on shaky ground, South Africans don’t quit. Instead, they make a plan, even if it means taking on any job to make ends meet. Some go on to start innovative businesses that change their local landscapes while also giving jobs and training to others in their respective communities.

This speaks to the innate resilience of the people of this country in that individuals not only deviate from their original life plan, but that they also give work opportunities to others who may not have had the opportunity to put a foot in the door of larger establishments minus the required skills.

While one will always find fault with government, it cannot resolve the unemployment challenge on its own. And while it should have done better in tackling it, it is doing something about it.

This includes the employment of people with disabilities. Through the Presidential Working Group on Disability, government is working on increasing funding for disability-related programmes and services. This includes funding for the education, training and employment of people with disabilities.

Well aware of the unemployment problem particularly around the youth, government has put in place the Presidential Youth Employment Initiative (PYEI). Through the initiative announced in 2020, at least 135 000 earning opportunities were secured by young people.

The Department of Employment and Labour–which has labour offices across the country– offers tips on how to find a job and how to fill out the Z83 form. It also has career counsellors to assist job seekers in preparing for interviews and other career related services for free.

Mobile employment centres are also available to assist work seekers to sign up for the Employment Services System of South Africa (ESSA) which is a platform where work seekers are matched with available job opportunities for free.

Other government initiatives to get particularly young people into work include the Gauteng government’s Nasi Ispan (“Here is work”) mass recruitment programme that aims to get thousands of young people into state jobs.

The Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) which has been in existence for close to two decades continues to make a difference in people’s lives. It provides an important avenue for labour-absorption and income to poor households in the short to medium-term.

The implementation of government plans is also making an impact with the Poultry Masterplan which contributed to the creation of 750 jobs at a Rainbow Chicken facility.

The adoption of the masterplan saw government implement several measures to safeguard the local industry including placing anti-dumping duties on imported poultry.

This is the same Rainbow Chicken which in 2017 closed its operations in Hammarsdale and retrenched over a thousand workers.

The adoption of the plan was also coupled with increased investment and measures to transform the industry has led to success with the company reopening and investing R220 million.

Government is not just talking the talk; it is also putting in the work for its people who have a never say die attitude.

The South African Revenue Service (SARS) has suspended its services at the Rissik Street branch in Marshalltown, Johannesburg, following a fire that broke out on Wednesday.

SARS Commissioner Edward Kieswetter said the fire was successfully extinguished due to the prompt and efficient response by fire rescue services.

“All staff and taxpayers were immediately evacuated and no one incurred any serious injuries. As a result of the fire, SARS has suspended its services at the Rissik Street branch and will provide services virtually.

“Taxpayers are urged to book an appointment for assistance via the SARS website –  www.sars.gov.za. Those who want to visit our offices can make an appointment to visit either the Randburg or Alberton branches,” Kieswetter said.

The Commissioner expressed his appreciation to the fire and medical emergency personnel for their assistance in containing the damage and treating people who were affected.

He also apologised to taxpayers for any inconvenience.

The cause and extent of the fire is unknown at this stage and will be investigated.

About 87 learners from Pulamadibogo Primary School in Soshanguve, who were hospitalised after consuming muffins laced with marijuana, have now been discharged, says Gauteng Education MEC, Matome Chiloane.

The affected learners were admitted at Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital on Wednesday and have been discharged, as their condition and health significantly improved. Only three girl learners remain in hospital, and they are still receiving the necessary medical attention to return to full health.

Police investigations into the circumstances surrounding this incident still continue.

“We are relieved that the affected learners were discharged following this saddening incident. We wish the remaining learners speedy recovery,” MEC Chiloane said.

Meanwhile, the two suspects who were arrested in connection with this case will appear at the Soshanguve Magistrates Court this morning.

“We are informed two suspects arrested for allegedly selling space cookies to Pulamadibogo learners are appearing at Soshanguve Magistrates Court this morning,” DBE spokesperson, Steve Mabona,said.

Electricity Minister, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, has described load shedding as an economic problem that government is urgently addressing, as his department relentlessly tackles generation and transmission challenges.

“It’s a structural constraint to the economy of the country and therefore it’s indispensable to the resolution of the economic question in the country,” he said on Thursday.

The Minister is hosting a Transmission Financing Seminar with the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE).

The gathering will discuss the financing of South Africa’s Transmission Development Plan, which seeks to expand, support and secure the sustainability of South Africa’s energy mix and electricity supply.

The seminar brings together government, energy industry veterans and potential private sector investors to engage in a critical conversation on South Africa’s energy crisis.

Ramokgopa touched on the country’s Energy Action Plan (EAP), a comprehensive response by government to address the challenge of power cuts.

“In 1997, we were told that at the rate at which you are connecting households to the grid and the economy is growing, you’re going to run into a generation problem, a capacity problem 10 years later, and we know that we ran into that problem.”

This is the reason he believes the country needs to speedily attend to transmission with the same vigour it is handling generation capacity.

“We are saying also now if you don’t resolve the issues on the transmission side, having that problem today might not be as pronounced and I want to argue that it will be pronounced in the next six to 12 months.

“The similar amount of effort and exertion you’re placing on the generation side requires that they be placed also on the transmission side.”

Eskom’s transmission has the mandate to reliably control, maintain, plan, expand and provide access to an interconnected transmission system.

Ramokgopa told the summit that part of the problem that is confronting Eskom is structural constraint primarily presented by two issues – energy deficit and issues of logistics.

The Minister spoke frankly about the impact of load shedding.

He highlighted agriculture and manufacturing as sectors that are heavily impacted by severe shortages in power generation capacity.

“And what this does really borrows from the modelling that has been done by the South African Reserve Bank, which begins to illustrate the kind of injury that is inflicted by load shedding on the South African economy, potentially contracting the economy.”

The Minister has since called for all hands on deck to contribute towards the resolution of this “bleak picture”.

Ramokgopa, who has visited all power plants to better understand the challenges, said there are communities and businesses that have not had electricity for about six years.

“This is not an exaggeration. And so as a result of the failure of the distribution infrastructure, I’m talking about transformers and substations, and this comes about as a result of municipalities being financially unviable.”

The Minister said he will introduce regular updates on the transmission side.

“[This] is after we’ve gone to Cabinet [to present] the options that are available to us. Once that is adopted, then we will give feedback and then we’re doing a significant amount of work on the distribution side (sic).”

These interventions will see the country significantly strengthen and increase South Africa’s electricity supply and capacitate the energy sector in meeting global decarbonisation targets, thereby ensuring South Africa’s long-term energy security and energy sovereignty.

Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane has expressed concern about an incident that took place on Wednesday, where 90 learners from Pulamadibogo Primary School in Soshanguve were hospitalised after consuming “space cookies”, which are cookies laced with marijuana.

The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) said the students were rushed to local medical facilities after experiencing nausea, stomach cramps and some vomiting from allegedly consuming the space cookies.

“According to information at our disposal, approximately 90 learners from Grade R – 7 consumed what looked like muffins, suspected to be laced with dagga (space cookies), which they bought from a street vendor on their way to school. Educators witnessed strange behaviour from the learners in class and immediately called emergency services.

“All 90 affected learners were attended to by emergency services on school premises. However, they were all subsequently rushed to different medical facilities where their condition will be monitored,” the GDE said.

Police visited the school and subsequently, the street vendor was identified. Police will conduct their investigation accordingly.

“This is concerning for us and we call for patience from parents while investigations are underway and learners are recovering. We implore learners to be vigilant of what they purchase and consume, and be cautious of who they purchase food from. We wish all affected learners speedy recovery,” Chiloane said.

The City of Ekurhuleni says it is actively addressing ongoing water supply challenges, particularly in the Tsakane/Geluksdal and Etwatwa/Daveyton areas, where low storage levels are affecting supply and pressure.

City spokesperson Zweli Dlamini said in order to protect the system from cavitation, pumps are temporarily offline until water levels stabilise.

Dlamini said the KwaThema reservoir is currently empty and its outlets will remain closed overnight to replenish storage levels.

“We are working in close coordination with Rand Water, following their efforts to enhance the RW Mapleton system. We are awaiting further updates from Rand Water to ensure an equitable water supply for all residents.

“In the meantime, we are providing alternative water sources to all impacted communities. We urge the community to remain calm during this period as we work diligently to restore consistent water supply to all affected areas,” Dlamini said.

Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga has called on road users to exercise caution, adhere to traffic laws and prioritise safety while traveling.

This follows the recent deadly crash in Limpopo.

In a statement on Monday, the Minister expressed deep sorrow and sadness at the tragic loss of multiple lives in a major collision on the D2692 Venetia Road between Musina and De Beers mine in the Vhembe area.

The crash occurred on Sunday, resulting in the tragic deaths of 22 people. Four people were taken to hospital for varying degrees of injuries.

Many of the crash victims lost their lives at the scene, while others succumbed to their injuries at the hospital.

“Reports received thus far indicate that the crash involved a bus transporting mine workers from Venetia Mine and a truck on the R572 road towards Musina.  It is alleged that the bus and the truck collided head on, resulting in both vehicles catching alight.

“The exact cause of the crash is still under investigation at this point, with crash reconstruction, investigation teams and law enforcement officers from the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC), the South African Police Service and provincial investigation teams dispatched to the scene,” the Ministry of Transport said.

The Minister has extended her deep and heartfelt condolences to the families and loved ones of the individuals who tragically lost their lives and those who were injured.

“Our thoughts and our prayers are with the families, friends and loved ones of the deceased during this very difficult time of great grief and sorrow.

“We extend our sincere wishes for a speedy recovery to all the individuals who sustained injuries in the crash and wish them a speedy recovery and return to good health.

“We don’t have words enough to express our shock and sadness at this horrific incident.  The loss of so many lives and injuries among the working class leaves a permanent telling blow on the socio-economic well-being of the country and families and loved ones lose bread winners and are torn apart when such tragedy strikes.”

Chikunga has emphasised the importance of vigilance and alertness among all road users to prevent such tragic occurrences.

The RTMC, an entity of the Department of Transport has been tasked to conduct a thorough investigation to establish the root cause of the crash and provide a preliminary report.

Meanwhile, the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) has also extended its condolences to the families of the deceased and wished all the injured a speedy recovery.

“The health and safety of mineworkers remain a key priority for the government, as we tirelessly work towards achieving Zero Harm in South African mines. After all, it is workers who make the country’s mining sector thrive as a sunrise industry,” said the DMRE.

Magalies Water has warned consumers receiving water supply from the Cullinan Supply Scheme of possible water supply interruptions due to increased water demand.

The entity said the higher-than-normal water consumption patterns have strained the supply.

“This has caused reduced abstraction rates from the Wilge Dam, through which the supply scheme is linked, and will result in water supply interruptions until the scheme subsidises.

“Due to increased water demand and the subsequent strain on the scheme, we urge consumers to use water sparingly, in order to prevent prolonged water supply interruptions. Magalies Water apologises for the inconvenience that this may cause,” said Magalies Water spokesperson David Magae.

Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, says Cabinet has been updated on Eskom’s current planned maintenance plan which has resulted in higher stages of load shedding.

The increased maintenance is aimed at ensuring the sustainability of Eskom’s plants.

“The concerted implementation of the planned fleet maintenance programme has resulted in increased stages of load shedding in recent days.

“The implementation of Stage 6 load shedding in the last week was a regress from the trends that prevailed in the previous weeks of lower stages of load shedding,” she remarked.

The Minister was briefing the media following this week’s Cabinet meeting.

She said “the current implementation of increased stages of load shedding is a short-term phase as Eskom prepares for more sustained and lessened stages of load shedding in the not-so-distant future”.

“The Minister in the Presidency for Electricity, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, will continue to update the nation on the progress being made to address the current electricity challenges and the steps being taken to ultimately end load shedding,” she said.