Author: Agency

Eskom says stage two load shedding was implemented due to depleted capacity caused by generator breakdowns, power station trips, the slow return to service of units, as well as higher demand for electricity as the colder weather starts to settle in. As a result of these factors, the power utility was unable to feed the entire demand for electricity on Tuesday. Eskom Chief Executive Andre de Ruyter told a media briefing on Wednesday that the electricity supplier is working to ensure that load shedding is suspended as soon as it is possible to do so. He explained that the power…

The Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF) and the Public Investment Corporation (PIC) have signed a new unlisted developmental investment mandate. The GEPF is the largest pension fund in Africa, with assets in excess of R2.1 trillion, which are managed by the PIC. The GEPF first introduced the unlisted developmental investment mandate in 1997 under the name Isibaya Fund and subsequently renewed it over the years. The developmental investment funds are aimed at generating financial and socio-economic benefits by addressing structural imbalances in the economy to facilitate transformation, economic growth, job creation, and environmental and financial returns. The developmental mandates focus…

President Cyril Ramaphosa says government is doing everything in its means to ensure that the current load shedding experienced by the country becomes a thing of the past. In his weekly newsletter to the nation, the President empathised with South Africans experiencing constant blackouts saying government is determined that this should not continue to be a part of their lives into the future. “It is difficult and unacceptable for South Africans to endure load shedding. But we are doing everything in our means to ensure that, like state capture, it soon becomes a thing of the past,” the President said.…

The South African Post Office (Sapo) has warned customers of fraudulent emails that are designed to make the receiver pay money into a scam account. The emails, which appear to originate from the post office, are titled: “Your package could not be delivered” and states that a package can only be released once a clearance fee has been paid and include a link. “Should the receiver click on the link, a page called Bureau de Poste d’Afrique du Sud opens, requesting payment to ‘release’ the fictitious parcel. The official language of communication for the Sapo is English and no communication…

The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) has reported at least 3 222 new COVID-19 cases in the country over the past 24 hour reporting period. The new cases represent a positivity rate of some 16.7% – bringing the cumulative number of cases in the country to more than 3.7 million since the outbreak of the pandemic. The provincial breakdown for new cases is as follows: Gauteng leads the pack with 1727 new cases KwaZulu-Natal follows with at least 818 new cases In the Western Cape, 333 new cases were recorded Some 83 new cases were recorded in Mpumalanga In…

Higher Education, Science and Innovation Minister, Dr Blade Nzimande, says he is pleased with the implementation of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) interventions within the post school education and training sector. This follows recorded partnerships and progress by universities, colleges and Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) in advancing 4IR interventions within the sector. He said the Department of Higher Education and Training has collaborated with CISCO and Huawei to align the existing Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges’ curriculum with industry demands in the digital skills area. “Under the CISCO agreement, at least 300 lecturers are being trained…

Eskom says after making some ground in recovering generation capacity, it may lift all stages of load shedding on Friday evening. The power utility has been battling generation unit failures throughout the past week, which have tipped the country into the more stringent stage four load shedding – dropping down to stage three on Wednesday evening. Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter said the power utility is recovering some of the lost capacity back into the system. “We were sitting way in excess of 16 000MW of unplanned losses earlier in the week, so the system is recovering. We are seeing some…

President Cyril Ramaphosa has used his weekly newsletter to condemn anti-foreigner sentiments, and acts of vigilantism and assure citizens that the government is dealing with illegal migration in the country. This in the wake of recent protests in Diepsloot against alleged deficiencies in policing following several murders in the area. The protest turned violent and culminated in the murder of an alleged illegal migrant. “The events in the Gauteng township of Diepsloot last week were a tragedy. In the course of a single weekend, seven people were killed, sparking protests. This loss of life is deplorable, as is the killing…

South Africa has a “tremendous opportunity” to take the global lead in hydrogen and fuel cell production. This is according to Mineral Resources and Energy Minister, Gwede Mantashe, who was speaking at the Platinum Group Metals Industry Day held at the Johannesburg Country Club in Auckland Park on Wednesday. “The new global dispensation of green energy offers South Africa a rare and tremendous opportunity to become a global leader in the production of hydrogen, as well as fuel cells. This is primarily because South Africa holds nearly 80% of the world’s platinum reserves. It is the leading global supplier of…

Director-General, Dondo Mogajane, will leave the National Treasury in June after opting not to have his contract extended. “The Minister of Finance, Enoch Godongwana, hereby announces that the Director-General (DG) Dondo Mogajane, whose contract comes to an end on 7 June 2022, has elected not to extend his contract. The DG will leave the National Treasury on the expiry of his current contract to pursue new opportunities outside of the public sector,” said the Ministry of Finance on Thursday. Mogajane has served the National Treasury for 23 years of which the last five years have been as the Director-General. “Under…