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Daily News update: Load shedding continues, 401 mineworkers fired, Bafana bonus comment backtracking, Ezulweni settlement questions and more
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Photo: iStock/The Citizen/Cheryl Kahla
News today includes Ramokgopa says although there will be days of no load shedding, the country is still going to experience power cuts and mining company Gold One has fired 401 mineworkers this week from its Modder East Mine in Springs.
Meanwhile, South African Football Association President Danny Jordaan has backtracked on the bonus statement he made that Bafana Bafana players and ActionSA wants to know the details of the deal between the ANC and Ezulweni investments.
News Today: 10 January 2024
In today’s weather update, the weather service has warned about severe thunderstorms with heavy downpours, strong winds, hail and excessive lightning in five provinces and disruptive rainfall resulting in localised flooding in the Eastern Cape. – full weather forecast here.
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There’s no guarantee of load shedding-free future despite current respite, says Ramokgopa
Electricity Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa has acknowledged that Eskom had successfully maintained minimal load shedding during the festive season. However, he cannot assure South Africans that this situation will persist indefinitely.
South Africans experienced a largely load shedding-free December due to improved generating capacity and emergency reserves. On Sunday, Eskom extended the suspension of load shedding until further notice.
This as a result of the sustained improved generating capacity and sufficient emergency reserves, it said.
While Eskom managed to prevent load shedding for a period, Ramokgopa on Tuesday highlighted the unreliability of some generating units.
CONTINUE: There’s no guarantee of load shedding-free future despite current respite, says Ramokgopa
‘We found the perpetrators,’ Gold One legal says as it fires 401 workers
After the underground mine strikes, where more that 500 miners were held ‘hostage’ – allegedly by Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) members, in October last year – mining company Gold One has fired 401 mineworkers this week from its Modder East Mine in Springs.
As such, the National Union of Mineworkers (Num) has taken up the cause of the 401 miners, arguing the mine has flouted due processes.
The union is now trying to negotiate with management at Gold One to try to reach an agreement that would benefit all parties.
CONTINUE: ‘We found the perpetrators,’ Gold One legal says as it fires 401 workers
‘I didn’t go to Robben Island for this nonsense’ – Cope calls for direct election of president
The Congress of the People (Cope) has reiterated its calls for a change in the electoral act to enable South Africans to directly elect the country’s president to ensure an accountable and responsive government.
The new system should apply to premiers and mayors too.
In a briefing on Tuesday morning, the party said the current party list system only promotes party interests above those of the people.
“The people shall govern” must be the eternal constant in the country’s politics, said the party’s congress executive committee.
CONTINUE: ‘I didn’t go to Robben Island for this nonsense’ – Cope calls for direct election of president
Cryptic Jordaan backtracks on R7-million Bafana bonus comment
The South African Football Association President Danny Jordaan has backtracked on the bonus statement he made that Bafana Bafana players will pocket R7-million if they win the Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast.
In statement released by SAFA media on Sunday, the 72-year-old revealved that they had agreed on a bonus structure with the players at their training base in Stellenbosch. This comes after the association signed a memorandum of agreement with the AFCON-bound squad.
“We have to get the team to focus. We have to clear everything. If they win, they get R7-million and if they lose, they get nothing,” Jordaan said.
“We want the team to focus and to perform. We have, over a period of time, settled this team and we don’t want to waste time discussing unnecessary stuff.”
CONTINUE: Cryptic Jordaan backtracks on R7-million Bafana bonus comment
ActionSA demands answers on Ezulweni R102m settlement
ActionSA had approached the IEC to investigate an agreement between the ANC and Ezulweni investments after the two parties secretly resolved a R102m dispute.
In December, the sheriff of the Gauteng High Court attempted to seize ANC assets over debt owed to Ezulweni by the party, but was prevented from entering its headquarters Luthuli House in Johannesburg. A few weeks later it was announced that they had settled.
In a statement this week, ActionSA chairperson Michael Beaumont said there were concerns over how this matter was resolved.
He said the ANC simply released a two-line statement on the resolution without any further details.
CONTINUE: ActionSA demands answers on Ezulweni R102m settlement
In other news today:
- Matric pupils share their emotions and expectations as results day approaches
- SA reacts to Nigerian poverty minister suspended for allegedly stealing public funds
- Cope: We haven’t entered into a coalition with SARA
- Suspected gangster in court for alleged rape of ATM member
- WATCH: Dozens evacuated as bus catches fire in Joburg
