Daily News update: Cabinet reshuffle, State of Disaster, Wits protest, racist video

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Daily news update: 4 March

Cabinet reshuffle

As the country waits in suspense for President Cyril Ramaphosa to announce changes to his Cabinet, the ANC appealed to the media to give the president space to finalise his engagements.

“When the Cabinet reshuffle has to happen, you will be informed. And I’m sure where you are anxious [and] just waiting every day… that matter will be processed by the president when he is ready.

READ: ‘It’s the call of the president’: Ramaphosa will reshuffle Cabinet when he’s ready – ANC

Wits protests (videos)

Tensions at Wits University continued to boil over on Friday as the protesting students and outsourced security officers threw rocks at each other.

At least two students were taken by ambulance for medical attention as the protest entered its third day.

While the majority of the protests outside the university campus were peaceful, scuffles broke out during a standoff with security guards who prevented them from entering the Great Hall.

WATCH: Students, security guards throw rocks at each other as Wits protest intensifies

State of disaster briefing

National Health Minister Joe Phaahla has outlined ambitious plans for 46 of the country’s hospitals to receive electricity from separate power supply lines under the newly declared National State of Disaster.

He was speaking at a multi government department briefing on the state of disaster regulations in Pretoria on Friday.

Phaahla explained this measure became necessary because cables supplying the 46 hospitals are intertwined with community supply lines and could, therefore, not be exempted from load shedding.

READ: State of disaster: R300 million plan to move 46 hospitals to load shedding-free power lines

Weather update

The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has issued an orange level 6 warning for severe thunderstorms in the Overberg and Garden Route Districts, and a yellow level 4 warning over the southern Cape Winelands District, Laingsburg and Prince Albert municipalities in the Western Cape on Sunday.

“Initially, a steep upper trough is expected to result in scattered to widespread showers and thundershowers on Saturday,” warned the weather service.

READ: Level 6 warning: Heavy rain, hail to hit parts of Western Cape

SA Human Rights CEO racist video

The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) says it is investigating an alleged racist incident in which its then-acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) allegedly referred to senior managers at the organisation as “black babies.”

The SAHRC said it greatly regrets the racial slur, allegedly by Chantal Kisoon, hurled at staff employed at the human rights body

WATCH: Acting SA Human Rights CEO suspended for allegedly calling staff ‘black babies’

Compiled by Cheryl Kahla.