Cape Town —
Update as at 16h30 SAST
Energy Crisis Unlikely to Ease Within 12 Months, Eskom Warns
With continued infrastructural breakdowns at power generation facilities, Eskom has implemented higher stages of scheduled power cuts. EyeWitness News reports that the embattled power utility said in a statement that it was unsure how long this period of load shedding would last, adding that the situtation was unlikely to improve by December 2023. Eskom spokesperson Sikhonathi Mantshantsha said Stage 6 load shedding would be implemented until further notice, adding: "This is due to a high number of breakdowns since midnight, as well as the requirement to strictly preserve the remaining emergency generation reserves. Eskom will publish a full statement in due course." Load shedding is expected to persist through the year-end holidays.
Durban Beaches Closed Again
Amid an ongoing sewage crisis, Durban's uMhlanga Bronze Beach and uMhlanga Main beach have been closed due to water quality concerns, IOL reports. This comes after water tests following recent rains detected sewage bacteria that reached the sea via the Ohlanga River. The beaches' closure comes a week after eThekwini metro mayor Mxolisi Kaunda declared the city open for business during the festive season. Durban is a major local destination for holidaymakers.
Scientists Test 12 Bottles of Water Bought In Pretoria - 3 Were Toxic
Scientists have found that three brands of bottled water they found for sale at shops in Pretoria are unfit for human consumption. The levels of chromium and nickel were above World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendations in all 12 brands tested at Pretoria's Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Business Insider South Africareports. Half the samples exceeded the WHO limit for lead, and the highest concentration of manganese found may also pose a health risk. Information on the labels of some of the bottles did not match the chemical make-up of the water they contained, says a biology department team led by Professor Joshua Olowoyo.
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Hooray - December 27 Is a Public Holiday!
President Cyril Ramaphosa has declared December 27, 2022 a public holiday. South Africa has a total of 12 public holidays and since public holidays are not counted as leave, they can be a real bonus. This follows a declaration to this effect by President Cyril Ramaphosa in terms of Section 2A of the Public Holidays Act (Act No 36 of 1994).
100,000 Automotive Jobs at Stake if Nation Does Not Decarbonise in 8 Years, Minister Warns
Minister in the Presidency Mondli Gungubele has said that if the automotive industry fails to decarbonise and manufacture more electric and hybrid vehicles, nearly 100,000 jobs may be lost in years ahead, Business Tech reports. South African car manufacturers have been urged to decarbonise by 2030 as this is the deadline for when the European Union will no longer import internal combustion engines from South Africa. "If we don't move in pace with that call – to new electric vehicles – no fewer than 100,000 jobs are under threat. In other words, in that sector, we lose our status as a stakeholder and trading partner in the sector beyond that period," said Gungubele.
