Cape Town — Deployment of Army at Power Stations a Sign of Greater Crisis?

South African National Defence Force members have been deployed at multiple Eskom power stations, IOL reports. The soldiers have been instructed to protect four facilities - Camden, Majuba, Tutuka and Grootvlei - from vandalism and theft. This comes as the nation faces Stage 5 load shedding. According to energy expert Tshepo Kgadima, the deployment is sign of poor leadership in both government and at the power utility, saying: "There is no threat of a terrorist attack and we are not in a state of war. It's inexplicable what justification there can be for the army to be deployed to Eskom power stations. "South Africans should be worried as the government is lost in terms of how to solve the electricity challenges of the country."

Johannesburg to Declare State of Disaster Following Devastating Floods

Torrential downpours that included larger than average hailstones and caused large scale infrastructural damage will see the City of Johannesburg declare a Local State of Disaster, Business Tech reports. Damage to roads, traffic lights, buildings, substations, power stations and pipelines are estimated to be in the region of R300 million with some areas still submerged or inaccessible, making a more accurate assessment impossible for now. By declaring a Local State of Disaster, the city will be able to ensure access to resources from both provincial and national levels of government which may accelerate supply chain management processes.

Kruger National Park Ups Security for Festive Season

More security guards and traffic officials will be deployed at the Kruger National Park during the festive season, EyeWitness News reports. This comes after the highly publicised death of a German tourist two months ago who was hijacked outside the park. SANParks spokesperson Isaac Phaahla said: "The Kruger National Park safety and law enforcement campaign is ongoing for the entire festive season. We do have operations throughout the park with the South African Police Service and the SANDF. "We advise visitors to consult our social media platforms for gates closest to the camps they will be staying in and urge them to be extra vigilant while traveling to the park."