'Facebook Rapist' Murderer Thabo Bester Repatriated After Prison Escape
Times Live reports that fugitive and convicted murderer-rapist Thabo Bester and his partner Dr Nandipha Magudumana have been brought back to South Africa from Tanzania, along with a Mozambican national. They were arrested en route from Arusha to the Kenyan border during Easter. Bester and Magudumana, who had been on the run since fleeing their luxury mansion in Hyde Park, arrived at Johannesburg's Lanseria airport on a chartered flight. Bester had been sentenced to life for rape and murder before staging his death in a fire in his cell.
Power Utility Eskom Implements Stage 6 Blackouts Until Further Notice
Eskom, the South African power utility, has announced that stage 6 load-shedding, the highest level so far of scheduled rolling blackouts, will continue until further notice, reports IOL. This is due to a breakdown of a generation unit at the Medupi power station. Eskom said the increase in demand after a long weekend and the reopening of schools had put additional strain on the system . Eskom will provide updates as significant changes occur.
Negotiator Sent to Mali to Secure Release of South African Hostage Held by Al-Qaeda
Five-and-a-half years ago, Gerco van Deventer, a South African paramedic, was captured by Al-Qaeda in Libya and later sold to captors in Mali, reports Times Live. Gift of the Givers, a South African humanitarian organization, is trying to negotiate his release. Negotiations were stalled due to Covid-19 but resumed after a French citizen held with Van Deventer was released. His family has struggled to raise ransom money, and the country does not pay ransom as official policy. Imtiaz Sooliman, head of Gift of the Givers, says negotiator Mohamed Yehia Dicko has landed in Mali "to pursue the case".
City of Tshwane Restores Power to Multiple Areas Following Pylon Collapse
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The collapse of pylons plunged multiple areas into darkness since Sunday, but efforts by the City of Tshwane have since restored power to affected neighbourhoods, Eyewitness News reports. Officials called on citizens to report infrastructure-related crime to reduce power outages in the city. Efforts to restore power to areas still affected are ongoing.
Stage 9 Load Shedding on the Cards for South Africa?
Stage 9 load shedding may be a possibility for South Africa if the nation experiences cold snaps, Business Tech reports. According to energy analyst Clyde Mallison, South Africans need to take necessary precautions as winter approaches, citing the Generation Adequacy Report which anticipates a high-risk scenario due to poor generation capacity by the national power utility Eskom. While Stage 9 load shedding does not exist - the maximum currently standing at Stage 8 - work is under way to revise this.
