No Blackouts This Christmas!
Festive cheer can shine a little brighter this year as South Africa's Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa confidently predicts lights on throughout the holidays, reports EWN. Ramokgopa expressed confidence in maintaining an uninterrupted power supply over the festive season, briefing the media amid seven consecutive days without load shedding. He attributed the suspension of power cuts to a notable decrease in breakdowns within the power grid, emphasizing Eskom's improved generating unit performance. Increased planned maintenance was cited as a factor in curbing frequent breakdowns observed earlier in the year. Ramokgopa assured that while candle lights might be present for celebration purposes during the festivities, proper lighting would ensure a bright start to 2024. He highlighted Eskom's efforts to maintain consistent relief from load shedding, aiming to avoid extended periods of heightened rolling blackouts following periods without power cuts.
Africa's First Antifungal-Resistant Infection Confirmed in KwaZulu-Natal
In a first for Africa, a case of ringworm caused by the fungus Trichophyton indotineae has been identified in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, reports News24. This resistant strain complicates treatment due to limited options and testing, and its prevalence remains unclear due to scarce diagnostic resources. Factors suspected to fuel its emergence include misuse of antifungal creams, inappropriate prescriptions, and global travel. To combat this resistant ringworm, prolonged oral antifungal therapy is recommended, while creams containing antibiotics or strong steroids should be avoided. Maintaining good hygiene remains key, with clean, dry skin, proper footwear, and avoiding shared clothing being crucial preventive measures. Despite the existing concerns, mandatory reporting of such cases is lacking in South Africa, and awareness currently rests with the National Institute for Communicable Diseases.
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Alleged Heist Spree Suspect Released Despite Mounting Charges
Zola Martin Mnisi, accused of multiple crimes including cash-in-transit heists and murder, secured bail twice in one week for similar offenses in Mpumalanga, reports News24. Despite being out on bail for murder and armed robbery, Mnisi faced re-arrest by the Hawks for a cash-in-transit heist and armed robbery. Linked through forensic analysis to the 2017 robbery of a RAM Courier vehicle, Mnisi was granted bail twice within days – once for R8,000 and then for R2,000. This pattern repeats as Mnisi had been previously released on bail in separate cases involving murder, armed robbery, and cash-in-transit heists. While authorities expressed opposition to his bail, they cited the court's discretion and emphasized that bail didn't equate to acquittal, asserting their commitment to pursuing convictions in his cases.
