Day: March 28, 2024

The Presidency has released the 18-month update on the implementation of the Energy Action Plan (EAP).

The EAP was introduced by President Cyril Ramaphosa in July 2022 and is coordinated by the National Energy Crisis Committee under the leadership of Electricity Minister, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa.

The EAP’s key interventions are to:

Fix Eskom and improve the availability of existing supply.

Enable and accelerate private investment in generation capacity.

Fast-track the procurement of new generation capacity from renewables, gas and battery storage.

Unleash businesses and households to invest in rooftop solar.

Fundamentally transform the electricity sector to achieve long-term energy security.

The President’s spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, said the EAP update highlights ‘significant progress’ made.

‘The detailed update on the Energy Action Plan shows that significant progress has been achieved over the last six months in implementing government’s plan to end load shedding.

‘Government is working tow
ards the full implementation of the Energy Action Plan to bring an end to load shedding once and for all,’ he said.

Magwenya highlighted some of the milestones made over the past six months.

‘Some of the achievements achieved in the past six months include the return of the three units at Kusile Power Station months ahead of schedule, the amount of rooftop solar installed by businesses and households, more than doubling to over 5 000MW, helping to reduce demand on the grid.

‘In December, three further Independent Power Producer [IPP] bid windows were released for 7 615MW of new capacity from solar, wind, gas and battery storage,’ Magwenya said.

Other key milestones reached include the following:

Eskom has launched the Cross Border Standard Offer Programme (CBSOP), which will procure up to 1000 MW in additional power from neighbouring countries for a period of three years.

The first project from Eskom’s Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) programme has been connected to the grid, and will provide 100 me
gawatt hours (MWh) of storage capacity. Seven other projects are in construction as part of Phase 1 of the programme, which will together provide a total of 833MWh of capacity.

An additional 3 400MW of grid capacity has been immediately unlocked in the Cape region through the implementation of curtailment, which enables Eskom to fit more generation capacity onto the grid.

The full report can be accessed on this link https://rb.gy/0ebd2b.

Meanwhile, Eskom has suspended load shedding until Sunday.

‘Due to the sustained available generation capacity and the planned return to service of 2 300MW of generation capacity by Friday, along with the anticipated low demand over the long weekend, load shedding will remain suspended until Sunday at 4pm.

‘Eskom will provide an update for the week ahead on Sunday afternoon or communicate should any significant changes occur,’ the power utility said on social media platform, X.

Source: South African Government News Agency

President Cyril Ramaphosa has congratulated Senegal’s President-elect, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, following that country’s recent elections.

Faye won at least 54% of the vote in Senegal’s presidential elections.

‘The Senegalese people have [lit] a beacon which will usher in a new hope in the journey of rebuilding Africa by opting for a peaceful change of government as opposed to violence,’ President Ramaphosa said.

A statement released by the Presidency reflected on the close relations enjoyed by South Africa and its West African counterpart.

‘South Africa and Senegal enjoy close political, trade and social relations deepened by strong historical ties rooted in the anti-apartheid struggle. President Ramaphosa has committed to strengthen the bilateral relationship between South Africa and Senegal in pursuit of a better and peaceful continent.

‘The outcome of the election bears testimony to the resilient spirit of the Senegalese people, who preferred the democratic course of change of government, through votin
g. The President applauded the other contestants for displaying maturity in accepting the election outcome,’ the statement read.

Source: South African Government News Agency

A police investigation has secured four terms of life imprisonment for 35-year-old Nthutuko Mthethwa for the murder of three Mkhize family members at their home in Umntilombo, Eshowe, in April 2023.

The Mtunzini High Court found him guilty of the murders of three family members.

On the evening of 12 April 2023, the Mkhize family was attacked by two armed suspects who shot at six family members.

Three people were pronounced dead at the scene while the other three were taken to hospital for medical attention.

An investigation led the police to Mthethwa who was arrested the following day. The Investigating Officer successfully opposed the accused’s several bids for bail and he was kept behind bars until his sentencing on Wednesday.

Mthethwa was sentenced to a life term imprisonment for each murder and another life term behind bars for attempted murder, as well as an additional 22 years in prison.

The Provincial Commissioner of KwaZulu-Natal, Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, applauded the investigatin
g team for working around the clock to arrest the suspect as well as for presenting a strong case in court, which led to the attainment of a maximum sentence.

‘Our mandate is to prevent and combat crime, however, if a crime happens, our reactive capacity should dig deep to bring justice to the families of the victims.

‘We applaud the Investigating Officer and all those that he worked with in ensuring that justice was served and bring closure to the family,’ said Lieutenant-General Mkhwanazi.

Police are still searching for Sicelo Dambayi Sikhakhane, 33, who is believed to be the second suspect on the matter.

Source: South African Government News Agency

In anticipation of the increase in traffic volumes this Easter long weekend, the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) has called for an investment in child car seats and restraints to ensure the safety of children in vehicles.

‘The RTMC calls for greater cooperation from motorists to reduce the number of children who are injured or killed on the roads,’ RTMC Spokesperson Simon Zwane said on Wednesday.

South African regulations state that (a) all adults must use seat belts if available; (b) the driver must ensure a child aged between three to 14 uses a child restraint, if available, or seat belt if available; and (c) infants under three must be strapped into a car seat where possible. Drivers may be held accountable for failure to comply.

‘We know that seatbelts save children’s lives, because every day we see children who are severely disabled or who die due to road accidents because they were not wearing a seatbelt.

‘Children who are not properly restrained in a car are catapulted out of the car on
impact, and the consequences can be devastating; nothing but a seatbelt/car seat can prevent that. Making sure a child is properly restrained is the easiest thing parents can do to ensure their child’s safety,’ Associate Professor Ursula Rolhwink of the University of Cape Town (UCT) Neuroscience Institute and spokesperson for the African Brain Child Initiative said.

Executive Director and Spokesperson for ChildSafe South Africa Zaitoon Rabaney said the number of lives lost on the roads, particularly among children, is unacceptable and preventable.

‘This Easter, we urge drivers to reflect on their road behaviour and commit to making the necessary changes. By simply buckling up, respecting speed limits, and ensuring our children are safely secured in appropriate car seats, we can dramatically reduce the risk of fatalities and severe injuries,’ Rabaney said.

The World Health Organisation Road Traffic Injury fact sheet 2022 shows the use of a seat belt reduces the risk of fatal injury by 40 – 50% for drivers a
nd front-seat occupants and by up to 25% for rear-seat occupants.

According to the African Brain Child’s report, 96 out of every 100 children who are admitted to ICU because they were involved in a motor crash have a moderate or severe injury to the head because they were not wearing a seat belt.

Source: South African Government News Agency