News 13:00

BULLETIN 31 August 1 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Eskom marks 156 days of uninterrupted power supply
# Minister Chikunga urges action against teen pregnancies and gender-based violence
# And, rugby: Libbok makes his debut for Western Province against the Pumas

# Eskom has delivered 156 consecutive days without any load-shedding since March 2024. The utility maintained a steady electricity supply throughout the winter, since the first of April. Eskom’s outlook for the summer of 2024-2025 suggests a load-shedding-free season due to structural improvements. Spokesperson Daphne Mokoena reported an average Energy Availability Factor of 67-percent over the past week, with key stations performing above 70-percent:

# Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth, and Persons with Disabilities, Sindisiwe Chikunga, has expressed concern over rising teen pregnancies, gender-based violence, and femicide. Speaking at the Mpumalanga Legislature Women’s Parliament in Mbombela, she called on the justice system and society to address these issues. The minister pledged her department’s focus on preventative measures to combat social issues:

# Solidarity has voiced concerns over the planned elimination of more than two-thousand-400 teaching positions in the Western Cape, blaming the Department of Basic Education’s poor management. The institute’s, Johnell Prinsloo, warns that this decision will worsen the education system’s current crisis, already strained by teacher shortages and struggling learners. She has emphasised the need to protect the education sector:

# Two airline passengers who locked a stranger’s crying grandchild in a plane restroom to educate the toddler, have caused outrage in China. The incident went viral this week after one of the two women involved posted a video on Chinese social media, which showed them inside a locked toilet with the wailing girl, who appeared to be about a year old. The child was flying with her grandparents and cried non-stop during the nearly three-hour flight. The airline later apologised for the incident and condemned the two passengers’ behaviour.

# And, rugby: Springbok flyhalf Manie Libbok will make his Western Province debut in the Currie Cup encounter with the Pumas in Stellenbosch tomorrow. Libbok is joined by replacements Joseph Dweba, Brian le Roux and Dave Ewers in pulling on the blue and white hoops for the first time at the Danie Craven Stadium. Prop Steven Kitshoff, centres Wandisile Simelane and Damian Markus, scrumhalf Imad Khan, flank Hendré Stassen, locks Gary Porter and Adré Smith and hooker JJ Kotze all make their return to the starting line-up.

Stay tuned for more news………….