News 11:00

BULLETIN 9 March 11 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Eskom suspends load-shedding
# The DA demands transparency on Eskom’s secret pricing deals
# And rugby: France destroy Irish Six Nations dreams

# Eskom has announced that load-shedding was suspended at 10 this morning. This follows the recovery of more than three-thousand megawatts of generation capacity and replenishment of sufficient emergency reserves in the past 44 hours. More details will follow.

Meanwhile, the DA has raised concerns over Eskom’s lack of transparency regarding negotiated pricing agreements with industrial users. A report shows that while 82.7-percent of customers pay full price, they contribute 91.5-percent of revenue, while large users benefit from lower tariffs. The DA demands Eskom disclose details on negotiated pricing agreements, revenue, and tariff increases. It argues that hidden deals unfairly burden ordinary South Africans amid rising tariffs and load-shedding.

# The ANC Women’s League has urged collaboration to combat gender-based violence and poverty in South Africa. Statistics show that ten women are killed daily in South Africa, with six murdered by someone they know, highlighting the urgency of the crisis. Speaking in Khayelitsha, in Cape Town, league president and Social Development minister, Sisisi Tolashe, called on women in the party to take a stand:

# Power Shift Africa says the one-billion-rand of the 28-billion-rand from US funding did not aid South Africa’s Just Energy Transition. Power Shift Africa renewable energy campaigner, Karabo Mokgonyana, told eNCA that the US halting 28-billion-rand in climate change funding, meant to support SA’s shift from coal to renewable energy, will have a significant impact of the transition:

# Australian authorities say the body of a man has been found in floodwaters after his car was swept away in northern New South Wales. Thirteen military workers were also injured in a vehicle crash as wild weather from a tropical storm lashed the eastern coast. Cyclone Alfred, which was downgraded to a tropical low on Saturday, made landfall near the Queensland capital Brisbane. Nearly one-thousand schools have been closed, public transport has been suspended and airports shut, with flights expected to resume today at the earliest.

# And rugby: A devastating display by France produced a 42-27 victory over Ireland to destroy the hosts’ hopes of the Six Nations Grand Slam. The French were down 8-13 at the break but stormed back to victory, making them the favourites to win the Six Nations. In the weekend’s other Six Nations encounter, the Scotland side revived their campaign with a 35-29 home win over Wales on Saturday. France now top the table by two points heading into their final match at home to Scotland next Saturday.

Stay tuned for more news………….