News 16:00

BULLETIN 13 May 4 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Eskom implements stage 2 load-shedding in the evenings until Thursday
# Paul Mashatile calls for a united African voice ahead of the G20 summit
# And tennis: Defending champion Italy plays China in the BJK Cup in September

# Eskom has announced it is implementing stage two load-shedding during evening peak periods from 4 pm today until ten in the evening on Thursday. This is due to delays in returning several generation units from maintenance and an additional loss of one-thousand-385 megawatts from unplanned breakdowns. Eskom spokesperson Daphne Mokwena says the setback follows recent maintenance work, but teams are working to stabilise and improve the power system:

# Deputy president Paul Mashatile has called for a united African voice ahead of the G20 Summit set to take place in South Africa in November. Speaking at the Africa Travel Indaba in Durban, he said the summit is a major opportunity for the continent to promote its interests on the global stage. Mashatile added host South Africa, as the only African member of the G20, has a responsibility to champion the needs of the continent and the Global South:

# The Department of Transport has extended the deadline for responses to its Request for Information on private sector participation in South Africa’s rail and port sectors to 30 May. The department says this follows overwhelming interest from stakeholders. The RFI focuses on key freight corridors, including those linking the Northern Cape to Saldanha Bay and Nelson Mandela Bay, as well as the Richards Bay Bulk Minerals Corridor. The initiative aims to attract private investment to enhance efficiency and competitiveness in the logistics sector.

# US president Donald Trump enjoyed a royal welcome in Saudi Arabia today on the first state visit of his second term, during which he will focus foremost on business deals at the start of a Gulf tour. Fighter jets escorted Air Force One before long-stretching honour guards awaited him at the airport and at a palace decked out with imposing chandeliers. A lengthy procession of Saudi royalty and business figures waited their turn to shake hands with Trump and the kingdom’s de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

# Tennis: Defending champions Italy will face hostesses China in the quarterfinal of the Billie Jean King Cup finals in September, while Ukraine will face off against Spain. The United States will play Kazakhstan, and Japan will come up against Great Britain. Shenzhen is hosting the women’s team tournament from the tenth of September after being announced as host city until 2027. The event has been reduced from 12 to eight teams to align with the men’s competition, the Davis Cup, taking place in Bologna, Italy, in November.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-42-cents and the euro at 20-rand-47-cents. One British pound costs 24-rand-35-cents and Bitcoin trades at 103-thousand-530-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-239-dollars-15-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 65-dollars-39-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….