Cape Town — Eskom CEO says he was poisoned
Eskom CEO Andre De Ruyter has opened a case with the South African Police Service after he says he drank coffee laced with cyanide a day after his resignation on December 12, 2022, According to News24. De Ruyter will leave the power utility in March of 2023, after he said he lost the political support needed to deal with the 15-year power crisis plaguing the country.
New Covid-19 Strain confirmed in South Africa
The health department says it monitoring new cases of the highly transmissible XBB.1.5 variant of Covid-19 after it was detected in South Africa by scientists at Stellenbosch University. “[The department] is closely monitoring the COVID-19 situation in China and other parts of the world and will issue an alert if the country needs to take extra precautions. There is no need for panic. We urge people to vaccinate and get booster shots to enhance their immunity,” the department said.
Petrol price set to drop
According to BusinessTech, the price of petrol and diesel is set to provide a bit of relief for South African consumers buckling under the pressure of food, power and fuel prices. According to the latest weekly forecast from the Central Energy Fund, for the week ending 6 January 2023, petrol prices are anticipated to come down by 87 cents per litre, while diesel could be cut by R1.40.