South Africans Brace for Stage 8 Blackouts in Winter 2023
Power utility Eskom predicts severe electricity shortages during winter with a minimum of Stage 5 power cuts and a strong possibility of Stage 8 over July and August, reports News24. Stage 8 means consumers will be without electricity for 16 hours in a 32-hour cycle. Eskom presented its winter plan, forecasting the load shedding outlook based on seasonal patterns of demand and the likely performance of the plant, and the extent of the plant breakdowns. Eskom’s acting CEO Calib Cassim said that South Africans could expect a difficult winter.
Emotional State Witness Confronts Accused in Meyiwa Murder Trial
EWN reports that Zandile Khumalo, the sister of singer Kelly Khumalo, became emotional and broke down in tears while testifying as the latest state witness in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial. Khumalo was present when the South African football star was shot at Kelly Khumalo’s home in Vosloorus in October 2015. Five men are currently on trial for Meyiwa’s murder in the Pretoria High Court. When Khumalo was asked to describe the events leading up to the shooting, she started sobbing and criticized the accused directly, talking about the damage they had caused to her family. The judge reprimanded her for addressing the accused directly.
Plans Unveiled for Smart City in Ntshongweni, West of Durban
Fundamentum Property Group CEO Carlos Correia has announced that over R3 billion has been committed to developing the first phase of an integrated smart city in Ntshongweni, west of Durban, reports TimesLive. The project, expected to be completed by the end of 2024, involves housing, a shopping centre, and a hospital. The development will last 15 to 20 years and require a total investment of over R30 billion. Deputy President Paul Mashatile expressed the government’s commitment to supporting the project and its vision of creating a post-apartheid city with residential, business, and retail facilities.
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