Author: newsnote correspondent
fter Boitumelo gave birth she decided not to go back to school. She assumed that, because she was now a mother, she would be barred from returning. Then she had a surprising interaction: They [school] were like, why did you not come back [to school], do you attend [school] elsewhere? I was like, no, I have a child. Then they were like, on January we need you here, this school is empty without you, and that gave me the confidence of saying, oh I must go back to school. In fact, Boitumelo had the right, under South African law, to continue her…
The Mahindra of yesteryear is not the Mahindra of today, and because of its value proposition, its popularity is skyrocketing. Officially it is now the fastest-growing brand in South Africa. The National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa announced this in a report in December. Mahindra’s sales volumes in 2022 increased by 78% as compared to 2021. The report also shows that Mahindra’s passenger sales are up 80% and light commercial sales 77%. The Mahindra Pik Up was the fastest-growing bakkie brand on the market. The XUV300 is the safest car in Africa as tested by the Global New Car Assessment Programme. “Our…
Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said on Thursday that President Cyril Ramaphosa was exploring “urgent measures to mitigate the impact of load shedding”. According to Magwenya, Ramaphosa is engaged in critical meetings on the current energy crisis, including some scheduled for Thursday and Friday. On Wednesday, power utility Eskom announced Stage 6 load shedding would continue “until further notice” due to severe capacity constraints. Since Tuesday morning, 11 Eskom generators have broken down, providing 5,084 MW of capacity. A high level of load shedding coincided with the reopening of schools in the inland provinces of Free State, Gauteng, North West, Limpopo…
Lisa Marie Presley, the only child of rock’n’roll legend Elvis, has died aged 54, her mother has said. “It is with a heavy heart that I must share the devastating news that my beautiful daughter Lisa Marie has left us,” Priscilla Presley said. Lisa Marie, also a singer, was rushed to hospital earlier on Thursday. US media say she suffered cardiac arrest. She was found unresponsive at her home in Calabasas, California, sources told US outlet TMZ. “She was the most passionate, strong and loving woman I have ever known,” Priscilla Presley said in a statement. ” We ask for…
A few hours before the court-ordered deadline, energy regulator Nersa on Thursday made the “very difficult” decision to grant Eskom a tariff increase of 18.65% for 2023/24 and 12.74% the following year. This, however, comes with non-negotiable conditions that will become part of Eskom’s licence conditions. Whether the regulator will be able to enforce the conditions remains to be seen. Those who buy electricity directly from Eskom will pay more from 1 April next year and those who get their electricity from municipal distributors from 1 July. It is a further setback for consumers who are battling with tight budgets,…
The South African Institute for Drug-Free Sports has announced the bans of three young rugby players after they tested positive for banned substances during last year’s SA Schools Craven week rugby tournament. Two of the players have been named, a former Grey College student Khoitsimodimo ‘Kamo’ Mathibedi whilst the other was an SA Schools selection last year, Sifiso Magwaza out of Hoerskool Monument in Krugersdor. The third player’s name has been redacted as they are a minor. Magwaza is a prop who played for the Lions in addition to making SA Schools, although he did not feature in fixtures against…
The City of Joburg has issued an impassioned plea to the residents to help it combat cable theft and vandalism of its infrastructure and products saying it is under siege from the criminals. In a statement from the City’s MMC for Environment and Infrastructure Service Department, Michael Sun, the City highlighted the high rate of cable theft during the festive season saying that it continues to battle rampant theft and vandalism especially in Roodepoort where there were 17 instances of cable theft in the last week alone. Sun said in December 2022 alone, over 200 Jojo tanks provided by the…
Local political challenges are threatening South Africa’s overall economic outlook, says economist Sanisha Packirisamy and head of investment research Herman van Papendorp from Momentum Investments. The risk of slower economic reforms and unstable monetary policy outcomes has risen alongside uncertainty over President Cyril Ramaphosa’s standing as president. In Momentum’s latest market and economic outlook for January 2023, the economists said that recent negative political development raising uncertainty over the country’s leadership poses significant downside risks to growth expectations. According to the group, against the backdrop of dimmer global growth, a slow grind lower in elevated inflation and geopolitically, a more…
Amid ongoing strikes across multiple sectors, Rishi Sunak’s government has announced plans to introduce new legislation that would dramatically tighten restrictions on unions in England, Scotland and Wales.The strikes (minimum service levels) bill, currently being debated in parliament, would mean that people working in border security, education, the fire brigade, transport, the NHS and nuclear decommissioning would have to maintain minimum levels of service on strike days. So some teachers or nurses, for example, would be expected to work, regardless of whether they are a union member or not.The language of the bill suggests that sweeping powers will be given…
Chaos erupted on the first day of the reopening of school on Wednesday, at Leokeng Primary School in Modderspruit near Brits, North West, when learners were sent back home, after allegedly failing to pay school fees and not contributing R200 towards the school’s donation kitty. One of the parents, Nolile Kgomo said she was disappointed and heartbroken seeing her child crying because she was not admitted to the school. “I had to console my child, she was looking forward to attending school but was unfortunately sent back. I don’t understand how a mere donation is the cause for the school…