Author: newsnote correspondent
Eskom on last night announced the reduction of Stage 5 load shedding to Stage 4. The power utility said Stage 4 would be implemented from 5am on Thursday until 5am on Sunday. Thereafter, said Eskom, Stage 3 power cuts will be implemented on Sunday. This came hours after Eskom chief executive officer André de Ruyter resigned from the state-owned entity. In a statement, the Minister of Public Enterprises, Pravin Gordhan, said De Ruyter “carried an enormous burden on behalf of South Africa” and thanked him for what he called “sacrifice and resilience in a difficult job”. His resignation comes in light of intermittent Stage…
France ended Morocco’s World Cup dream as goals from Theo Hernandez and Randal Kolo Muani gave the holders a 2-0 win in their semi-final clash and set up a showdown on Sunday with Lionel Messi’s Argentina. It looked like France might make short work of their opponents when Hernandez scored inside five minutes at Al Bayt Stadium, despite having a hostile crowd against them. But Morocco, the first African and Arab team ever to reach the last four at a World Cup, fought on despite losing key players to injury only to see substitute Kolo Muani seal victory for Les…
If you’re hosting your family during the festive season, you don’t want to be cooped up in the kitchen baking all day. This 20 liter bucket scones recipe is ideal. You’ll also have less time in the kitchen if you’re load-shedding, so it’s best to get as much done at once as possible. 20 litre bucket scones recipe Ingredients for basic scones: Method: You’ll have a full 20 litre bucket of scones to entertain your family and friends during the holidays. Serve your scones with apricot or strawberry jam and deliciously whipped cream. This recipe was found on the Khutjo Cakes…
The latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) data published by Stats SA shows that domestic worker wages in South Africa are tracking even further below core inflation in the country, indicating that household employees are struggling to keep up with the rising cost of living in the country. Headline CPI for November 2022 tracked at 7.4%, down marginally from 7.6% in October. Core inflation – excluding food and fuels – was higher at 5.0% for the month. The basket of goods and services tracked by Stats SA to measure inflation changes from time to time, and November’s basket included domestic worker…
André de Ruyter has resigned as Eskom’s group chief executive. He notified board chairperson Mpho Makwana of his decision earlier this week, according to reports. A barrage of public attacks on him led by Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe, along with Gordhan’s and Ramaphosa’s failure to publicly support him, led to this. As recently as last week, Mantashe said Eskom was “actively agitating for the overthrow of the state”. Mantashe’s allegation was not responded to by Ramaphosa or Gordhan. They also did not offer support to De Ruyter and his management. It is understood that De Ruyter’s resignation…
The annual competition sponsored by two major banking groups, poses challenging economic scenarios to undergraduate and postgraduate economics students from tertiary institutions across the country that they need to then research and explore. And in this year’s list of finalists, students from University of the Witwatersrand dominated by taking eight of the 20 spots. For this year’s competition, the undergraduate essay topic asked students to share their views on the prospects for economic growth in South Africa over the medium term and to evaluate and discuss the most pertinent factors influencing growth prospects. Furthermore, they were expected to discuss how…
Warren Buffett, chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, shared some advice that can help make you successful in life. One of the richest people in the world, Buffett stresses on the importance of communication skills. “By far the best investment you can make is in yourself. I mean, for example, communication skills. I tell students, graduates, and businesses, that they’re learning all these complicated formulas and all that. If they just learn to communicate better, both in writing and in person, they increase their value by at least 50 per cent. If you invest in yourself, nobody can take it…
A Lionel Messi-inspired Argentina thumped 2018 runners-up Croatia 3-0 on Tuesday to set up a World Cup final against either France or Morocco. Messi scored his fifth goal of the tournament in Qatar from the penalty spot to put the South American side ahead and Julian Alvarez netted once in each half to make the game safe. It was Messi’s fifth goal of the tournament, making him joint top-scorer with France’s Kylian Mbappe. His 11th career goal — in a record-equalling 25th World Cup appearance — also took him past Gabriel Batistuta as Argentina’s all-time World Cup top scorer.
Today Parliament voted against the adoption of the Section 89 Independent Panel Report which found that President Cyril Ramaphosa has a case to answer regarding the Phala Phala farm robbery where it is alleged thieves got away with an undeclared sum of $580 000 they found stashed in his furniture. The report was meant to set the tone for an impeachment process by parliamentarians and today they voted 241 to 148 against the motion to start the process. Earlier last week the ANC, which has the majority in Parliament, had taken a decision not to stand with the opposition but…
In search of reliable electricity, employees are returning to the office due to severe load shedding. Hybrid work models are becoming more common in South African companies following the worst of the pandemic. The Covid-19 lockdown emptied office buildings, forcing businesses and employees to adopt remote working policies. After the lockdown ended, offices began filling up again, with many employees adopting hybrid work models, which involve working from home and in the office. Technology still plays an important role in keeping the workplace connected, with digital conferencing platforms, which boomed during lockdown, now integrated into businesses’ daily workflows. But this…