Cape Town to Challenge Eskom’s Tariff Hike
The City of Cape Town plans to challenge Eskom’s proposed 44% tariff increase during public hearings organized by the national energy regulator, Nersa, reports IOL. Xanthea Limberg, the Mayoral Committee Member for Energy, warned that approving such a steep hike would directly impact ratepayers. “It is unaffordable, unfair, and disconnected from the financial realities faced by households, businesses, and the economy,” said Limberg. Eskom is seeking a 44% electricity price increase for municipalities and a 36% rise for direct customers in 2025, following a reported net loss of R26.9 billion for the financial year ending March 2023.
Poverty Drives Zama Zamas, Says Human Rights Lawyer
Human rights lawyer Advocate Mametlwe Sebei attributes the actions of Zama Zamas, trapped underground in an abandoned Stilfontein mine in the North West, to poverty, reports SABC News. While acknowledging that illegal mining is a crime, Sebei stressed that the miners’ rights to life and safety are protected under the Constitution. This statement follows the Pretoria High Court’s interim order allowing emergency personnel to access the mine shaft to assist those trapped and facilitate their exit. The court also stipulated that only emergency workers can enter the shaft.
Spaza Shops Under Pressure to Register Amidst Health Concerns
Spaza shop owners in Seshego, Limpopo have voiced their concerns over President Cyril Ramaphosa’s recent directive requiring registration within 21 days, reports SABC News. The measure follows several incidents of food-borne illnesses and deaths linked to spaza shops nationwide. Ramaphosa announced that all spaza shops and food-handling businesses must register with their municipalities and comply with health standards. Shops failing to register or meet the required standards within the specified period will be shut down. Local spaza shop owners Barso Dube and Mamotseke Mohlapamaswi argued that the 21-day deadline is insufficient.
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