Let’s wrap up some of the top stories happening in South Africa this week.
ESKOM WARNS OF POTENTIAL STAGE 8 LOAD SHEDDING THIS COMING WINTER
Power utility Eskom’s interim CEO, Calib Cassim, says should unplanned outages reach 18 megawatts, South Africans will see loadshedding reach stage 8.
This is as the power utility continues battling with keeping the lights on, with stages of load shedding going between stages 4, 5, and 6.
Cassim says citizens must prepare for the tough winter ahead.
THE COURT GRANTS MEDIA PERMISSION TO BROADCAST LIVE THE TESTIMONY OF ZANDILE KHUMALO IN SENZO MEYIWA TRIAL
Following a back and forth with lawyers, Judge Tshifhiwa Maumela has granted the media permission to broadcast live the audio testimony of its next witness, Zandile Khumalo, in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial.
Zandile had told the court that, as a public figure, she felt her life would be in danger should her testimony be broadcast live.
However, the court says that in the interest of those following the case, the media can broadcast only her audio and not her visuals.
KZN POLICE DENY REPORTS OF FINDING THE GUN USED TO SHOOT AND KILL RAPPER AKA
Police in KwaZulu-Natal have called for the media to refrain from publishing false information regarding investigations into the murder of rapper Kiernan ‘AKA’ Forbes.
This comes after various reports claiming that the gun used in the murder of rapper Kiernan ‘AKA’ Forbes was located at the weekend.
AKA and his friend Tebello ‘Tibz’ Motsoane were shot and killed in February this year on Florida Road in Durban.
Police say such reports have the potential to jeopardize the current investigations into the murder cases of the pair.
YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT IN SA IS HIGHER THAN THE NATIONAL UNEMPLOYMENT RATE
Statistics South Africa says unemployment continues to affect the youth in the country.
Earlier this week, Stats SA revealed that the unemployment rate increased by 0.2 percent in the first quarter of this year.
This puts the national unemployment rate at 32.9 percent.
In those figures, the unemployment rate among people aged between 15 and 24 is 62.1 percent, while that among those aged between 24 and 34 is 40.7 percent.
Stats SA also says it cannot attribute the unemployment rate to load shedding as they do not do research on why people are unemployed.
Meanwhile, unemployment among graduates now stands at 10.6 percent.
THABO BESTER AND NANDIPHA MAGUDUMANA WILL BOTH BE BACK IN THE DOCK ON 20 JUNE
Convicted murderer and rapist Thabo Bester and his partner, Dr. Nandipha Magudumana, are set to appear in court on June 20.
The couple and five co-accused appeared briefly at the Bloemfontein Magistrates Court.
Bester and Magudumana appeared virtually, while the five accused were in court physically.
Both their cases were postponed for further investigations.
POLICE IN KZN LAUNCH A MANHUNT AFTER 10 PEOPLE WERE BURNED TO DEATH
Police have launched a manhunt for seven suspects after 10 people were burned to death at uMsunduzi in Pietermaritzburg.
Eight people died on the scene, seven others were injured and taken to the hospital, and two succumbed to their injuries in the hospital.
According to reports, 15 men were inside a house when seven suspects armed with rifles entered, demanding to know the whereabouts of the owner.
The occupants then told them they did not know where the owner was, and the armed men began to instruct them to take off their clothes and lie on the floor.
The armed men then poured liquid substances on them and set them alight.
Police say eight men died at the scene, while four others survived with severe burn wounds.
STUDY SHOWS THAT OVER 80% OF GRADE 4 LEARNERS IN SA CANNOT READ FOR MEANING
81 percent of fourth-grade learners in South Africa cannot read for meaning.
This was revealed in the latest Progress in International Reading Literacy Study.
The study assesses the reading achievement of learners across different countries and is conducted every five years.
The latest study involved assessing over 400 000 pupils in 57 countries, where in South Africa, 12 426 Grade 4 pupils were assessed in one of the 11 official languages, while 9 317 Grade 6 pupils were assessed in English or Afrikaans.
Concerns have been raised regarding this latest revelation, with Minister of Education Angie Motshekga saying that because of the unprecedented disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, as much as 60% of teaching time was lost in certain grades in 2020 and up to 50% in 2021.
FORMER KAIZER CHIEFS PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER LOUIS TSHAKOANE ARRESTED FOR FRAUD
The case against former Kaizer Chiefs public relations officer Louis Tshakoane has been postponed to May 23, 2023.
Tshakoane appeared at the Palm Ridge Specialized Commercial Crimes Court this week with his wife, Suzan Tshakoane, and his son, Louis Tshakoane Junior.
This comes after the former PR officer was arrested at the funeral of Mamelodi Sundowns spokesperson Alex Shakoane on Tuesday.
The 74-year-old, his wife, and son are facing charges of fraud, theft, money laundering, and contravention of the Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services Act.
Police spokesperson Katlego Mogale says the accused are alleged to have benefitted from the proceeds of the unregistered investment company known as Undercover Billionaires.
“He is reported to have participated in the presentations aimed at enticing potential investors with a promise of high returns. The number of investments tendered is approximately R100 million,” added Mogale.
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