Cape Times 2023-02-21

Load shedding ramped up to Level 6 until tomorrow as the crippling energy crisis in the country worsens ESKOM has started updating the South African grid system operation code to make allowances for higher levels of power cuts after ramping up load shedding to Stage 6 as the energy crisis worsened. This comes after the struggling power utility warned of a possibility of further changes on the stages of load shedding at short notice given the high number of breakdowns. However, Eskom yesterday downplayed fears that it could ramp up load shedding to an unprecedented Stage 8, at least not for now, as some gener- ating units were expected to come back online. Eskom’s general manager in the Systems Operator’s office, Isabel Fick, yesterday said they had begun putting contingency…

ANGLO American Platinum (Amplats), the world’s biggest platinum producer, said yesterday that the supply and demand balances of the three main platinum group metals (PGMs) were likely to be in small deficits in 2023. The Anglo American majority- owned group said in its 2022 results released yesterday that platinum’s underlying surplus had fallen in recent years, as supply had underperformed, while autocatalyst demand had improved. “In 2023, whether it is in surplus or deficit would depend on the direction of investment demand; a return to more historically normal investor inflows would mean it will be in a small deficit,” it said. “Palladium is set to see surpluses in the next few years, but in 2023 weak mine supply and robust automotive demand should keep it a deficit, albeit much smaller…

ESKOM says there has been a signifi- cant increase in damage to vital infrastructure, including breakers and cables, as a result of the frequent disruption to the grid caused by load shedding and that this has added a further burden to its maintenance backlog. Briefing the media yesterday, group executive for distribution Monde Bala said although there had not been a noticeable spike in damage to transformers, there had been “significant increase in other equipment, including breakers and cables“. This comes amid frequent reports of transformer damage in various parts of the country, believed to be the result of power surges after the outages. Eskom also conceded there has been an increase in the number of incidents of fraud and corruption by contractors and its own employees, particularly in Mpumalanga,…

PRESSURE is mounting on President Cyril Ramaphosa to wield the axe on some of his Cabinet members during the looming reshuffle. According to a political analyst, Ramaphosa was still consulting, while insiders said it would happen any time after the Budget Speech, scheduled for tomorrow. The eminent reshuffle is expected to take place after some of his Cabinet members were booted out of the ANC National Executive Committee (NEC) at the party’s elective conference in December. Most glaring among those left outside the NEC were Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan and Nathi Mthethwa (Minister of Sports Arts and Culture). A party insider close to the party’s National Working Committee, and who did not want to be named for fear of repercussions, said Ramaphosa told the structure in a meeting last…

The National Prosecuting Authority’s Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) and the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) have secured preservation orders against individuals and companies linked to fraud and corruption during the construction of Kusile Power Station. The order, issued by the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria last week, authorises the AFU and SIU to preserve two portions of a farm that was used as a lodge, a commercial property in Mbombela, a house on an estate, five cars, a golf cart, and a quad bike, which are the proceeds of unlawful activities at Eskom’s Kusile Power Station following allegations of serious maladministration and corruption. Assets under preservation are two portions of Casambo Exclusive Guest Lodge in Mbombela; a house in Stonehenge Extension 1 Mbombela, registered in the name of Muzi Sambo;…

THE battle for the Tafelberg property in Sea Point headed to the Supreme Court of Appeal this week, with the DA-led provincial government arguing that courts should not make the final call on how state resources were spent. The provincial government and the City have appealed the Western Cape High Court decision, compelling them to redress spatial apartheid. At the centre of the court case is the Tafelberg site which was sold to a private buyer, the Phyllis Jowell Jewish Day School, for R135 million in 2015, despite activists wanting it used for affordable housing. The property located on Main Road is more than 1.7 hectares. While the SCA reserved judgment, the Western Cape government stuck to its guns that the high court order signalled an intention to…