Cape Town –
Update as in SAST
With cargo shedding on everyone’s lips, that has to be the word of 2022 too!
Load shedding has been declared the South African word of the year 2022, Eyewitness News reports. With the amount of cargo shedding (and more to come) in this year, it has overtaken words like Phala Phala (President Cyril Ramaphosa’s gambling farm where millions of undeclared US dollars were stolen), gaslighting (manipulating someone to make them question their own reality) and Inganekwane (a Zulu word for a story or fable – a fictitious narrative to enforce some useful truth or precept).
Gasoline price hike looming for November
The Automobile Association reports that consumers should brace for more expensive fuel in November as mid-month data from the Central Energy Fund (CEF) shows all fuels are likely to rise in the new month. The main factor contributing to the increases is higher average international oil prices and, to a lesser extent, the weaker Rand. https://aa.co.za/fuel-likely-to-increase-in-November/
Government creates war room to tackle Gauteng’s dwindling water supply
Minister of Water and Sanitation Senzo Mchunu announced today that he has set up a “water war room” to mitigate the province’s shrinking supply problems. Gauteng has had a supply problem that has been exacerbated by unprecedented heat waves.
Transnet workers strike continues as unions reject latest pay offer
The South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (Satawu) has rejected employer Transnet’s 6% wage offer. The United Transport Union (Untu) and Satawu embarked on a strike after his calls for a wage increase of 13.5% and 12%, respectively. This was rejected by Transnet, who offered a 4.5% increase after an initial 3-4% offer. Untu and Satawu have been expecting a rise above the 7.6% inflation rate. Since the strike began ten days ago, the unions have been asking for an offer commensurate with the cost of living, eNCA reports.
Launch of the African Alliance Movement – Mogoeng Mogoeng Presidential Candidate
Former Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng was put forward as the African Alliance Movement (AAM) presidential candidate for the 2024 elections at the movement’s launch this weekend. He said that he was responding to what he sees as a decline in the system, eNCA reports. Mogoeng served as chief justice of the South African Supreme Court from September 2011 to October 2021. “The movement encompasses various formations within the country, from religion to social groups,” explained the secretary general of the African Alliance Movement, the Bishop Meshack Tebe.
Calls to ban pit bulls in South Africa
There are increasing calls to ban pit bull terriers as pets in South Africa. A petition from the Sizwe Kupelo Foundation has garnered over 20,000 signatures in support of this call, eNCA reports. Recent attacks on children and adults have led the foundation to urge the government to restrict ownership of this breed of dog.
