Transcript

Good day, I’m Erika from Just a Moment News, and here are today’s headlines for September 5, 2023.

First up, we have news about power cuts in South Africa. Stage 6 load shedding will be implemented starting from 5 am on Tuesday morning. This is due to an increase in planned maintenance and the loss of two generation units. Eskom, the utility company, stated that urgent repairs are needed for two units at the Lethabo and Matla power stations. They also mentioned that a unit at the Kriel and Medupi power stations was taken offline for repairs, and there are delays in returning units at the Hendrina and Tutuka power stations to service. These capacity constraints have led to the return of stage 6 power cuts.

In sports news, the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Zizi Kodwa, has expressed concern over the SABC’s failure to secure sub-licensing broadcast rights for the 2023 Rugby World Cup from SuperSport. Minister Kodwa emphasized the importance of making the event accessible to all South Africans for national unity and social cohesion. He is hopeful that an agreement will be reached soon after discussions with the Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies and the SABC. The Springboks are set to compete in the tournament in France, which starts on September 8.

Moving on to conservation efforts, African Parks, a Johannesburg-based conservation NGO, has acquired the Platinum Rhino project, the world’s largest private captive rhino breeding operation. The organization plans to “rewild” nearly 2,000 southern white rhinos over the next decade by moving them to secure reserves across Africa. This acquisition came after the Platinum Rhino project failed to attract buyers in an online auction, putting the rhinos at risk. The initiative is supported by the South African Government and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

In entertainment news, Netflix has announced a major expansion in South Africa. During the MIP Africa panel, they previewed upcoming original series and films and revealed partnerships with local filmmakers. The goal is to bring diverse South African stories to Netflix’s global audience. Some of the original content includes series like “Miseducation,” “Yoh’ Christmas,” and “Blood & Water” season 4, as well as films such as “Kandasamys: The Baby,” “Heart of the Hunter,” and “Soweto Love Story.” This move signifies Netflix’s substantial investment in the South African creative industry.

Lastly, we have news about fuel price hikes in South Africa. On Wednesday, the petrol price (both 93 and 95 unleaded) will be increased by R1.71 a litre, and the wholesale price of diesel will be increased by R2.84 a litre. This is a record price increase, according to the Automobile Association. Illuminating paraffin prices will also be hiked by R2.78 a litre. These price increases are largely influenced by international oil costs and the rand exchange rate. The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy explained that the high prices are due to low inventories, refinery outages, lower shipments of Russia’s Urals crude oil, and rising demand for middle distillates ahead of the winter season in the Northern Hemisphere.

And finally, in a rather unusual news story, police in the UK have arrested seven people in connection with the theft of a golden toilet worth $6 billion. The 18-karat toilet was stolen nearly four years ago from Winston Churchill’s childhood home. Despite the arrests, the toilet itself has not been found and is believed to have been broken down or melted down. Police are still searching for any remnants of the toilet.

That’s it for today’s news. I’m Erika from Just a Moment News, and I’ll be back with more headlines tomorrow. Stay informed and have a great day!

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