Today’s latest news and headlines, Thursday, 25 May 2023

We’ve got all the latest news stories and headlines in South Africa you really need to know on Thursday, 25 May 2023.

Eskom workers demand a 12% salary increase and other benefits as stage 8 load shedding looms in the country.

Meanwhile, in his interview with the BBC, Julius Malema warned that there would be anarchy and looting should the grid collapse.

The Council sitting in Tshwane had to be adjourned after the EFF stormed in with placards complaining about the Hammanskraal water crisis.

The cholera outbreak in Hammanskraal intensified, with the death toll reaching 17. Twenty-nine lab-confirmed cases have been reported.

The weather services warned that light SNOW is expected in several parts of South Africa on Thursday.

TODAY’S LATEST NEWS IN SOUTH AFRICA, THURSDAY, 25 MAY

Eskom workers demand salary hikes, stage 8 load shedding looms

The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) has rejected Eskom’s revised salary hike of 4.5% – up from its original offer of 3.75%.

ALSO READ: EThekwini suspends loadshedding for a day

The union said Eskom has the money to properly compensate its workers, arguing that the recent 18.5% tariff hike granted by the National Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) could be one of the avenues through which the utility can do so.

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Economics Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader, Julius Malema has warned that there will be a revolution in South Africa should the grid collapse in an interview with the BBC’s Stephen Sackur on HARDtalk. 

Eskom is currently implementing Stage 4 and 5 load shedding alternatively and has not ruled out the possibility of implementing higher stages in winter as the demand for electricity will be high.  

In March this year, Malema led a march against rolling blackouts among other things as they continue to negatively impact the economy and people’s livelihoods. 

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WATCH: EFF disrupts Budget Speech over Hammanskraal water crisis

The Council sitting in the City of Tshwane where MCC for Finance Peter Sutton was expected to deliver his Budge Speech was disrupted by Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) over the ongoing water crisis in Hammanskraal.

This happened before Sutton could deliver his speech on Wednesday, 24 May.

The Council sitting had to be adjourned for an hour after members of the EFF stormed into the podium with placards complaining about the water crisis and cholera outbreak in Hammanskraal.

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Cholera outbreak: Death toll rises to 17

At least two more people have died of cholera in the Hammanskraal area, pushing the death toll in the outbreak to 17, as of 18:00 on Tuesday, 23 May.

READ: Cholera outbreak: Urgent intervention needed, says Amnesty International

The Gauteng Health Department provided an update on the cholera outbreak – the number of laboratory-confirmed cholera cases is up to 29, and 67 patients have been admitted to hospital due to gastrointestinal infections.

READ: Cholera Outbreak: City sends more water tankers to Hammanskraal – here’s where

“The number of patients that have been seen at the Jubilee District Hospital is sitting at 165, and this number includes 18 patients who have been transferred to other health facilities in Tshwane,” said the provincial health department.

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Light SNOW is expected tomorrow in these parts of SA

The weather services warned that light SNOW is expected in several parts of South Africa tomorrow

According to VoxWeather forecaster Annette Botha, the light snow is likely late evening on Thursday into Friday (25-26 May).

ALSO READ:Cold front: Wet and windy conditions to bring significant temperature drop

“Light snow is likely late evening on Thursday into Friday (25-26 May) in Sutherland and spreading to the north-eastern mountains of the Eastern Cape and southern Drakensberg into Friday.”

Annette Botha

Click here to read more.

LATEST NEWS: WEATHER FORECAST, Thursday, 25 MAY

Take a look at weather forecasts for all nine provinces here.

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HOROSCOPE TODAY

Free daily horoscope, celeb gossip, and lucky numbers for Thursday, 25 May.