South African electricity prices to soar, and Tembisa corruption kingpin to get luxury cars back

Today, 9 February, the Rand is trading at R16.00 to the Dollar, strengthening over the weekend since Friday when it sat at R16.25.

The Madlanga Commission investigating corruption in the police and criminal justice system will resume hearings this morning with a new witness, continuing to keep the identity of the witness hidden until they take the stand.

Last week saw senior forensic analyst for the South African Police Service (SAPS), Laurence Makgotloe, accuse his fellow officers of kidnapping him and interfering in the investigation into the murder of Armand Swart. 

Parts of the Johannesburg CBD, including Newtown and Braamfontein, will be without power for the week after a fire broke out at the Bree substation on Friday. 

City Power said that repairs will start today, but it is anticipated they will take until Friday to complete. The weekend was spent waiting for clearance from structural engineers. 

Roadblocks are being set up across the Western Cape province in an effort to restrict animal movement and prevent the further spread of foot-and-mouth disease. 

The Western Cape is also bracing for severe weather today, after the South African Weather Service issued a yellow level 4 warning for severe thunderstorms.

Here are five other big things happening in South Africa today:

SIU ordered to release tender kingpin’s luxury cars – The Citizen

The Special Investigating Unit has been ordered to release luxury vehicles belonging to corruption-accused tender kingpin Hangwani Maumela, who has been linked to R2 billion looting at Tembisa Hospital.

Gauteng Health MEC says some patients prefer sleeping on the floor – TimesLive

Gauteng Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko has denied claims that Gauteng hospitals are overcrowded, claiming that some patients simply prefer to sleep on the floor. She accused journalists of pushing the narrative that hospitals don’t have enough beds.

Electricity set to get more expensive in South Africa – BusinessTech

South Africa’s energy regulator has granted Eskom permission to raise its tariffs in an effort to recover R54.7 billion over three years, raising electricity prices by as much as 8.3% per year through to 2028. 

Former police reservist implicated in Madlanga Commission commits suicide – eNCA

Former police reservist Wiandre Pretorious has taken his own life only days after he survived an alleged hit in Boksburg. Pretorius was a person of interest in the Marius van der Merwe murder, also known as Witness D, who had implicated Pretorius in the Madlanga Commission. 

GNU party tells South Africans to ignore town name change – Newsday

The Freedom Front Plus has called on South Africans to ignore the name change of the town of Graaff-Reinet, now changed to Robert Sobukwe Town, arguing that the former name honours Cornelis Jacob van de Graaff, a Dutch governor of the Cape Colony.