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The Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) celebrated the 2023 Nelson Mandela International Day by embarking on a clean-up activity at the southern lawns of the Union Buildings in Pretoria.

"This year we have decided to raise public awareness about climate change and promote zero tolerance on littering. Government further urges South Africans to help end hunger and mitigate climate change by planting trees and food in their gardens and communities,” GCIS Acting Director-General, Nomonde Mnukwa, said on Tuesday.

Mandela Day is an annual global celebration that takes place on 18 July to honour the life and legacy of Nelson Mandela. This day is a call to action for individuals, communities and organisations to take time to reflect on the former statesman's values and principles and to make a positive impact in their own communities.

This year, Mandela Day takes place under the theme Climate, Food and Solidarity, with the call to action being, “It is in your hands” to take action against climate change.

Nelson Mandela International Day has enjoyed 13 years of global support and solidarity since it was launched in 2009. – SAnews.gov.za

The International Relations and Cooperation Minister, Dr Naledi Pandor, will join South Africans and the international community in marking the annual Nelson Mandela Day on Tuesday, 18 July 2023. 

Pandor will visit the Bophelong Community Centre in Mamelodi East in Pretoria, Gauteng. 

She will be joined by the visiting Irish Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence, Micheál Martin and several Heads of Diplomatic Missions accredited to Pretoria.

Bophelong Community Centre was established in 2000 by Pastor Titus Sithole as a community-based, one-stop centre of hope, which provides free and easily accessible social and welfare services to the community of Mamelodi and surrounding areas.

“Minister Pandor visited the centre 10 years ago, in 2013. This year’s visit will, therefore, serve as an opportunity for the Minister to observe how the centre has grown over the past decade and what challenges remain to be addressed,” the statement read. 

In November 2009, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly adopted a unanimous resolution in recognition of the former South African President’s contribution to the culture of peace and freedom. 

The General Assembly declared 18 July ‘Nelson Mandela International Day’. 

The day marks Mandela’s life and is used as a global call to action for people to recognise their power to make an imprint and change the world. 

The International Nelson Mandela Day for the year 2023 will be celebrated under the ‘The Legacy Lives on Through You: Climate, Food and Solidarity’ theme. – SAnews.gov.za

Minister in the Presidency for Electricity, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, has apologised to the nation for Stage 6 load shedding that was implemented on Thursday.

The Minister was speaking during a media briefing on Monday.

Eskom implemented Stage 6 load shedding last week following breakdowns and delays in returning to service of generating units.

“I want to express our sincere and profuse apology for having taken you through a very difficult stage of intensive load shedding.

“Firstly, load shedding is unacceptable. The second part is that going to higher stages of load shedding, especially Stage 6, should not become the norm. If anything, that should constitute an extraordinary occurrence. The intensity of load shedding that goes beyond Stage 4 is something that should be unacceptable and it’s something that, to the degree that we can… we will do everything to avoid,” he said.

On the upside, the Minister said at least two units are already expected back online, which will add some 1 305MW onto the grid. Furthermore, later this week, at least 12 generating units are also expected back to boost the grid by some 5 438MW.

Ramokgopa said the implementation of Stage 6 – following at least three weeks of sustained improved performance by Eskom power stations – is a manifestation of earlier warnings that the power grid remains under severe pressure.

“[This is] a reconfirmation of the fact that the grid remains vulnerable and susceptible to plummeting of availability of megawatts… although we have seen a significant amount of reprieve over the 21 days.

“What we have always known was that we should be able to get to a stage where we are able to build resilience, reliability of these units and also create an additional buffer so that as when these units fail… there’s sufficient reserve margin that will allow us an opportunity not to engage in any stage of load shedding and/or any intensification of load shedding,” he said.

Ramokgopa explained that Eskom’s power stations are particularly vulnerable to boiler tube leaks, which cause unplanned outages for generation units.

“That’s the persistent failure that we are experiencing across all the power stations. It’s an area of technical shortfall that requires all of our attention. It has to do sometimes with the quality of coal.

“In our conversation with Eskom’s technical team, we said that we must just focus on this and in my other conversations with leading universities in the country… we tried to see if we can get people who studied this so that we are able to help the situation.

“This is our albatross and the majority of boiler tube leaks and the majority of the units that had failed and gone out are as a result of boiler tube leaks,” Ramokgopa said.

The Minister reiterated government’s commitment and plan to deal decisively with load shedding.

“Our task is twofold. The first is that in the shortest possible space of time, end load shedding and then make it possible to create additional capacity and a buffer so that as we enter the next winter season, we’ve got sufficient generating capacity to be able to meet those winter conditions.

“In the long run, for us to be able to build resilience and energy sovereignty for the country, we need to create additional generating capacity that will support the projected growth in the country,” Ramokgopa said. – SAnews.gov.za

Eskom expects to implement Stage 1 and Stage load shedding until further notice following the return to service of at least six generating units at power stations.

Unplanned breakdowns and delays in returning generation units to service last week paved way for intense load shedding, reaching Stage 6 by Thursday last week.

However, the power utility now says it will implement Stage 1 between 5am and 4pm followed by Stage 3 between 4pm, and 5am every day.

“Since Friday, a generating unit each at Kriel, Lethabo, Majuba, Matla power stations and two generating units at Arnot power station were returned to service,” Eskom said.

Despite this, unplanned breakdowns have rendered some 15 747MW offline coupled with at least 1946MW offline for maintenance.

“The delay in returning to service a generating unit each at Kendal and Matla power stations and two generating units at Tutuka Power Station is contributing to the current capacity constraints.

“Eskom teams are working tirelessly to return these generating units to service,” the power utility said.

The electricity provider warned that as cold front begins to roll in later this week, demand is expected to rise – putting further pressure on the already constrained power grid.

“Therefore we appeal to members of the public to assist in reducing demand by switching off non-essential appliances. We would like to thank those who do heed the call to use electricity sparingly and efficiently, including switching off geysers and pool pumps from 5pm to 9pm, as this lowers demand and helps in alleviating the pressure on the power system and contributes to lower stages of load shedding,” Eskom said. – SAnews.gov.za