The head of energy at the South African Local Government Association (Salga) has called for a review of both the size of the free basic electricity (FBE) allocation as well as the way the grant is assigned, arguing that many indigent households are currently not benefiting from the scheme as intended. Speaking during a roundtable discussion on South Africa’s electrification programme as part of government’s ongoing activities to mark 30 years of democracy, Nhlanhla Ngidi described the current monthly allocation of 50 kWh as “minute” and well below the 300 kWh to 400 kWh that poor households were typically consuming.

Chinese car maker LDV has confirmed that its full range of passenger and commercial vehicles have been given the go-ahead for introduction in the South African market. The company is part of the SAIC automotive group.

A keel-laying ceremony has marked the beginning of construction of a new multipurpose vessel that will increase the marine fleet availability for Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) in Cape Town. As the first milestone in the history of a ship, the keel-laying ceremony marks the laying of the large beam around which the hull of the ship will be built.

JSE-listed real estate investment trust Octodec Investments achieved income growth of 3.1% for the six months ended February 29, largely driven by higher rentals in its residential portfolio. Rental income for the period was just over R1-billion, compared with R974.2-million in the first half of the 2023 financial year.

The UK Government has initiated the consultation process for its proposed policy to regulate the siting of commercial nuclear fusion reactors in England. (Siting policies for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are the responsibility for their respective devolved regional governments.) The UK Department for Energy Security & Net Zero has done so by publishing a document, 'Consultation on a new National Policy Statement for Fusion Energy – The proposed approach to siting fusion energy facilities'. This follows the passing, by the UK Parliament last year, of the world’s first legislation (the Energy Act) to regulate commercial nuclear fusion power plants. These steps reflect the rapid scientific, technological and engineering progress now being made in the field of nuclear fusion.

South Africa’s official unemployment rate has widened by 0.8 of a percentage point to 32.9% in the first quarter of the year, compared with 32.1% in the fourth quarter of last year. The number of employed people in South Africa increased by 22 000 to 16.7-million, but the number of unemployed people increased by 330 000 to 8.2-million, Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) reports.

Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Ebrahim Patel has launched the Medical Technology (MedTech) Master Plan, which is aimed at creating a proficient and competitive medical technology industry over the next three years that will supply domestic and international markets. “The medical technologies sector offers a unique and significant opportunity for growth in South Africa. The sector has emerged as an increasingly innovative sector, developing technologies that can service both our local market and abroad.

Business and political parties have expressed disappointment with President Cyril Ramphosa’s announcement that he will, on Wednesday, sign into law the controversial National Health Insurance Bill. On Monday, Ramaphosa announced that he would publicly sign the Bill, which government hoped to use to achieve universal coverage for health services and, through this, overcome socioeconomic imbalances and past inequities. Business Unity South Africa said it was deeply concerned by the announcement, given the Bill’s many “substantive and procedural constitutional flaws”. “We fully support the objective of universal health coverage, however, the NHI Bill in its current form is unworkable, unaffordable, and not in line with the Constitution,” said Busa CEO Cas Coovadia. The South African Health Professionals Collaboration, also expressed its disappointment and concern following the announcement. The SAHPC has made many submissions and had engagement in the NHI parliamentary process, in December, and has urged the President to refer the Bill back to Parliament on the grounds that it is unconstitutional and not in the best interest of patients and citizens. SAHPC said its input and insights were ignored. Meanwhile, ActionSA said it was disappointed that Ramaphosa had ignored the plea to avoid signing the Bill into law, in order to “avoid State capture 2.0”. Democratic Alliance leader John Steenhuisen said the Bill presented an “existential risk” to South Africa’s public and private healthcare systems and that it would impose an “unbearable” new tax burden on citizens.

Forensic Pathology Services (FPS) and the South African Police Service are planning to expedite the identification of persons killed in a building collapse in George, in the Western Cape, with only six of the 32 deceased persons identified thus far. Eighty-one people were working on site on the partially built building when it collapsed on May 6.

JSE-listed MTN on Tuesday posted a dip in service revenue and earnings during the first quarter of the year, amid ongoing high inflation and local currency devaluations in some of its key markets. The group reported a 28.7% contraction in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda) from R24.27-billion in the first quarter of 2023 to R17.3-billion in the first quarter of 2024.