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Daily Podcast – February 17, 2015

Daily Podcast – February 17, 2015

17th February 2015

By: Sane Dhlamini
Creamer Media Senior Contributing Editor and Researcher

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February 17, 2015.
For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Sane Dhlamini.
Making headlines:

While Eskom’s ‘war room’ is fixated on restoring plant availability, electrical stability could still be 30 months off.

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African presidents create an $87-million emergency fund to fight Boko Haram.


And, political parties are set to debate President Jacob Zuma’s State of the Nation address.

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Department of Energy acting director-general Dr Wolsey Barnard says there is currently no shortage of electricity capacity in South Africa, but the availability of the country’s installed base had fallen materially. This was narrowing the supply-demand balance to the point where Eskom was resorting to rotational load shedding to ensure that an unplanned blackout was avoided.


He also revealed that the restoration of availability from Eskom’s coal-heavy fleet was currently the main priority of the so-called war room.


Barnard also confirmed that, despite the focus being given to maintenance, it could take between 20 and 30 months to reverse the backlog.

 


Presidents from the 10-nation Economic Community of Central African States (or CEEAC) pledged to create an $87-million emergency fund to fight the Islamist militant group Boko Haram.


Gabon's President Ali Bongo, who attended the one-day summit in Cameroon confirmed the pledge saying that together with his counterparts from CEEAC they  have created an emergency fund in an effort to fight the Islamist militant group.  

     
The insurgents have killed thousands and kidnapped hundreds in a five-year insurgency in northern Nigeria, and have recently intensified cross-border raids on neighbouring countries in the Lake Chad area.

 

 

Political parties will this afternoon debate President Jacob Zuma’s State of the Nation address in Parliament.


Last week, the President delivered his 8th State of the Nation address where energy, land and the economy took centre stage.


Acknowledging that South Africa was experiencing serious energy constraints, Zuma announced that stabilising Eskom's finances was a priority and the power utility would be given R23-billion in the next fiscal year to do so.


The State of the Nation came after the country had experienced different stages of load shedding over the past few weeks.


Cabinet said they were working "round the clock" with Eskom to stabilise the electricity supply system and contain load shedding.

 


Also making headlines:


South Africa’s High Commissioner designate to Kenya, Kolela Mqulwana said business could assist in addressing youth unemployment.


The residents of Malamulele have called off their six week protest,  a move which would allow the learners in the area to attend school for the first time this year.


Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi called for a United Nations resolution mandating an international coalition to intervene in Libya after its jets bombed Islamic State targets there.


Mali's government and Tuareg-led rebels resumed UN-sponsored peace talks in Algeria in pursuit of an accord to end uprisings by separatists seeking more self-rule for the northern region they call Azawad.


And, thousands of Liberian children flocked back to school as classrooms opened their doors for the first time after a six-month hiatus designed to stem the spread of the worst Ebola outbreak in history.


Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter [@PolityZA]

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today.

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