January 16, 2015.
For Creamer in Johannesburg, I’m Sane Dhlamini.
Making headlines:

Eskom CEO Tshediso Matona says the State-owned utility requires an immediate cash injection of R3-billion to sustain the diesel purchases.

Filipe Nyusi is sworn in as Mozambique's new president.

And, a panel of transport experts describes the e-toll system as “unaffordable and inequitable”.

Eskom CEO Tshediso Matona said the State-owned utility required an immediate cash injection of R3-billion to sustain the diesel purchases it required to operate its open-cycle gas turbines (or OCGTs) in the Western Cape.

This could help lower the risk of ongoing power cuts during February and March. However, he urged businesses and citizens to prepare for load-shedding episodes between now and the end of April, as the utility addressed major maintenance backlogs across its coal-heavy fleet.

Despite the injection, which is still being canvassed with a resource-strained national government, Eskom expected to "load shed on most days in the near future", as its reserve margin was insufficient to cater for both demand and an upscaled maintenance programme, which would now be pursued with "religious" zeal.

The bailout, which Matona described as a “work in progress”, was over-and-above the R20-billion assistance package announced by Finance Minister Nhlanhla Nene in October. It is being justified on the basis that the cost to the economy of unserved energy is several times higher than the R3 to R3.50 per kilowatt hour cost of operating the OCGTs.

Filipe Nyusi was sworn in as Mozambique's new president following his contested election victory last October. He promised to modernise the economy and maintain peace in the east African state.

Opposition leader Afonso Dhlakama, whose Renamo party says last year's vote was fraudulent, boycotted the ceremony. Earlier this month, the former civil war rebel chief threatened to split the country in two because of the election row.

Nyusi said Mozambicans will never, ever fear the menace of arms, alluding to tensions between the Frelimo and Renamo groups.  He said he was willing and available to listen to all parties and the people.

Mozambique sits on large coal fields and has off-shore energy reserves, but it is among the world's least developed nations, with the majority of its more than 25-million people living in poverty.

Nyusi is a former defence minister. The previous president, Armando Guebuza, was also a member of Frelimo and was barred by the constitution from standing for a third term.

A panel of transport experts tasked last year by Gauteng Premier David Makhura with determining the impact of e-tolls on the province has described the current system as “unaffordable and inequitable”.

The report said the system placed a disproportionate financial burden on low- and middle-income households.

In a summary of its primary findings, the panel described the e-toll system as “administratively too cumbersome”, despite noting that there had been a general acceptance of the user-pays principle and a willingness by road users to pay for current and future upgrades of roads and public transport infrastructure.

It further found that the implementation of the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project (or GFIP) had benefited the economy and the people of the province by reducing travel time, improving fuel efficiency, reducing vehicle operating costs and improving logistics for businesses.

The report recommended that the current e-toll system be reviewed to address issues of affordability, equity, fairness, administrative “simplicity” and sustainability.
Makhura said the panel’s report contained over 50 recommendations and addressed issues such as public transport, infrastructure, environmental sustainability and spatial integration of the province.

The Premier said the provincial government would now work in collaboration with central government, represented by Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, and the affected metropoles to consider the recommendations and their repercussions.

Also making headlines:

The UN special envoy on Ebola said an outbreak of the disease that has claimed more than 8 400 lives in West Africa appears to be slowing down, though the battle to contain it is not over .

A top UN official said the four African nations most threatened by Nigerian Islamist group Boko Haram must put aside mutual distrust and agree on a command structure and strategy for a fledgling regional force if they want to defeat the militants.

Embattled power utility Eskom gave an assurance  that the synchronisation of Medupi Unit 6 is only weeks away, with pipe restoration work between the boiler and the turbine currently under way.

Science and Technology Minister Naledi Pandor says the exploitation of minerals must form the basis of diversified economies in the developing world.

And, Madagascar's president named air force commander and businessman Jean Ravelonarivo as the new prime minister, handing him the task of dealing with the mounting public complaints about blackouts and other problems that led his predecessor to quit.

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That’s a roundup of news making headlines today.