For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Thabi Madiba.

Making headlines: Trade unions to respond to Eskom's 4.7% wage offer increase; SABC board's independence entrenched after court decision; And, South Africa's GDP growth expected to hit 1.7% in 2018

Trade unions to respond to Eskom's 4.7% wage offer increase

Trade unions involved in wage negotiations with Eskom will give a joint response to the power utility's revised 4.7 percent wage offer when talks resume for the second day today.

In a joint statement, the National Union of Mineworkers, the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa, and Solidarity said they met with Eskom management through the Central Bargaining Forum yesterday where the revised offer was tabled. 

Eskom is offering a four-year wage deal with a guaranteed increase based on inflation. For the year 2018, the offer is 4.7 percent, and an inflation based increase every year thereafter for the next four years. 

The unions are debating the offer and will communicate with Eskom once a decision has been made.

SABC board's independence entrenched after court decision

The SABC board's independence has been entrenched thanks to the decision of the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria to dismiss the Minister of Communication's application for leave to appeal a ruling made last year.

Media Monitoring Africa, SOS Coalition and the Freedom of Expression Institute brought the initial application to declare invalid certain sections of the SABC's memorandum of incorporation dealing with the minister's ability to appoint or remove the SABC's top executives.

The decision has been welcomed by Media Monitoring Africa's Thandi Smith.

And, South Africa's GDP growth expected to hit 1.7% in 2018

South Africa's economy is expected to recover from a poor start this year, rescued by stronger growth in the rest of the world, a Reuters poll found today.

South African gross domestic product shrank 2.2% in the first quarter, led by a slowdown in agriculture and mining, after expanding 3.1% in the final three months of last year.

However, the survey of 24 economists taken in the past week forecast the economy would grow 1.7% this year. That was only 0.1 percentage point lower than predicted last month and up from a 1.3% forecast at the start of the year.

Nedbank economist Busisiwe Radebe said the rest of the world was doing very well. She added that on the export side of things the world will actually start doing better.

Last Friday, Fitch affirmed South Africa's sub-investment-grade credit rating but noted signs of improvement in governance and prospects of a mild cyclical upturn.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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