For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Sane Dhlamini

Making headlines: IEC says 2019 elections likely to be held in May, Eskom operating costs continue to increase And, Gauteng ANC expresses concern over 21 missing Life Esidimeni patients

IEC says 2019 elections likely to be held in May

The Electoral Commission of South Africa has said South Africa's provincial and national elections scheduled for next year would most likely take place in May.

President Cyril Ramaphosa will announce the exact date for the 2019 polls.  

During the update on the state of readiness for the elections, the commission also revealed that there were 26.1-million registered voters on the national common voters roll.

Chairperson Glen Mashinini said he hoped at least one-million more voters would be added to the voters roll before registration closes.

Eskom operating costs continue to increase

Power utility, Eskom has said their operating costs have continued to increase dramatically while output has remained largely unchanged, despite efforts to curb expenditure.

Eskom said their Board of Directors had decided to review the company’s organisational design to enhance operational and cost efficiencies.

The Board has approved a Section 189 process for its executive structure and only members of the executive structure will be impacted. The utility said it will share the updates with the relevant stakeholders when appropriate.

ANC expresses concern over 21 missing Life Esidimeni patients

The African National Congress in Gauteng has expressed concern over the remaining 21 Life Esidimeni patients who are yet to be located.

This comes after the party received a report detailing the progress on the implementation of the corrective measures being put in place to address the tragic events around Life Esidimeni.

In 2016, 144 psychiatric patients died after the Gauteng Department of Health moved 1 700 mentally ill people from Life Esidimeni homes into ill-equipped NGOs and state facilities.

The ANC, which says it is concerned about the well-being of these patients, has committed to working with structures in the province to ensure they are located.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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