May 7, 2015.
For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Sane Dhlamini.
Making headlines:

Two top taxmen quit amid South African Revenue Services 'rogue unit' scandal.

European Union seeks United Nations approval to seize migrant boats.

And, Eskom  implements stage 1 power cuts.

The South African Revenue Service (or SARS) released a terse statement on Thursday morning confirming the resignations of Ivan Pillay and Peter Richer with "immediate effect".

The entity also revealed that disciplinary charges against both men had been withdrawn.

All charges and related investigations have been withdrawn.

SARS said it accepted their resignations‚ and characterised the departures as "amicable".

Pillay‚ the deputy commissioner‚ and Richer‚ the head of strategic planning and risk‚ had been facing a disciplinary hearing chaired by former chief justice Sandile Ngcobo.

It was reported earlier this month that Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Pravin Gordhan‚ a former SARS commissioner‚ was among 30 people likely to be called to answer questions at the disciplinary hearing.

It had been hoped that Gordhan’s participation in the disciplinary hearing may have shed light on the events that led to the creation of the unit.

 

Europe is seeking United Nations (or UN) Security Council approval to seize boats used to traffic migrants across the Mediterranean from Libya, although Russia had signaled it would not allow destruction of the vessels.

European Union (or EU) leaders agreed last month to identify, capture and destroy vessels before they are used by traffickers, but it was unclear how that may be achieved. The 28-nation bloc wanted UN authorisation for its operation.

UN diplomats said a resolution has been drafted by European members of the Security Council which include Britain, France, Lithuania and Spain – under Chapter 7 of the UN Charter which allows the use of force.

Diplomats said Russia, which had veto power on the Security Council, initially appeared supportive of the measures, but drew the line at approving destruction of boats.

 

Eskom has broken its pattern of evening load-shedding over the last week and implemented stage 1 load-shedding on Thurday morning.

The power utility implemented stage 1 power cuts at 08:35 am this morning, and is likely to continue until 10:00 pm tonight.

Eskom has kept power cuts to an evening activity in recent days, but the loss of additional generating capacity and the start of winter was putting pressure on the grid.

 

Also making headlines:

Key sections of the Johannesburg highway system will soon be upgraded to world-class standards, but none of these roads will be tolled.

The police have reported that a senior detective in the investigation of Deputy National Director of Public Prosecutions Nomgcobo Jiba met secretly with NPA officials to take instructions from them.

And, Johannesburg Mayor Parks Tau said a total of 200 000 Johannesburg youths will be given opportunities to either further their education or get job opportunities by 2016.

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That’s a roundup of news making headlines today.