For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Sane Dhlamini.

Making headlines: Ramaphosa says 2022 matric results evidence of growing gender equality in education, Ace Magashule bemoans fraud case postponement and, City Power runs out of stock to replace vandalised mini substations

Ramaphosa says 2022 matric results evidence of growing gender equality in education,

President Cyril Ramaphosa has congratulated the Matric Class of 2022, with nearly two-thirds of distinctions having been achieved by female candidates and a 10% increase in the number of female candidates obtaining Bachelor passes.

Ramaphosa said this was evidence of growing gender equality in education.

On Thursday, Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga announced the National Senior Certificate results, which boasted a 80.1% pass rate, an increase of 9% compared with 2021, in the number of learners qualifying for Bachelor studies.

The results also included a 77.2% pass rate among candidates from no-fees schools and a 91.5% pass rate in independent schools.

Ace Magashule bemoans fraud case postponement

Bemoaning the constant delays in his R225-million Free State asbestos corruption case, former ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule sarcastically suggested that he might take a leaf out of President Cyril Ramaphosa's playbook and apply for an interdict to halt his own prosecution. 

Referring to Ramaphosa's successful urgent interdict application on Monday halting former president Jacob Zuma from privately prosecuting him as an accessory after the fact in his alleged leaking of his medical records, Magashule told journalists that he was considering the same legal route as a last resort. 

Magashule and 18 others stand accused of fraud, corruption, and money laundering.

Magashule has unsuccessfully tried to have the charges against him thrown out, and has since approached the Supreme Court of Appeal. The case was postponed in order for the applications at the SCA to be heard first.

City Power runs out of stock to replace vandalised mini substations

City Power is out of stock needed to replenish 14 mini substations that were vandalised in Johannesburg.

The utility has already replaced more than 390 vandalised mini substations in the last year.

Roodepoort was the hardest hit with eight incidents, followed by Reuven with four.

According to City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena, the utility loses an average of two mini substations a day due to theft and vandalism.

To complicate matters, he said City Power was unable to keep up with the high demand for mini substations due to higher stages of loadshedding.

In 2022 City Power replaced in excess of 390 mini substations at the cost of R200-million, he said.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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