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

Making headlines: Finalisation of Electoral Amendment Bill extended; Ramaphosa says loadshedding can’t be stopped overnight; And, FUL touts yearly commemoration of Thulani Maseko’s death

Finalisation of Electoral Amendment Bill extended

The Constitutional Court has agreed to further extend the deadline for the finalisation of the Electoral Amendment Bill until February 28.

In June 2020, the Constitutional Court declared that the Electoral Act was constitutionally invalid as it was impossible for candidates to stand for political office without being members of political parties.

In December, Parliament lodged an urgent application to the Court for a further extension.

The Constitutional Court further extended, temporarily, its declaration of invalidity order deadline for the Electoral Act until January 31 to allow Parliament to finalise the Electoral Amendment Bill.

Ramaphosa says loadshedding can’t be stopped overnight

President Cyril Ramaphosa has indicated that there is no intention of overhauling the Energy Action Plan he unveiled in July last year, even while acknowledging that “many of the measures in the plan will not be felt in the immediate term” and that loadshedding will, thus, continue.

Writing in his weekly newsletter following a week of consultative meetings on the electricity crisis with various social partners and the National Energy Crisis Committee, which he chairs, the President said he had used the meetings to underline “the importance of staying the course, instead of coming up with unsustainable short-term solutions”.

Many of the measures, would not be felt in the immediate term, however.

He said loadshedding would not end overnight.

He made no reference in the newsletter to his reported request to Eskom to halt the implementation of the 18.65% tariff increase, which was recently sanctioned by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa.

And, FUL touts yearly commemoration of Thulani Maseko’s death

In paying tribute to human rights lawyer and activist Thulani Maseko, not-for-profit organisation Freedom Under Law proposed that the Law Society of Eswatini mark his death by observing January 21 every year as a day of mourning and rededication to the Rule of Law. 

Maseko was assassinated in his home in Ka Luhleko.

Freedom Under Law said Maseko’s murder came as no surprise, as he had all too long suffered at the hands of a heedless regime.

It further criticised the “cynical message of condolence” by the government of Eswatini.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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