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

Making headlines: South Africa weighs new support measures for struggling Eskom; Lamola says prisons to get full body scanners; And, Public Enterprises wants to fast-track oversight bill on parastatals

South Africa weighs new support measures for struggling Eskom

South Africa is weighing extra options to support Eskom, including swapping the financially troubled State power firm's debt for government bonds or ring-fencing it in a special account, a senior treasury official said.

Discussions are at an early stage, and it is not yet clear which option will be chosen to help Eskom, which has this year been forced into implementing rolling power cuts across the country that have hurt local businesses.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has already pledged R230-billion of financial support over the next ten years, but officials say other steps will be needed to make the firm financially sustainable.

Lamola says prisons to get full body scanners

Full body scanners are to be installed at seven of South Africa's most problematic prisons by month end to curb smuggling, Justice and Correctional Services Minister Ronald Lamola announced on Wednesday.

Addressing a media briefing, Lamola expressed concern about several videos that have gone viral depicting prisoners engaging in illegal acts while behind bars.

Lamola said senior prisons officials were being taken to task and suspended after videos showing inmates doing drugs and warders arming inmates and encouraging them to fight fellow prisoners.

The scanners are to be installed at Durban Westville, St Albans in Port Elizabeth, Johannesburg, Kgosi Mampuru II in Pretoria, Pollsmoor in Cape Town, Barberton in Mpumalanga and Groenepunt in the Free State.

And, Public Enterprises wants to fast-track oversight bill on parastatals

The Department of Public Enterprises believes the Shareholder Management Bill should be fast-tracked to allow tighter oversight over State-owned enterprises, Public Enterprises Deputy Minister Phumulo Masualle said on Wednesday.

Masualle said the bill remained in the pipeline and there was hope that it would be one of a number of measures brought before Cabinet to turn around the fortunes of the country's troubled State-owned enterprises.

The bill aims to establish a legal framework in which all parastatals operate and to ensure that their boards and executives are held accountable.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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