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

Making headlines: Finance Minister says ‘No immediate Eskom debt solution’, as he outlines ‘tough love’ stance on SOEs, former president FW de Klerk has died and, South Africa records 305 new cases and 48 new deaths

Finance Minister says ‘No immediate Eskom debt solution’, as he outlines ‘tough love’ stance on SOEs

Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana offered no new insight in his maiden address to lawmakers into how the government intended approaching the issue of Eskom’s R400-billion debt burden.

Eskom has been labelled unsustainable by the utility.

The minister also refrained from making any new provisions for distressed State-owned enterprises.

Delivering his address against the backdrop of an intensive period of load-shedding by Eskom, Godongwana also made a distinction between saving the utility itself and supporting the electricity supply industry as a whole.

Former president FW de Klerk has died

FW de Klerk, the last president of apartheid South Africa and a key actor in the country's transition to democracy, has died.

The FW de Klerk Foundation's spokesperson Dave Steward confirmed his death today, saying the former president died earlier this morning at his home in Fresnaye after his struggle against cancer.

He was 85-years-old. He is survived by his wife Elita, two children Susan and Jan, and his grandchildren.
President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to announce details of De Klerk's state funeral.

South Africa records 305 new cases and 48 new deaths

South Africa recorded 305 new confirmed Covid-19 infections and 48 deaths, bringing the confirmed death toll to 89 435.

According to a statement by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, as of Wednesday, the country recorded over 2 million laboratory-confirmed cases.

The NICD reported that 305 news cases represents a 0.9% positivity rate.

To date, over 13 million adults are fully vaccinated, and 241 661 children have been administered one vaccine dose.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today
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