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

Making headlines: Petrol and diesel prices set to increase soon; Joburg mayor confident she won't be ousted; And, Ramaphosa says inclusive growth can be achieved with more employment 

 

Petrol and diesel prices set to increase soon

Petrol and diesel prices look set to be hiked in the first week of February.

The latest data from the Central Energy Fund shows an expected increase of around 52 cents a litre for 95 unleaded petrol and 57c/l for 93 petrol. The diesel price could climb by between 22c/l and 33c/l, while the price of illuminating paraffin could increase by around 38c/l.

While the rand has remained relatively firm against the dollar, the oil price has strengthened in recent weeks. After falling to below $78 a barrel in the first week of January, it's now above $86 as traders expect that demand from China will strengthen as its economy reopens.

A 52c hike in the petrol price will take Gauteng 95 unleaded to above R21.90 a litre – from R20.14 a year before.

 

Joburg mayor confident she won't be ousted

City of Johannesburg Mayor Mpho Phalatse is confident she will remain in office despite three motions of no confidence against her today.

At a press briefing on the electricity crisis, which was held before the council sitting, Phalatse was asked about the threat to her position.

She acknowledged the upcoming motions and said the DA has survived so many and will hopefully live to see another day.

She said the party began its tenure in the City with 140 out of 270 seats for a DA-led multiparty government. In September, she was illegally booted from her position when some coalition parties crossed the floor.

 

And, Ramaphosa says inclusive growth can be achieved with more employment 

President Cyril Ramaphosa said that if South Africa’s economy is not creating enough jobs at scale to support the growing number of unemployed people, then citizens have to start to think creatively and innovatively. 

Ramaphosa was addressing the yearly Basic Education Sector Lekgotla in Johannesburg, where he said that the high number of unemployed youth was something no country could afford, but that it was even worse if these youth were also not in education or training. 

He said inclusive growth and shared prosperity can only be achieved when more people were working and that a productive workforce could not be achieved if citizens did not remake themselves as a nation committed to lifelong learning in various forms. 

He highlighted that every year thousands of high school learners leave before sitting their matric exams, and explained that if learners were provided with more choices and better guidance, the education sector could reduce the proportion of learners that drop out.

 

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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