Residents of Mangaung Metro, particularly in southern Bloemfontein are hereby informed of a pipe burst that happened today (05 September 2022) between Leeuwkop Chamber and Brandkop reservoir in Pellessier.

The Bloem Water Operations and Maintenance team is attending to the pipe burst. It is estimated that the duration of the repair will be 36 hours. As a result of this, areas in the southern parts of Bloemfontein may be affected by water supply challenges. Water tankers will be deployed to affected areas.

All consumers are requested to use water sparingly.

Mangaung Metro would like to apologise in advance for any inconvenience caused.-MMM

Residents of Mangaung Metro are hereby informed that Bloem Water has started pumping water, after completion of repair work on a pipe burst along the Weldam – Bloemfontein main line.

The network will be filled at a slow and steady rate, since we are managing pressure. In the past, we had a problem of a recurring pipe burst as a result of high pressure. Low lying areas will start receiving water this evening due to favourable topography, whilst it may take longer in higher-lying areas.

The Municipality together with its service provider (Bloem Water) will still continue with the interim plan of providing water tankers. Due to shortage of trucks, there is a delay in attending to some of the affected areas.

As the City, we understand the inconvenience of water interruptions. We are doing our level best to ensure that there is total restoration of water throughout the City.-MMM

Ends.

Speaker, Cllr. Lockman-Naidoo said it’s important to come up with interventions that address social challenges that lead to GBV incidents. “We cannot address issues in isolation…We want to strengthen relations between government and stakeholders who are dealing directly with these issues in their communities.”

SAPS Victim Support, Childline SA, CPF, Neighborhood Watch, Victory Outreach and religious leaders are some of the stakeholders partaking today, highlighting some of the services they offer to survivors of abuse and their families. -MMM

The Free State has recorded the highest number of learners who passed their 2021 National Senior Certificate (NSC) exams, while Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal produced more candidates who are eligible to apply for a Bachelor’s degree programme at universities.

Basic Education Minister, Angie Motshekga, revealed this during the much-awaited 2021 matric results announcement on Thursday evening.  

The 2021 NSC examination results show that only one province achieved lower than the 70% pass rate, while five performed above 70%, and three attained above 80%.

While COVID-19 may have impacted the academic programme, the Class of 2021 managed to bag an overall pass rate of 76.4% – an increase of 0.2 percentage points compared to the 2020 matric pass rate of 76.2%.

The Free State clinched the number one spot for three years in a row after 85.7% of learners passed in the province – an improvement of 0.6% from 2020.

The province is followed by Gauteng with 82.8%, Western Cape 81.2%, North West 78.2%, KwaZulu-Natal 76.8%, Mpumalanga 73.6%, Eastern Cape 73% and Northern Cape 71.4%.

Limpopo is the only province that obtained less than 70%, with the pass rate sitting at 66.7%.   

This information is based on the 897 163 candidates – an increase of 23.6% from 2020 – who sat for their exams last year. This is the largest cohort in history.

Motshekga announced that Gauteng’s Tshwane South is the leading district in terms of the number of passes, obtaining 89.3%.

The second spot went to Motheo in the Free State, with an 87.9% pass rate, followed by Fezile Dabi in the Free State with 87.5%, Johannesburg West in Gauteng with 86.5%, while Ekurhuleni South in Gauteng and Metro-North in the Western Cape with 86.2% are tied in fifth place.

“It is important to observe that among the 75 education districts in our country, 10 districts are in three provinces, four each in the Free State and Gauteng, and two from the Western Cape,” Motshekga said, adding that the top 10 districts performed above 84%.

Meanwhile, the Minister praised the most rural provinces, namely the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo, for producing a combined 121 312 or 47.4% Bachelor passes – an improvement of 26.6% from 2020.

These three provinces also managed to accomplish 103 812 or 49% distinctions – up by 43.3% from 2020 and 88 072 or 49.6% Diploma passes from 23.1% in 2020.

“This kind of consistent and improved performance by our three most rural provinces clearly illustrates our resolve to provide what Professors Joseph Farrell and Ernesto Schiefelbein term in their longitudinal study of young people in Chile ‘equality and equity of access, as well as the equality and equity of outcomes for all learners, irrespective of their socio-economic backgrounds (sic),” she said. 

Meanwhile, the no-fee schools, which had a combined 354 476 Grade 12s, achieved 149 648 Bachelor passes – a rise of 29.5% from 2020.

“The significance of this is that the gap between the Bachelor passes produced by no-fee schools versus those produced by fee-paying schools have significantly and progressively increased from 2% in 2015 to 16% in 2020 and 24% in 2021,” she said.

“This is remarkable; hence, His Excellency President Ramaphosa, calls it a ‘silent revolution’.”

The top district level performances in all nine provinces:

● Eastern Cape – Buffalo City with 79% and ranked 32nd nationally. 

● Free State – Motheo with 87.9% and ranked second nationally. 

● Gauteng – Tshwane South with 89.3% and ranked first nationally.

● KwaZulu-Natal – Ugu with 80.4% and ranked 23rd nationally.

 ● Limpopo – Capricorn South with 73.8% and ranked 51st nationally. 

● Mpumalanga – Ehlanzeni with 75.6% and ranked 43rd nationally.

● North West – Bojanala Platinum with 81.6% and ranked 18th nationally. 

● Northern Cape – Namaqua with 81.2% and ranked 20th nationally.

● Western Cape – Metro-North with 86.2% and ranked fifth nationally.  

– SAnews.gov.za

Stage 4 load shedding has been implemented following what Eskom has described as a “sudden tripping” of three units at the Kendal Power Station.

Load shedding was due to be reduced to Stage 2 on Tuesday morning to allow the power utility to return some 13 generating units back to service following hefty stage four load shedding over the weekend.

Now the loss of 1920MW in generating capacity has set the power utility back.

Stage 4 load shedding is expected to last until Thursday morning and will be reduced to Stage 2 thereafter.

“In the early hours of [Tuesday] morning, a conveyor belt feeding coal into Kendal Power Station failed. To conserve coal, the power output of the generators was reduced, but this required fuel oil to be used to sustain the boiler combustion. Subsequently, the fuel oil plant supplying the units experienced a failure and shut down.

“This resulted in the trip of the three generating units. The Kendall units are anticipated to return to full service by the weekend,” Eskom said.

The power utility reported that prior to the incident at Kendall Power Station, a generating unit at Arnot and Medupi power stations for “emergency repairs”.

“The breakdowns have resulted in intense usage of the pumped storage schemes and the Open Cycle Gas Turbines. These emergency generation reserves are designed to fill the generation gaps resulting from exactly this kind of emergency and obviously cannot be used continuously,” the power utility said.

As of Tuesday afternoon, Eskom had at least 16 985MW of energy unavailable due to breakdowns and a further 5 446MW out for maintenance.

“While some generation units are expected to return to service over the next 24 hours, it is necessary to increase the load shedding to conserve the emergency generation reserves.

“Any further significant changes will be promptly communicated. Eskom would like to caution the public that load shedding is only implemented as a last resort,” Eskom said. – SAnews.gov.za

Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Mineral Resources and Energy says it is urgently planning to visit Jagersfontein following the mudslide that has devastated the area.

At least one person has died, 40 have been taken to hospital and two others are missing after a dam wall of a disused mine burst, causing the mudslide, and destroying homes and infrastructure in the area.

“We are going to consult with the Portfolio Committee on Water Affairs and Sanitation with a view to conduct an urgent joint oversight visit to the affected area because we appreciate that underground, surface and dam water resources fall under their purview.

“We reiterate our heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and friends, and assure them of our support during this very difficult time. May the… deceased rest in eternal peace,” the committee’s chairperson, Sahlulele Luzipo, said.

Illegal mining

Meanwhile, the same committee, together with the Portfolio Committees on Police and Home Affairs, conducted an oversight visit to the Sekhuhkhune District in Limpopo over the weekend in a bid to determine to extent of illegal mining in the area.

Illegal mining has come to the fore since the gang rape of eight women, allegedly at the hands of illegal miners, near Krugersdorp in Gauteng.

During their Limpopo visit, the three committees were told that some community members have resorted to illegal mining as a result of unsuccessful mining licence applications.

According to community members, they enter into the illegal sphere in order to feed their families because all mining rights in the area belong to big mining groups.

Luzipo called on the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) to resolve the licensing challenges.

“[While] we understand your frustration, however, we cannot promise to resolve the issue of licensing. The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy must help… so that the community can also get an opportunity to participate in the mining business,” Luzipo said.

According to a statement released on behalf of the three committees, the illegal miners are targeting platinum, chrome and gold.

“In an effort to thwart illegal mining activities in the area, the committees were informed that the South African Police Service embarked on a joint operation to fight illegal mining activities in the area and there has reportedly been progress.

“The committees also heard that when illegal miners are pushed out of Sekhukhune, they often relocate to other parts of the province, in areas such as Mopani and Waterberg districts, or they move to other provinces to continue their illegal mining activities,” the statement read. – SAnews.gov.za

A multidisciplinary team was on Sunday dispatched to Jagersfontein, Free State, following the burst of an abandoned mine in the area.

The burst saw significant damage inflicted on infrastructure, personal property and homes. While media reports initially said three people were killed in the disaster, the Free State government this morning revised the death toll to one. 

Jagersfontein is in the Kopanong Local Municipality in the Xhariep District Municipality.

Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) Minister, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, expressed sadness at the incident, which occurred at about 6am on Sunday.

The ministry said there was extensive damage in and around the community of Charlesville in Jagersfontein, which has negatively impacted the community.

“Some people are displaced, others lost property, whilst others are reported injured and missing,” the ministry said.

CoGTA said the multi-disciplinary team deployed to the area consists of the South African Police Service, emergency medical services, health, disaster management, social development, search and rescue personnel and engineers from the mine.

At the scene, personnel conducted search, rescue, immediate relief and stabilisation operations.

CoGTA spokesperson, Lungi Mtshali, said: “The reports received thus far are that the flow of the water has ceased and the immediate threat is being stabilised.

“The injured persons have been provided with on-scene emergency medical care and are being transported to local hospitals. Assessments are underway to identify and account for all residents of the affected area.”

Mtshali said the National Disaster Management Centre is coordinating with the Provincial Disaster Management Centre (PDMC) and other stakeholders to ensure that assistance is rendered as required.

“The NDMC has deployed staff members to the affected area to assess the damage and impact, and provide direct operational support. The Minister urges the deployed teams to do everything required to lessen the negative impact the incident has on communities.”

Dlamini Zuma expressed appreciation for the role played by the provincial leadership led by the Premier in providing support and assistance to the affected communities.

The Minister also urged communities to remain calm, and urged those unaffected people in Jagersfontein, who are able to lend a hand to those negatively affected by the incident, to do so.

“The media and the community will be regularly apprised of the latest developments on the ground,” Mtshali said. – SAnews.gov.za

Eskom says it has returned at least 37 generation units to service following what Chief Operating Officer (COO), Jan Oberholzer, called a “disastrous week” for the power utility.

Last week, Eskom announced that Stage 2 load shedding would be implemented throughout the week. However, the breakdown of some 42 generation units quickly escalated load shedding to Stage 4 by Saturday.

Oberholzer, together with Eskom management, briefed media on Monday morning on the state of the power system and the challenges it faces.

Describing a week in which Eskom suffered generation unit breakdowns and slow returns to service, Oberholzer acknowledged that the “performance of generation…is extremely disappointing”.

“If you add all of the [generation unit breakdowns] up, we had 42 units tripping during the week… just under 24 000 MW – some of them more than once.

“We managed to return 37 units [to service], totalling about 22 000MW – a really poor performance of our generation coal fleet during last week,” he said.

As of Monday morning, Eskom has some 5 319MW of power out on planned maintenance, with more than 15 000MW offline due to breakdowns.

Some 7 500MW capacity, from 13 generation units, is expected to return to service over the next three days.

“Stage 4 load shedding on Saturday and Sunday allowed us to replenish the damn levels at the pump storage power stations and there has been progress in filing the diesel tanks at the open cycle gas turbine cycles… but the diesel levels are still low.

“Stage 3 load shedding will remain implemented until 5am on Tuesday morning. For the remainder of the week until midnight on Friday, Stage 2 load shedding will be required while we attempt to return those 13 units to service. This outlook may change at short notice, should we experience unforeseen breakdowns,” Oberholzer said.

Koeberg 

Oberholzer said some 920MW of capacity at Koeberg Nuclear Power Station’s Unit 2 remains offline, since the beginning of this month.

The big unit – one of Eskom’s most reliable – tripped during routine testing ahead of its full return to service following maintenance outage since January.

“Industry experience indicates that this type of issue can be experienced for a period following the replacement of the control rod drive mechanism, which we did during the last outage.

“I can assure the public that the Koeberg team, together with the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), continue to perform tests on the system and are analysing the results in detail to ensure the reason is fully understood.

“Once all the tests are completed and all the measures to reduce the risk of production impact have been assessed and if possible, implemented, the unit will be returned to service,” Oberholzer said. – SAnews.gov.za

Eskom says plans to restore bulk electricity supply to the disaster hit Jagersfontein and Charlesville area are on track, with power expected to be back on Tuesday.

This after a devastating mudslide on Sunday, which destroyed infrastructure and homes, killing at least one and leaving over 40 people injured. While a number of people have been displaced, two are reported missing.

Eskom’s Rietkuil substation in the area was engulfed in mud, which damaged infrastructure. The substation is a supply point of Centlec – the bulk electricity supplier for both Jagersfontein and Charlesville.

“Eskom has made significant progress in restoring bulk electricity supply to Jagersfontein in the Free State. Electricity supply to Jagersfontein mine was restored [Sunday] afternoon. In addition, plans are in motion to restore bulk supply to Centlec through alternative feeders.

“If all goes according to plan, bulk supply should be restored by Tuesday. Municipal infrastructure might have also been damaged, leading to prolonged supply interruptions,” Eskom said.

The electricity company warned that other areas not receiving power from Centlec may have to wait longer for supply restoration.

“Eskom customers on the Fauresmith-Spitskop and Pompie-Rietkuil feeders are, however, still without electricity supply due to 50 poles that collapsed as a result of the [mudslide]. Muddy conditions are making this area unreachable, leaving us with seven rural customers who are without supply.

“The Rietkuil substation is also inaccessible, making it impossible to calculate the extent of the damage. The possibility does exist that the station will have to be rebuilt in its entirety,” Eskom said.

The power utility warned users to treat lines, sockets and appliances as live and dangerous. – SAnews.gov.za