In the opinion pages today: TimesLIVE writes it is concerning that Cyril Ramaphosa is only now worried about the energy crisis given we have had rolling blackouts since 2008 and News24 asks the experts what the regulations are around police officers having tattoos given the police minister’s recent remarks regarding gang affiliations.
EDITORIAL | We’ve had load-shedding since 2008 and we’ve only come up with a plan now? – TimesLIVE Premium (for subscribers)
The news site comments on a statement from the presidency, released on Thursday, indicating that President Cyril Ramaphosa was working on releasing an energy plan with solutions and hard deadlines to deal with the rolling blackouts crippling the country.
But load shedding has been around since 2008, the state capture commission laid bare the maladministration at Eskom, there are various design flaws at the Medupi and Kusile power stations that will leave the country with an electricity deficit, and proposals to integrate independent power producers into the grid have been around since 2020, to little effect.
The editorial highlights that it is concerning that Ramaphosa is only now worried about implementing an energy plan when the problems have been mounting for years. Read more here.
EXPLAINER | Are cops really not allowed to have tattoos? Experts give us an inkling of the rules – News24 (for subscribers)
Recently, police minister Bheki Cele bizarrely claimed that the South African Police Service (SAPS) does not hire job applicants with tattoos as they could have gang affiliations. When Cele was quizzed about his statement he brushed off the questions and claimed the stipulations have always been part of the SAPS recruitment policy.
News24 spoke to experts to ask whether this is true and what the SAPS regulations around tattoos state? Read more here.
Here’s what else we’re reading today:
Cutting the red tape is a joke – The Citizen (for subscribers)
We can still turn South Africa into the great country of our dreams – Daily Maverick
Bheki Cele is unfit for office and has been so for more than a decade – Daily Maverick
TOM EATON | Blade was too sharp to let the comforts of capitalism define him – TimesLIVE Premium (for subscribers)
COBUS CILLIERS: Could there be light at end of the load-shedding tunnel? – Business Day (for subscribers)
EDITORIAL: MPC will keep a beady eye on inflation and wages – Business Day (for subscribers)
ANTHONY BUTLER: Advocates of electoral change want to cross out the people’s choices – Business Day (for subscribers)
FRIDAY BRIEFING | A silver lining: Hope, despite SA’s dark times – News24
PATRICK BULGER | People’s power: will constituencies save democracy in SA? – TimesLIVE Premium (for subscribers)
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