Morning Brief – Monday, 28 November 2022

Good morning. Here’s what you need to know today:

• Power cuts to continue with Eskom short on capacity.
• Digital Vibes and Phala Phala are not the same says Gwede Mantashe.
• Protests against China’s covid-zero policy breakout across the country.

Breakdowns, diesel shortages at Eskom mean power cuts will continue – Daily Maverick

Eskom anticipates that there will be no power cuts from Tuesday but while the country is stuck in stage one load-shedding, which will switch to stage two later on Monday, the power utility says it has a shortage of more than 16,000 MW. Further breakdowns and diesel shortages are to blame while Eskom says rolling blackouts are only implemented as a last resort. Read more here.

EXCLUSIVE | Digital Vibes, Phala Phala not the same, says Mantashe – News24

ANC chairperson Gwede Mantashe says the Phala Phala farm robbery allegations that hang over Cyril Ramaphosa are not the same as the Digital Vibes scandal that forced party presidency challenger Zweli Mkhize to resign as health minister. Mantashe says Digital Vibes is about taxpayer money being stolen while Phala Phala is about an individual’s money. Read more here. (for subscribers)

Clashes in Shanghai as protests over Covid-19 restrictions flare up across China – Reuters/DM

China has aggressively pursued a covid-zero policy ever since the global pandemic broke out three years ago but the forceful restrictions that have limited movement and stifled the economy are starting to weigh on average people. Hundreds of demonstrators clashed with police across the country in protest against the restrictions. The wave of civil disobedience is unprecedented since President Xi Jinping assumed power ten years ago. Read more here.