“I will not resign” – Ramaphosa
“I will not resign. I fully intend to continue serving the people of South Africa and to advance their interests. There is still much work to be done,” President Cyril Ramaphosa said in his national address last night. In his national address the President said no evidence of wrongdoing had been presented against him, including in the 2022 independent panel report headed by Judge Sandile Ngcobo. The EFF and the DA stated that the review should not delay any Parliamentary work.
Johannesburg’s electricity bill
Eskom has threatened to disconnect streetlights across Johannesburg after City Power failed to pay R4.1 million owed for municipal infrastructure. Eskom’s Gauteng spokesperson, Amanda Qithi, said: “This includes both the payment arrangement and current accounts. This means they are min breach of the settlement agreement concluded between the two parties. Eskom has issued notice of breach in this regard.” This followed last week when Finance Minister, Enoch Godongwana leaked a letter exposed the city as bankrupt, while Mayor Dada Morero claimed Johannesburg wasn’t bankrupt because it could “keep the lights on”.
Criticism on Prasa’s “jobs bloodbath”
The United National Transport Union (Untu) criticised the majority union at the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa), for allegedly continuing with plans to retrench 603 employees. Atenkosi Plaatjie, spokesperson for Untu, said: “We reject this move by Prasa, therefore, we appeal to all out members not to sign any acknowledgement letter or correspondence issued in relation to this retrenchment process. The manner and behaviour of Prasa undermines the legal objective of a joint consensus-seeking consultation process.” She said a facilitation process by the commission for conciliation, mediation and arbitration (CCMA) was flawed, and continued to say Prasa management “consistently refused to provide labour with critical information requested in an effort to avert this jobs bloodbath”.
“End the war” – Iran
Iran has called for an end to the war, including Lebanon. Tehran also emphasised its sovereignty over the Strait of Hormus, and demanded compensation for war damage, and an end to the United States naval blockade, among other conditions. President Donald Trump said Iran’s response threatened the status of a ceasefire that began on April 7. President Trump said: “I would call it the weakest right now, after reading that piece of garbage they sent us. I didn’t even finish reading it.” The US had proposed an end to fighting before starting talks on more contentious issues, including Iran’s nuclear program.
A stolen portrait is found
An art detective says, a portrait stolen by Nazis from a Jewish art collector in the Netherlands during World War Two has been found in the home of descendants of a notorious Dutch SS collaborator. Portrait of a Young Girl, by the Dutch artist Toon Kelder, is believed to have hung for decades in the home of Hendrik Seyffardt’s family, Arthur Brand said. The painting belonged to Jacques Goudstikker, who died fleeing the Nazi invasion of the Netherlands, leaving a collection of more than 1 000 paintings.
News 24, BusinessDay, Reuters, BBC