BUSINESS: Namibian power utility NamPower is currently exporting electricity to its South African counterpart Eskom, which is struggling to meet demand, an official said on Monday. “We are currently exporting up to 200MW of electricity to South Africa,” Werner Graupe, senior manager for energy trading at NamPower, told a Sapa correspondent on Monday. Namibia usually imports roughly 60% of its power from neighbouring countries, including SA. During good rainy seasons in the catchment areas of the Kunene River, mainly in Angola, where the river has its source, Namibia can export electricity outside peak times, which is late at night. Eskom is struggling to cope with South Africa’s electricity demand due to ailing infrastructure and maintenance backlogs. Meanwhile, Eskom will no longer be sending executives to the meeting in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland later this week following wide criticism for considering sending the executive to the $20 000 (R233 000)-per delegate event.
NEWS: The Equality Court sitting in the Western Cape High Court will on Tuesday hear a hate speech case against Afrikaans songstress Sunette Bridges. The SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has accused Bridges of hosting commentary on her Facebook page that constitutes hate speech. The 43-year-old describes herself on her website as a mother of five, Afrikaaner, artist, writer, and a “concerned citizen of the once-prosperous country called South Africa”. The commission has received complaints from the public about the alleged hate speech on the singer’s Facebook page for a number of years. Spokesman Isaac Mangena said the court papers contained numerous examples of the “violent hate speech and racist” comments. The SAHRC had approached Bridges, and she denied committing any offence. The commission would argue that Bridges had violated of sections 10(1) and 11 of the Equality Act.
BUSINESS: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has once again cut SA’s economic growth forecast for the year, Business Day reports. The third consecutive cut in 12 months, the IMF downgraded the country’s growth prospects for the year from 2,3% to 2,1% according to its World Economic Outlook update released on Monday. The IMF forecast is similar to a Barclays Africa projection released last week, and is less optimistic than the Reserve Bank and Treasury’s 2,5% projection. Cadiz Asset Management economist Adenaan Hardien was quoted as saying the South African economy was “battling to overcome severe self-inflicted problems”
COURT: A Pretoria North businessman who abused his girlfriend’s two-year-old daughter (Baby L), leaving her in a vegetative state, will be sentenced in the High Court in Pretoria today. The State has asked the court to sentence the 37-year-old divorced father of two to 10 years’ imprisonment. Baby L was already in a coma when she was rushed to the Akasia hospital on 30 December last year. Parts of the baby’s brain had died and she had a fractured hip, blood in her abdomen, and fluid in her lungs from a near-drowning. She had a bruised kidney, a serious injury to her pancreas, and old and new bruises all over her body. Baby L is now in an institution, unable to feed herself, walk, or talk. The defence has argued that a stiff fine would suffice, while Baby L’s 20-year-old mother was acquitted of all charges.
ENTERTAINMENT: Bill Cosby has performed a sold-out show in the Central California town of Turlock, where he was greeted warmly and left with a standing ovation. The Modesto Bee reports only one protester showed up to Cosby’s performance at the Turlock Community Theatre on Sunday. Suzette Sims, who held a sign that read “I Believe The Women,” said she was disappointed there weren’t more protesters but she said she felt she had to stand up for Cosby’s accusers. The 77-year-old comedian is facing sexual assault accusations from at least 15 women, with some of the claims dating back decades. He has denied the allegations through his attorney and has never been charged with a crime. Cosby’s stand-up tour stop in Turlock was booked months before the controversy began.
Sources: Sapa, Business Day, EWN