May 13, 2024.

For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Halima Frost.

Making headlines:

Ramaphosa denies pre-election loadshedding respite is a ‘political ploy’

Death toll in George building collapse rises to 26

And, Chad opposition leader files challenge against presidential election result

Ramaphosa denies pre-election loadshedding respite is a ‘political ploy’

President Cyril Ramaphosa has entered the politically charged discussion on the reasons behind the recent dramatic reduction in loadshedding ahead of what is expected to be a highly competitive election and amid allegations that the reprieve is being stage-managed to improve the governing party’s prospects and will, thus, not be sustained.

Writing in his weekly newsletter at a time when Eskom had refrained from implementing the unpopular rotational power cuts for a period of more than a month and a half, Ramaphosa denied that it was a “political ploy ahead of the elections”, while indicating that it was “too early to say that loadshedding has been brought to an end”.

He attributed the recent improvement to the progress being made under the Energy Action Plan’s objectives of “fixing Eskom, unlocking private investment in energy generation, accelerating the procurement of new capacity and supporting rooftop solar”.

Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa reported that the EAF had recently breached the 70% level for the first time since August 2021.

The EAF, he reported, was tracking at 64.34%% for the month-to-date and at 59.92% for the year-to-date.

Death toll in George building collapse rises to 26

The George municipality has reported that, as at 12:00 on May 13, 26 people still remain unaccounted for following last week's building collapse.

The death toll has risen to 26, while 13 people remain in hospital.

Rescue efforts have been under way since the partially built building in the George central business district collapsed on May 6.

Chad opposition leader files challenge against presidential election result

Chadian opposition leader Succes Masra has lodged a legal appeal with the country's constitutional council to challenge the preliminary result of the Central African nation's May 6 presidential election.

The state-run national election management body on Thursday declared interim President Mahamat Idriss Deby winner of the election with 61.3% of the vote, according to provisional results, while Masra was placed a distant second with 18.53%.

However, prior to the official announcement, Masra, who serves as the prime minister of a transitional government, had claimed victory, alleging that an electoral fraud was being planned.

Political tensions are running high in Chad, the first of a string of coup-hit countries in West and Central Africa to attempt a return to constitutional rule. Deby seized power in April 2021 when rebels killed his long-ruling father, Idriss Deby.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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