January 13, 2025.

For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Trent Roebeck

Making headlines:

Govt to scale up tourism promotion strategies to restore inbound tourism figures

Eskom’s hard-won recovery tested by cities owing billions

And, Nigeria's air force investigates civilian deaths after air strike

Govt to scale up tourism promotion strategies to restore inbound tourism figures

President Cyril Ramaphosa has assured that government will use the upcoming G20 summit to profile and actively promote South Africa as a tourism destination of choice, saying the tourism sector has significant potential.

South Africa assumed the G20 Presidency in December and will host the G20 Leaders’ Summit later this year.

Ramaphosa wrote in his weekly letter to the nation that government is scaling up a range of tourism promotion strategies to restore inbound tourism figures to pre-pandemic levels.

He said these strategies included an improved tourism visa regime, streamlining the tour operator licence process, increased investment in tourism infrastructure and services, and improving safety and security at tourism sites.

Following a slump in tourism numbers because of the Covid-19 pandemic, inbound tourism is on the rise. In 2023, South Africa recorded around 8.5-million international tourist arrivals. These visitors spent over R95-billion.

Eskom’s hard-won recovery tested by cities owing billions

A turnaround in the finances of South Africa’s Eskom has won praise from investors but they are keeping their eyes on one issue — the company’s struggle to recoup about R95-billion in unpaid electricity bills from cities and towns across the country.

It’s a debt pile that continues to mount as municipalities themselves fall behind in collecting revenue from customers. With R95.4-billion owed as of November, the arrears could jeopardise Eskom’s plans to spin off its distribution unit, a move that it says is key to boosting efficiency and securing investment.

It could also put at risk investors’ new-found goodwill toward a company that was seen as symbol of chronic dysfunction but is now about to turn its first profit in nearly a decade. Blamed for years of rolling electricity blackouts, it’s managed to keep the lights on for nine months in a row, offering hope to the power-starved economy.

Investors have responded to the improvements by demanding lower premia to hold Eskom bonds. But many are urging urgent action on the non-payments issue.

Nigeria's air force investigates civilian deaths after air strike

Nigeria's air force said it was investigating reports of civilian casualties during a weekend air strike that targeted armed gangs in the northwest, the latest military operation where innocent people may have been accidentally killed.

The army and air force have increasingly used aerial assaults against the growing threat in the northwest and central region posed by armed criminal gangs, known locally as bandits, that kill villagers and carry out mass kidnappings.

The Nigerian Air Force said the air strike in northwestern Zamfara state on Saturday had targeted bandits, and that the air force had managed to rescue kidnapped victims.

But residents told Reuters that at least 15 civilians, including local security guards, were killed.

An investigation into the matter was being conducted, the Air Force said.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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