For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Sane Dhlamini.

Making headlines: High Court sets aside chaotic ANC Ekurhuleni regional conference, Ramokgopa deeply worried about prospect of both Koeberg units being unavailable due to Unit 1 outage slip and, BLSA CEO stresses need for government cooperation in public sector professionalisation endeavour

High Court sets aside chaotic ANC Ekurhuleni regional conference

The Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg has set aside the ANC's chaotic May 2022 Ekurhuleni regional conference in which Mzwandile Masina was elected leader.

Judge Denise Fisher ruled today that the eighth regional conference of the Ekurhuleni region of the ANC and all decisions, resolutions and election results emanating from the conference are set aside.

The verdict means that the conference will have to be reconvened.

In the judgment, Fisher said the ANC's own constitution was not adhered to by TK Nciza who was elected as regional secretary at the conference.

The judge also said Nciza and ANC first deputy secretary-general Nomvula Mokonyane unilaterally decided to exclude some branches from participating in the conference.

Ramokgopa deeply worried about prospect of both Koeberg units being unavailable due to Unit 1 outage slip

Electricity Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa has expressed deep concern that another delay to the return to service of Koeberg Unit 1 could result in both of the nuclear power station’s units being out of service simultaneously later this year.

The unit is currently undergoing a long-duration outage that includes the replacement of its three steam generators, which is one of the preconditions for extending the plant’s life for 20 years.

Speaking during his weekly update on the implementation of the Energy Action Plan, which followed a recent period of intense Stage 6 loadshedding, the Minister revealed that he was growing increasingly concerned that there could be an outage “overlap”, which would result in a period where there would be no production from Koeberg.

“That would represent a net loss of 920 MW, a huge dent in the country’s generating capacity.

Ramokgopa indicated he had planned to meet with the leadership of Koeberg last week for a report on the outage, but he had been unable to do so and that the meeting would take place this week instead.

BLSA CEO stresses need for government cooperation in public sector professionalisation endeavour

Private representative business grouping Business Leadership South Africa CEO Busisiwe Mavuso has noted public announcements by President Cyril Ramaphosa last week that he would hold Ministers and Deputy Ministers to account if they had not addressed, met and executed the priority areas that had been set for them.

Mavuso said such a clean-up at the top levels of government goes hand in hand with the work to professionalise the entire public service.

She also argues that if there is no accountability at the top levels of leadership, particularly for not fulfilling mandates, it will be impossible to raise the standards in the lower tiers of leadership.

BLSA is working with government in numerous areas to improve efficiencies in the public service, and in some cases is also pushing for improvements to plans that are already being implemented.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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