For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Thabi Madiba.

Making headlines: Bheki Cele says July unrest a factor in increased murders; Load-shedding to be suspended tonight as units return to service; And, bail hearing on Babita Deokaran murder case postponed after water cuts affect court precinct

Bheki Cele says July unrest a factor in increased murders

Police Minister general Bheki Cele said today that the July unrest, which mostly affected the KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng provinces, was among the many other factors that contributed to the 20.7% increase in murders in the country.

Cele was presenting the quarterly crime statistics, reflecting on crimes that occurred between July and September this year.

KwaZulu-Natal recorded a 44.4% increase in murder cases for that period.

The unrest claimed the lives of 342 people.

1 744 people were killed in KZN between July and September, an increase of 536 more lives lost compared to the same comparative period. 229 more people were murdered in the Gauteng province between July and September 2021.

Cele said while the July unrest contributed to the murder figures, the Free State, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape and the North West recorded double digit increases in murder cases during the same period.

Load-shedding to be suspended tonight as units return to service

Eskom says load-shedding will be suspended from 9pm tonight as seven generation units have returned to service.

A unit each at Kendal, Camden and Grootvlei power stations as well as two units each at Majuba and Matimba power stations have returned to service.

Overnight, two units at Majuba Power Station tripped and a further unit was shut down for emergency repairs.

Furthermore, a unit each at Grootvlei and Tutuka power stations tripped. Of the five units, two units have since returned to service.  

Total breakdowns currently amount to 14 960 MW while planned maintenance is 3 345 MW of capacity.

South Africa was hit by a renewed bout of load-shedding this week due to more power station outages, with Eskom now investigating the possibility of sabotage in some of the breakdowns.  

And, bail hearing on Babita Deokaran murder case postponed after water cuts affect court precinct

The case of six men accused of the murder of Gauteng Department of Health official Babita Deokaran has been postponed because maintenance operations have affected water supply to the court precinct.

Phakamani Hadebe, Zitha Radebe, Hlangano Ndlovu, Sanele Mbhele, Siphiwe Mazibuko and Siphakanyiswa Dladla have been charged with murder, attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition.

Their bail application was supposed to continue in the Johannesburg Magistrate's Court today. The State and defence were expected to present their closing arguments.

However, the court precinct was affected by water cuts in the city due to extensive maintenance operations which water utility Rand Water carried out on its infrastructure this week.

As a result, the case was postponed to 30 November.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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