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

Making headlines:  People with HIV in S Africa decreased from 14% to 12.7%, Eskom says Stage 4 loadshedding all week and, Diplomatic dash as end of Israel-Gaza truce looms

People with HIV in S Africa decreased from 14% to 12.7%

Human Sciences Research Council executive director Professor Khangelani Zuma has announced the findings of the sixth South African National HIV Prevalence, Incidence, and Behaviour survey, which reveals that people living with HIV in South Africa decreased from 14% in 2017 to 12.7% in 2022.

The findings highlight the progress toward ending HIV in South Africa by 2030 using the 2022 census population by age, race, sex and province.

To date, South Africa is home to the world’s largest HIV epidemic population with 7.8-million people living with HIV in in 2022 compared with 7.9-million in 2017.

The survey also revealed that 1.4-million of these are not on antiretroviral treatment.

Eskom says Stage 4 loadshedding all week

Due to the increasing demand combined with insufficient generating capacity and the need to manage the emergency reserves, Stage 4 loadshedding will be implemented from 14:00 today until 05:00 on Saturday.

Eskom will closely monitor the power system and communicate any changes to loadshedding should it be required. Unplanned outages slightly increased from 15 386 MW to 15 424MW of generating capacity, while the capacity out of service for planned maintenance increased from 5 617 MW to 6 280MW. Eskom’s load forecast for the evening peak demand is 28 123MW.

In the last 24 hours, 500MW of generating capacity was taken offline whilst in the same period 600MW were returned to service. Approximately 1 300MW of generating capacity is anticipated to return to service by Tuesday evening.

Diplomatic dash as end of Israel-Gaza truce looms

Intense negotiations were under way as the truce in the Israel-Gaza war entered its final day. Statements from Israel, Hamas, the United States and others, released overnight and into the morning, stressed the urgency of extending the four-day pause in the war, which is due to end today.

The diplomatic drive is continuing as the two sides prepare a fourth prisoner swap. Israel has said it is prepared to pause its onslaught on the enclave by one day in exchange for the release of 10 additional hostages, although it has also reiterated its intention to continue fighting until “victory”.

US President Joe Biden said yesterday that he hoped the temporary truce between Israel and Hamas could continue as long as hostages were being released.

The Palestinian group freed 17 more people yesterday, including a four-year-old Israeli-American girl.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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