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

Making headlines: Loadshedding to be suspended at midnight, but Stage 2 planned for next week; Ramaphosa criticizes US over South Africa terror-threat warning; And, Zuma's ConCourt bid to appeal 'special plea' dismissal has poor prospects of success

Loadshedding will be suspended at midnight today, Eskom said. This is thanks to lower weekend demand.

But Stage 2 loadshedding will continue until 16:00, which will increase to Stage 3 until midnight on Friday. 

Stage 2 loadshedding will again be implemented on Monday. Since Thursday morning, a generating unit each at Arnot, Kendal, Kriel and two units at Tutuka power stations have been returned.

Some 6 234 MW is out on planned maintenance, while another 13 779 MW of capacity is unavailable owing to breakdowns.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa criticized the US for failing to discuss a terror alert issued by the American Embassy with local authorities.

The embassy warned on Wednesday that one of South Africa’s wealthiest suburbs may be the target of an attack this weekend, and advised its staff to avoid crowds of people and other large public gatherings. The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office issued a travel warning echoing the US statement.

Ramaphosa said it was quite unfortunate that the US government issued that type of warning without having had a deep-dive type of discussion with the South African government.

The authorities are working to verify the threat, and the government will issue an alert if needs be, he said.

Former president Jacob Zuma's Constitutional Court appeal application for the removal of his prosecutor, Billy Downer, and his acquittal on corruption charges have poor prospects of success, the National Prosecuting Authority argues.

"…an appeal at this stage would be contrary to the interests of justice, and the interests of justice require that the matter now proceed to trial on the accused's pleas of not guilty," Downer said in his answering affidavit.

He also argues that Zuma's application was brought four months late and was not accompanied by an application for condonation, and, therefore, should be dismissed.

"Mr Zuma thus had 15 days, reckoned from 20 May 2022 [when the SCA dismissed Zuma's application for the reconsideration of the dismissal of his application], to approach this court to seek leave to appeal against the High Court's decision dismissing his special plea.

“Mr Zuma did not do so." Instead, in June, the former president applied to the apex court for leave to appeal against the decision by then President of the Supreme Court of Appeal, Mandisa Maya, who dismissed his application.

But the apex court dismissed Zuma’s arguments that Maya had grossly misdirected herself by refusing to reconsider his failed legal bid to force Downer's removal.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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