5 important things happening in South Africa today

Here’s what is happening in and affecting South Africa today:

• Suspended load shedding continues: Following a 32-day reprieve, Eskom said load shedding will remain suspended until further notice. This is due to “sustained generation capacity and sufficient emergency reserves”, the utility said on Sunday afternoon. [Eskom]

• ConCourt agrees to hear IEC’s urgent appeal: The Constitutional Court has announced that it will hear the Independent Electoral Commission’s (IEC’s) urgent appeal against the Electoral Court order which paved the way for former President Jacob Zuma to remain on the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party list on May 10. [SABC]

• Vodacom’s massive theft and vandalism bill: According to recent reporting by MyBroadband, South Africa’s biggest mobile network operator, Vodacom, loses roughly R100 million to mobile tower battery theft and infrastructure vandalism annually, with seemingly ever-worsening load-shedding has exacerbated the issue. [MyBroadband]

• Courts to prioritise election-related crimes: Ahead of the upcoming May 29 elections, the justice, crime prevention and security cluster said that courts will prioritise election-related crimes such as electoral fraud, corruption and the removal of campaign posters. Additionally, the defense minister said that security measures would be taken to protect voting stations and other key infrastructure before, during and after the elections. [EWN]

• Markets: The rand strengthened on Friday as analysts said a recent poll suggested there was no alternative to the governing ANC, despite a fall in its support. On Monday (29 April), the rand was trading at R18.74 to the dollar, R23.53 to the pound, and R20.16 to the euro. Oil is trading at $88.70 a barrel. [Reuters]