5 important things happening in South Africa today

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

• Coalition discussions kick-off: Coalition discussions among political parties’ top brass are expected to kick off today, following the announcement of the final election results on Sunday evening. All eyes are going to be on the ANC and which political party, the DA, MK, EFF or IFP, it opts for as a partner after losing their parliamentary majority. Parties have 14 days before the first sitting of the National Assembly needs to take place.[News24]

• Law enforcement ready for possible post-poll violence: Law enforcement agencies in the country have declared their readiness to handle any post-election violence following former president Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party’s dissatisfaction with the election process and their demand for a vote recount. Police Minister Bheki Cele emphasised the commitment to preserving peace and stability, warning against any actions that challenge the state’s authority or constitutional order, stating such actions will be met with firm responses. [Business Day]

• Nelson Mandela Bay flooding death toll rises: The death toll in the Nelson Mandela Bay floods in the Eastern Cape has risen to seven overnight. Heavy rains broke out on Saturday night, damaging property and leaving thousands displaced. The deadly flooding swept through parts of Kariega, Gqeberha and East London. [EWN]

• City Power warns of prolonged outages amid high demand: City Power has alerted residents about the risk of prolonged power outages if electricity consumption is not reduced, especially in light of rising energy use due to the current cold weather. With temperatures expected to drop further from Monday to Tuesday, as forecasted by the South African Weather Service, Johannesburg residents are urged by City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena to conserve electricity to avoid putting additional strain on the network. [The Citizen]

• Markets: The rand has slightly weakened, with markets wary of possible coalition partners given that the ruling ANC has lost its parliamentary majority. On Monday (3 June), the rand was trading at R18.71 to the dollar, R23.98 to the pound, and R20.45 to the euro. Oil is trading at $81.02 a barrel. [Reuters]