Water restriction warning for Gauteng, and Cape Town Uber drivers strike

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

• Gauteng water restrictions loom: The Department of Water and Sanitation has warned that Rand Water may face water restrictions if it continues to withdraw more water from the Integrated Vaal River System than permitted. This alert is part of the September report, “Dashboard for a Water Secure Gauteng,” which also highlights increasing water losses in Gauteng municipalities. Nearly 46% of the water supplied to Johannesburg is classified as “non-revenue water,” meaning it is lost to leaks or theft, while Tshwane and Ekurhuleni report losses of 36% and 30%, respectively. [News24]

• Cape Town e-hailing driver strike: E-hailing drivers in the Western Cape are demanding government intervention for stricter regulations in the industry. Drivers from Uber, Bolt, and inDrive halted services and marched to the provincial legislature on Tuesday, calling for the reinstatement of unfairly removed drivers, higher pay, improved safety features, and the elimination of “unfair car age limits.” This protest marks the beginning of a series of planned actions across the province. [GroundUp]

• SANDF blames US for withdrawal from defence expo: The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) attributed the United States’ withdrawal from the Africa Aerospace and Defence Expo at Air Force Base Waterkloof this weekend to political tensions, while political analysts warned of potential long-term repercussions for South Africa. The SANDF also confirmed that Russia met all participation requirements. This situation arose after the DA accused Defence Minister Angie Motshekga of “embarrassing the country” by allegedly refusing to confirm the application of the 1999 Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) during the visit. [The Citizen]

• SAPO modernisation put on ice: The South African Post Office (SAPO) business rescue team has put its modernisation plans on hold due to the absence of a R3.8 billion bailout, highlighting the urgent need for at least R1 billion to avoid a “day zero” scenario where funds run dry. The department and rescue practitioners briefed Parliament on the entity’s financial struggles and its ability to survive past October. [EWN]

• Markets: The rand held steady on Tuesday, with investors focusing on Wednesday’s US Federal Reserve policy decision, which could have seen it deliver a big interest rate cut. On Wednesday (18 September), the rand was trading at R17.59 to the dollar, R23.31 to the pound, and R19.56 to the euro. Oil is trading at $73.26 a barrel. [Reuters]