D-day for BELA Act, and South Africa and Lesotho clash

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

• BELA Act D-day: Today is D-day for parties at loggerheads to find a middle ground on sections four and five of the Basic Education Amendment Laws (BELA) Act. President Cyril Ramaphosa signed the piece of legislation into law in September but gave parties three months to consult on the disputed clauses related to language and admission policies. [EWN]

• Lesotho and SA clash: A diplomatic dispute has erupted between South Africa and Lesotho over the reappointment of the CEO of the Lesotho Highlands Development Authority (LHDA), which oversees a critical water project between the two nations. Lesotho has declared the appointment illegal, arguing it bypassed necessary consultations with the Lesotho Highlands Water Commission. Lesotho accuses Tente of causing delays and cost increases, while South Africa argues the broader challenges hindered his success. The conflict has escalated into a legal battle, straining relations between the countries. [Business Day]

• Eskom transformer explosion: A transformer explosion at Eskom’s Matla Power Station in Mpumalanga has left nine employees injured, one critically. According to Eskom Group Executive for Generation, Bheki Nxumalo, the explosion affected the station’s unit 6 and as a precautionary measure, unit 5 was taken offline. [The Citizen]

• Exxaro chaos: Claims of high coal costs and a brazen incident of theft have emerged as Exxaro is thrust into the spotlight amid the suspensions of its CEO and its head of coal. Some insiders have expressed concern that the CEO’s suspension may aim to disempower her ability to root out wrongdoing. At the same time, the board has said it is carrying out its fiduciary duty and will move to conclude all investigations as swiftly as thoroughness allows. [News24]

• Markets: The rand was steady against the dollar on Thursday, after the release of third-quarter employment data and producer inflation figures. On Friday (13 December), the rand was trading at R17.79 to the dollar, R22.54 to the pound, and R18.62 to the euro. Oil is trading at $73.52 a barrel. [Reuters]