Cape Town has long been grappling with power outages that have impeded the city’s growth and development. However, a hydroelectric facility has emerged as a gamechanger in Cape Town’s energy landscape. The Steenbras Hydro Pump Station, located near the Steenbras Dam, is a pump storage facility that plays a crucial role in Cape Town’s energy infrastructure, providing a reliable power supply to its residents and alleviating the strain on the energy grid.

Suppliers in the correctional services sector have been encountering a growing issue of fraudulent purchasing orders. The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) has issued a warning to their suppliers to exercise caution when dealing with purchasing orders. ### Deceptive Tactics Employed by Scammers

The City of Cape Town, in collaboration with the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) and the Housing Development Agency (HDA), is actively working to relocate unlawful occupants along the central line. As the independent planning authority, the City’s impartial role is to oversee the application process under the Municipal Planning ByLaw and provide basic services for the project.

In August 2023, the Council approved the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the City’s Economic Growth Directorate’s Enterprise and Investment Department and Khulisa Social Solutions. This agreement secures funding for the Presidential Employment Programme (PEP): Central Business District (CBD) Regeneration Project for the 2023/2024 financial year.

Efforts Underway to Update Prepaid Electricity Meters in Cape Town The City of Cape Town is making significant progress in its prepaid electricity meter upgrade program. The initiative aims to update all prepaid metering software in South Africa before the current software expires in 2024. Failure to update the meters would result in customers being unable to recharge their meters with new tokens and, consequently, losing power supply.

The High Court of South Africa in Pretoria has made a significant ruling that draws attention to the crucial issue of government procurement and project management. The court declared two decisions made by the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) to appoint Masetlaoka Scott Wilson (Pty) Ltd (MSW) as project manager and assessment service provider as unconstitutional and unlawful.

The inaugural African Critical Minerals Summit saw various leaders convene in Johannesburg for a twoday conference. The summit aimed to foster collaborative efforts to unlock the potential of the valuable minerals found across Africa and develop a shared vision for them.

The Western Cape’s Premier, Alan Winde, has recently reached out to President Cyril Ramaphosa to discuss the imminent reductions in the 2023 mediumterm expenditure framework (MTEF). The issue requires urgent attention at the upcoming President’s Coordinating Council (PCC) meeting on September 1, 2023.