Daily Archives: March 14, 2026

Additional Foot and Mouth Disease cases reported  

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Picture: Foot and Mouth Disease surge in North West

By BAKANG MOKOTO

14 March 2026 – The North West Department of Agriculture and Rural Development said it wishes to alert communities, farmers and stakeholders to a further rise in Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) cases across the province. The department said as of 6 March 2026, three additional cases have been confirmed, bringing the total number of infections from 158 to 179.

The North West MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development, Madoda Sambatha said the Dr Kenneth Kaunda District Municipality remains the most affected, with 58 cases, followed by Bojanala Platinum District with 53, Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District with 35, and Ngaka Modiri Molema District with 33. Sambatha said this surge in cases signals the relentless advance of the disease and the urgent need for a united response, with government, farmers, and communities joining forces to defend the livestock sector, the backbone of the regional economy.

“Of the 100 000 doses of the Biogenesis Bago FMD Virus Vaccine received in late February, a total of 53,110 animals have already been vaccinated. Vaccination efforts are intensifying, and in the coming weeks, more animals are expected to be vaccinated as another batch of vaccines arrives.

“We call on the farming community to strengthen biosecurity measures by enforcing strict controls on the movement of people, vehicles, and equipment in and out of farms, and by ensuring the responsible movement of livestock. “Strong biosecurity remains our first line of defence. This disease does not move on its own, but people and animals spread it,” he said.

Sambatha further said he therefore appealed to the farmers to work with Veterinary Services to control movements of animals within and out of the province and to report any suspicious cases of FMD immediately. He added that farmers are urged to report suspected cases to their local State Veterinarians, Private Veterinarians, Animal Health Technicians, or Extension Officers for swift investigation and control measures.

“Early reporting is critical to curb the spread of outbreaks and prevent further losses in the livestock industry. By acting quickly and responsibly, communities can help contain the outbreak and protect the agricultural economy, food security, and rural livelihoods.

“The department assures all communities, whether in high-risk districts or smaller villages, that vaccines will reach them. As the vaccination campaign gains momentum, additional consignments of FMD vaccines are expected in the near future,” said Sambatha.

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Eskom marks 300 days without loadshedding

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Picture: Eskom power station

By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI

14 Mar 2026 – Eskom said South Africa has now reached 300 consecutive days without loadshedding, achieved at midnight on 12 March 2026, a significant milestone underscoring the continued recovery and strengthening of Eskom’s generation fleet anchored on the Generation Recovery Plan. Eskom said this achievement reflects the sustained upward trajectory in plant performance, supported by an Energy Availability Factor (EAF) that is consistently above 65%, currently at 65.85% for the financial year to date (1 April 2025 to 12 March 2026), demonstrating the sustained progress in Eskom’s turnaround strategy.

The power utility said notably, the generation fleet has also achieved or exceeded the 70% EAF milestone on 83 occasions so far over this timeframe. It said a 53% decrease in average unplanned outages has been recorded.

“Between 6 and 12 March 2026, average unplanned outages were recorded at 7 224MW showing a notable improvement from the 15 382MW experienced during the same week last year, a reduction of 8 158 MW. This underlines the ongoing gains in reliability across the fleet.

“Over the same period, the Unplanned Capacity Loss Factor (UCLF), reflecting unplanned outages, was at 14.85%, representing a reduction of 17.22% compared to the 32.07% recorded during the same period last year,” said Eskom.

During the same period, Eskom’s Planned Capacity Loss Factor (PCLF)—which reflects planned maintenance—averaged 13.81%, up from 10.21% in the previous financial year, as part of efforts to ensure environmental compliance, improve reliability, and support long‑term sustainability. It added that 5 861MW is currently in cold reserve due to excess capacity.

“For the financial year to date (1 April 2025 to 12 March 2026), diesel expenditure is R8.58 billion lower than during the same period last year, a 57.35% reduction year on year. Over the past week, diesel usage contributed 10.08GWh of electricity to the grid at a cost of R59.70 million, resulting in a weekly load factor of 1.76%.

“The use of diesel this week was due to statutory grid code testing and to meet the reserve requirements, as specified in the South Africa Grid Code. Year‑to‑date, diesel expenditure remains consistently below budget and is expected to remain below budget through to the end of the financial year,” said Eskom.

It said South Africa has now experienced 301 consecutive days without an interruption in supply, with only 26 hours of loadshedding recorded in April and May 2025, during this financial year.

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Four boreholes vandalised in Schweizer Reneke

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Picture: A borehole vandalised/Generic 

By REGINALD KANYANE

14 March 2026- The Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District Municipality said it notes with concern the vandalism, which has taken place at Mareesin Farm in Schweizer Reneke, where all the wires of the electric fence were damaged. The municipality said the supply pipe of the pumps of the four boreholes were destroyed on Friday.

The executive mayor of Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District Municipality, Motseokae Maje said even though the boreholes are currently running, they would like to invite the members of the public to watch out as these criminals had managed to breach the security. Maje said should this not be addressed, reservoirs which are supplied by these boreholes are most likely to be depleted over time and resulting in a lack of water supply to businesses and households.

“We plead for your cooperation and understanding in our efforts to improve the bulk water supply infrastructure and in attending to the challenge which might have experienced. Members of the public are requested to use water sparingly and to report any water leaks that might have happened as well as vandalism in order to assist the municipality in provision and supply of clean water to all,” he said.

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‘Lekota was a giant whose life was defined by uncompromising dedication to justice’

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Picture: Deputy President, Paul Mashatile during former COPE leader, Mosiuoa Terror Lekota’s funeral

By OBAKENG MAJE

14 Mar 2026- The Deputy President, Paul Mashatile who delivered a eulogy during the funeral of former Congress of the People (COPE) leader, Mosiuoa “Terror” Lekota at Old Grey Sports Club in Willows, Bloemfontein, Free State said they gather as a nation united in grief, remembrance, and gratitude to bid farewell to a towering figure of their liberation struggle and democratic state. Mashatile described Lekota as a giant whose life was defined by uncompromising dedication to justice and service to the people.

He further said Lekota’s political journey traversed the defining epochs of modern South Africa. Mashatile added that from the ideological awakening of Black Consciousness to the frontlines of the United Democratic Front, the leadership corridors of the ANC’s National Executive Committee, and ultimately the founding of the COPE.

“His life was lived in pursuit of a better South Africa, marked always by honesty, integrity, and courage. Lekota understood that leaders are transient, but the Congress as an ideal of unity and justice is eternal. He knew that the measure of a leader is not how long he holds office, but how faithfully he serves the covenant of Congress.

“From Dr A.B. Xuma’s reminder that to Congress we are loyal to the steadfast guardianship of Sisulu and Tambo, that covenant has been passed like a torch across generations. Lekota carried that torch with unyielding fidelity. He stood as proof that while names may fade from ballots, the Congress ideal remains, a beacon of unity, a compass of justice, a promise to the people,” he said.

Mashatile said Lekota understood that leadership is not command, but service. He said for him, democracy was never a distant set of rules, but was a living instrument to transform the lives of ordinary citizens.

“He dedicated himself to ensuring that the Constitution became a shield for the vulnerable and a bridge across the chasm of inequality. He remained an outspoken voice, reminding all of us that democracy requires vigilance and principled leadership.

“Lekota’s activism began in the 1970s with the South African Students’ Organisation (SASO), where he championed Black Consciousness and the liberation of oppressed communities. His imprisonment on Robben Island alongside Nelson Mandela deepened his conviction that freedom was non-negotiable,” said Mashatile.

He said from his youth, through the United Democratic Front (UDF), the infamous Treason Trial, and into Government, his journey was marked by sacrifice and service. Mashatile said as the first Premier of the Free State, Lekota stepped into a province scarred by apartheid and laid the foundations of a unified, non-racial government.

“He was instrumental in forming the provincial administration, in advocating for, and in embarking on the long journey to build a government that served all citizens. As Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces and later Minister of Defence, he carried the burdens of leadership with dignity. He envisioned a Defence Force not as an instrument of repression, but as a guardian of democracy and peace, a vision that continues to guide us today.

“In guiding the Defence Force, the former minister ensured that the instruments of war became guardians of peace, transforming them into protectors of a democracy still in its infancy. His vision was clear: that the strength of a nation lies not in its weapons, but in its ability to reconcile, to heal, and to live in harmony,” he said.

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