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Eskom has released its latest load reduction timetable affecting multiple communities across Gauteng between Monday, 11 May and Monday, 18 May 2026. The planned outages are expected to affect areas in Soweto, Orange Farm, Sebokeng, Tsakane, Vosloorus, Mabopane and parts of the West Rand during both morning and evening peak periods.

President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to officially open and address Africa’s Travel Indaba 2026 on Tuesday, 12 May 2026, at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre in Durban. The annual tourism trade gathering brings together African tourism leaders, investors, tour operators, buyers and government representatives from across the continent and abroad.

Health authorities and airline officials are working to trace passengers and crew linked to a flight that carried a tourist infected with the Andes strain of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) to Johannesburg. The tracing process began eight days after the passenger arrived in South Africa, raising concerns among medical experts about delayed outbreak response measures.

South Africans will get unexpected relief at the pumps in May after the government corrected an error that had overstated a fuel price increase. The Department of Petroleum and Mineral Resources confirmed that diesel users will now pay nearly R1.00 less per litre than initially announced.

South Africa’s Department of Health has urged the public not to panic after a rare case of hantavirus was confirmed in a critically ill British national receiving treatment in Sandton, Gauteng. The case is linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship, where several passengers developed severe respiratory illness during a voyage from Argentina through remote South Atlantic destinations. The World Health Organization has reported seven confirmed or suspected cases linked to the ship, including three deaths, but says the risk to the global population remains low.

Motorists across Gauteng are set to pay significantly more for petrol and diesel from Wednesday, 6 May 2026, following expected fuel price increases driven by global oil pressures. The hikes will affect daily commuters, transport operators and households already dealing with rising living costs.

Load reduction will continue across parts of Gauteng from Monday, 4 May to Sunday, 10 May 2026, with scheduled outages affecting multiple communities during peak demand periods. The programme impacts residents in Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni and Tshwane, particularly in areas where electricity infrastructure is under strain.

Residents in Merafong on Gauteng’s West Rand continue to live in homes fitted with asbestos roofing, despite the material being banned more than a decade ago. Communities in Khutsong and Kokosi are among those affected, with civil society groups warning that prolonged asbestos exposure places families at risk of serious health conditions.

A 26-year-old Brazilian national has been arrested at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg after police intercepted cocaine with an estimated street value of R8.7 million. The arrest took place on Saturday following an intelligence-led operation targeting suspected drug trafficking activity at South Africa’s busiest airport.

A detailed load reduction schedule affecting large parts of Gauteng from 27 April to 30 April 2026 has been released, outlining specific blocks, time slots, and impacted areas. The schedule affects both morning and evening peak periods, with outages expected between 05:00 and 09:00, and again from 17:00 to 22:00.