Guest: Jan de Koning | Editor at Rugby365 

Jan de Koning is the Editor at Rugby365 and joins Africa to speak on South Africa's game against Ireland this Saturday at Loftus in Pretoria

Guest: Jan de Koning | Editor at Rugby365 
Jan de Koning is the Editor at Rugby365 and joins Africa to speak on South Africa's game against Ireland this Saturday at Loftus in Pretoria

Your early morning chat - traffic - news fix delivered in a relaxed manner. weekdays from 4 am to 6 am.

Early Breakfast with Africa Melane

Your early morning catch-up with chat, traffic and news delivered in a relaxed manner. weekdays from 4 am to 6 am.

Your early morning catch-up with chat, traffic and news delivered in a relaxed manner. weekdays from 4 am to 6 am.

South Africa v Ireland at Loftus on Saturday

Makoma Lekalakala | Director at Earthlife Africa

Energy and electricity minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa says work is at an advanced stage to procure 2,500 MW of nuclear energy.

Speaking with the Sunday Times, Ramokgopa said that the nuclear plan aims to secure approval from the Treasury to build a 2,500MW power plant next month, with the team working on the deal finalising the procurement structure.

Ramokgopa said that internal conversations related to what type of nuclear technology should be considered, with the late technology seen as very rapid to deploy, relatively cheap and more efficient.

There are also considerations over who will operate the plant, but Ramokgopa said that Eskom will likely run the plan given its experience with Koeberg near Cape Town.

The minister said the department will have more information on the proposal by the end of August.

Ramokgopa initially revealed the intention to launch the procurement process in December 2023.

The determination was first signed off by the now unbundled Department of Mineral Resources and Energy and concurred with by Nersa in 2021.

However, after Ramokgopa received new powers following an exchange between the relevant ministries, another layer of approvals was required.

South Africa has not experienced load shedding for the last 100 days, a feat last achieved in 2021.

This is good news as building a new nuclear power plant will not go online in the near term.

The process of building a new nuclear power station takes roughly eight to ten years to build.

Koeberg is the only nuclear power station in South Africa and produces 1,860MW when fully operational.

Makoma Lekalakala | Director at Earthlife Africa 
Energy and electricity minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa says work is at an advanced stage to procure 2,500 MW of nuclear energy.
Speaking with the Sunday Times, Ramokgopa said that the nuclear plan aims to secure approval from the Treasury to build a 2,500MW power plant next month, with the team working on the deal finalising the procurement structure.
Ramokgopa said that internal conversations related to what type of nuclear technology should be considered, with the late technology seen as very rapid to deploy, relatively cheap and more efficient.
There are also considerations over who will operate the plant, but Ramokgopa said that Eskom will likely run the plan given its experience with Koeberg near Cape Town.
The minister said the department will have more information on the proposal by the end of August.
Ramokgopa initially revealed the intention to launch the procurement process in December 2023.
The determination was first signed off by the now unbundled Department of Mineral Resources and Energy and concurred with by Nersa in 2021.
However, after Ramokgopa received new powers following an exchange between the relevant ministries, another layer of approvals was required.
South Africa has not experienced load shedding for the last 100 days, a feat last achieved in 2021.
This is good news as building a new nuclear power plant will not go online in the near term.
The process of building a new nuclear power station takes roughly eight to ten years to build.
Koeberg is the only nuclear power station in South Africa and produces 1,860MW when fully operational.

SA eyes more nuclear energy as minister Ramokgopa pushes for an additional 2500MW

Alan Winde | Premier of the Western Cape 

The Western Cape Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning Department says the province is expecting a series of cold fronts with adverse weather conditions starting this weekend and continuing into most of next week.

Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning MEC, Anton Bredell, said the Provincial Disaster Management Centre (PDMC) was briefed on Saturday by the South African Weather Service (SAWS) on the approaching weather systems.

The weather service has since issued several warnings for heavy rains and rains:
A level 4 warning for heavy rain and potential flooding over the western parts of the Western Cape on Sunday.
A level 6 warning for high winds of between 80 and 90km/h over the western and south-western parts of the Western Cape on Sunday.
A level 4 warning for winds of between 50 and 70km/h for the Namakwa district as well as the central and eastern parts of the province.
A level 6 warning for waves between 6 and 8 metres along the coastline between Alexander Bay and Cape Agulhas from Sunday, spreading to Plettenberg Bay by the afternoon.
A level 4 warning for disruptive snowfall over the mountains of the Western Cape as well as the southern high ground of the Namakwa District on Sunday.

Bredell said the PDMC is on standby and the various municipal district disaster centres are ready to be activated if needed.

“Emergency, rescue and social services are prepared to respond to any eventualities,” the department said in a statement.

Alan Winde | Premier of the Western Cape  
The Western Cape Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning Department says the province is expecting a series of cold fronts with adverse weather conditions starting this weekend and continuing into most of next week.
Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning MEC, Anton Bredell, said the Provincial Disaster Management Centre (PDMC) was briefed on Saturday by the South African Weather Service (SAWS) on the approaching weather systems.
The weather service has since issued several warnings for heavy rains and rains:
<ul>
<li>A level 4 warning for heavy rain and potential flooding over the western parts of the Western Cape on Sunday.</li>
<li>A level 6 warning for high winds of between 80 and 90km/h over the western and south-western parts of the Western Cape on Sunday.</li>
<li>A level 4 warning for winds of between 50 and 70km/h for the Namakwa district as well as the central and eastern parts of the province.</li>
<li>A level 6 warning for waves between 6 and 8 metres along the coastline between Alexander Bay and Cape Agulhas from Sunday, spreading to Plettenberg Bay by the afternoon.</li>
<li>A level 4 warning for disruptive snowfall over the mountains of the Western Cape as well as the southern high ground of the Namakwa District on Sunday.</li>
</ul>
Bredell said the PDMC is on standby and the various municipal district disaster centres are ready to be activated if needed.
“Emergency, rescue and social services are prepared to respond to any eventualities,” the department said in a statement.

Lead: The Western Cape saw harsh weather this weekend

Chris van Zyl | Property Developer specializing in residential at Kreate Homes 

When it comes to building vs buying a house in South Africa, everyone will have their own reasons for choosing one over the other. Ultimately, it’s about what’s right for you.

However, those unsure whether it’s better to buy a home or build one should take into whether it’s cheaper to buy or build a house, as well as other factors that can play an important role.

Cheaper to buy or build: A rundown of the costs

Once you add up all the costs, which approach is going to make a bigger dent in your financial resources?  Data shows that building a home costs 20-30% more on average.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone that building a new home is more expensive.

However, in the long-term, it can save money by:

Eliminating the need for costly renovation..

Saving on maintenance costs.

There’s no need to pay transfer duty.

Tax benefits, such as the ability to claim depreciation over the next few years.

A newly constructed home will be more energy-efficient.

A new home will also be more valuable, thanks to a more modern design.

Adding a garden can significantly increase the expense of building a home, but will provide a dramatic boost to its value, especially in an age where people are spending more time at home.

Other factors to take into account:

Aside from the costs involved, there are additional pros and cons to each approach.

The advantages of buying an existing home

An established property will usually be located closer to a city center than a new home (vacant stands are rare in inner-city areas). This means it will be close to schools, public transport, work opportunities, and restaurants.

An established home may already have a garden, and even a swimming pool; things you’d have to pay through the nose for in a new build.

Buying an established home is a quicker process, usually taking around three months to secure the home loan, pay the deposit and present attorneys with necessary documents.

You can employ the services of a home loan comparison service to help you secure the best deal on your home loan.

There can be profit in flipping houses, meaning you buy an existing property and fix it up before selling it at a higher price.

Chris van Zyl | Property Developer specializing in residential at Kreate Homes  
When it comes to building vs buying a house in South Africa, everyone will have their own reasons for choosing one over the other. Ultimately, it’s about what’s right for you.
However, those unsure whether it’s better to buy a home or build one should take into whether it’s cheaper to buy or build a house, as well as other factors that can play an important role.
Cheaper to buy or build: A rundown of the costs
Once you add up all the costs, which approach is going to make a bigger dent in your financial resources?  Data shows that building a home costs 20-30% more on average.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone that building a new home is more expensive.
However, in the long-term, it can save money by:
Eliminating the need for costly renovation..
Saving on maintenance costs.
There’s no need to pay transfer duty.
Tax benefits, such as the ability to claim depreciation over the next few years.
A newly constructed home will be more energy-efficient.
A new home will also be more valuable, thanks to a more modern design.
Adding a garden can significantly increase the expense of building a home, but will provide a dramatic boost to its value, especially in an age where people are spending more time at home.
Other factors to take into account:
Aside from the costs involved, there are additional pros and cons to each approach.
The advantages of buying an existing home
An established property will usually be located closer to a city center than a new home (vacant stands are rare in inner-city areas). This means it will be close to schools, public transport, work opportunities, and restaurants.
An established home may already have a garden, and even a swimming pool; things you’d have to pay through the nose for in a new build.
Buying an established home is a quicker process, usually taking around three months to secure the home loan, pay the deposit and present attorneys with necessary documents.
You can employ the services of a home loan comparison service to help you secure the best deal on your home loan.
There can be profit in flipping houses, meaning you buy an existing property and fix it up before selling it at a higher price.

South Africa v Ireland at Loftus on Saturday

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