For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Thabi Shomlekae.

Making headlines: South Africa kicks out Israel's top diplomat; Eskom ups wage hike offer in ongoing union talks; And, Gauteng water demand surges

South Africa kicks out Israel's top diplomat

South Africa declared the top diplomat at Israel's embassy persona non grata on Friday and ordered him out of the country within 72 hours, for what it called repeated violations of diplomatic norms, including insulting President Cyril Ramaphosa.

A spokesperson for the Israeli embassy declined to comment.

The South African foreign ministry accused embassy chargé d'affaires Ariel Seidman of "unacceptable violations of diplomatic norms and practice which pose a direct challenge to South Africa's sovereignty".

"These violations include the repeated use of official Israeli social media platforms to launch insulting attacks" on Ramaphosa, as well as a "deliberate failure" to notify the South African authorities about visits by senior Israeli officials.

Diplomatic relations between South Africa and Israel have been strained since South Africa brought a genocide case over Israel's actions in Gaza at the International Court of Justice. Israel has rejected the case as baseless.

South African lawmakers in 2023 voted in favour of closing down the Israeli embassy in Pretoria and suspending all diplomatic relations over the war in Gaza, but that decision was never implemented.

Eskom ups wage hike offer in ongoing union talks

State-owned power utility Eskom has raised its salary increase offer to trade unions to 5.5% from the 3.5% it proposed last year, a document showed, though it remains well below what unions are demanding.

Eskom has been a long-term drag on Africa's biggest economy through its electricity cuts and financial woes. But a sharp improvement in the performance of its coal-fired power stations has allowed it to stop implementing nationwide blackouts. It reported its first full-year profit in eight years last financial year.

The revised wage offer was presented to the three major unions it negotiates with over salaries this week in a second round of pay talks.

Eskom proposed that the 5.5% pay increase come into effect on July 1, the day after its current three-year wage deal expires, the document showed.

The offer includes adjustments to other benefits, such as housing.

An Eskom spokesperson confirmed the utility's latest salary offer was 5.5%.

And, Gauteng water demand surges

Gauteng’s three metropolitan municipalities are consuming water well above its agreed quotas with water utility Rand Water.

Combined, the cities of Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni and Tshwane are consuming 3 744-million litres of water a day, up from 3 602-million litres a day withdrawn a year ago and 3 693-million litres a day recorded last week.

This is well above Rand Water's consumption agreement with the metropolitans of an aggregate withdrawal limit of 3 045-million litres of water a day.

According to the water utility, there has been a steady increase of water consumption throughout January, after recording use of 3 498-million litres a day on December 29.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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