Breakfast Edition: 4 February 2016

MUNICIPALITIES MUST BE PLACED UNDER ADMINISTRATION: A number of Mpumalanga local municipalities must be placed under financial administration because they kept failing to pay their Eskom bill. This was the recommendation by the DA in the province, who said the failure to pay affected communities. Eskom has warned that it would have no choice but to cut electricity to at least seven municipalities in the province in April due to the lack of payment. Their debt amount to some R1.3 billion. Eskom's Khulu Phasiwe said some of the municipalities made arrangements last year to settle their outstanding bills, but they were yet to make payment.

ESKOM PUBLIC HEARINGS: The public hearings into Eskom's application for another rate increase moves to Midrand on Thursday. Meanwhile the power utility said it was busy carrying out much needed maintenance work at various substations, without any load shedding.

EFF TO RESPOND TO PRESIDENT'S NKANDLA PROPOSAL: EFF leader Julius Malema will today respond to President Jacob Zuma's about-turn over paying back some of the Nkandla money. Malema is expected to address a media briefing later today. The EFF first coined the chant #PayBackTheMoney in parliament and ultimately asked the Constitutional Court to decide on the matter. The DA later decided to join the case. DA leader Mmusi Maimane yesterday confirmed that the president's re-payment proposals would not keep the matter out of court.

RIAH PHIYEGA FIRES BACK: The suspended National Police Commissioner, Rhiya Phiyega, is convinced that she would vindicate herself and prove her integrity at the commission of inquiry into her fitness to hold office. Phiyega yesterday fired back, after the Police's Independent Investigative Directorate revealed it had recommended that criminal charges be brought against Phiyega, by the National prosecuting Authority. Pieter van der Merwe reports. 

ANTI RACISM FORUM LAYS CRIMINAL CHARGES AGAINST DE KLERK: The newly-launched Anti-Racism Forum says it would ensure former president FW de Klerk pays for apartheid crimes he committed. The organisation yesterday laid 22 charges with the police, against de Klerk and the apartheid-era minister, Adriaan Vlok. As Slindelo Masakane reports, a complaint against De Klerk was also laid at the human rights commission.  

DAVID BECKHAM SENDS MESSAGE TO TERMANLLY ILL FAN: David Beckham has sent a heartfelt video message a 19-year-old terminally-ill fan. Cystic Fibrosis sufferer Chloe Hopkins wrote on her bucket list that she would love to meet the former Manchester United star and the team's current players after she was given just two years to live. 

FINANCIAL INDICATORS:

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