South Africa is preparing for its biggest overhaul of electricity pricing policy in almost 20 years, with a new framework set to be gazetted for public comment on Friday, 21 August. The changes are aimed at making electricity prices more transparent and adapting the system as private electricity suppliers enter the market.

Under the proposals, customers supplied by Eskom or municipalities could buy electricity from alternative suppliers, while electricity bills would more clearly separate the costs of generation, transmission, distribution and retail. The energy regulator would also publish a 10-year electricity price forecast, giving households and businesses greater visibility of future costs.

The proposals also include providing qualifying households with 200–300 kWh of free basic electricity per month and expanding negotiated electricity pricing agreements beyond the mining sector. The changes come after electricity tariffs increased by 8.8% for direct Eskom customers and around 9% for municipal customers this year.

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NSRI Station 9 in Gordon’s Bay has been named the organisation’s Most Improved Station for 2025, recognising significant progress in recruitment, training, safety and operational performance. The award was presented at the NSRI’s annual awards evening in Langebaan on 14 August.

The station has grown to 45 active crew members following a major recruitment and training drive. Despite an increase in rescue activity, the team completed the entire 2025 year without a single crew injury or damage to its rescue vessels. Station 9 also manages the NSRI’s satellite operation at Strand Beach.

The station is now looking to strengthen its involvement in the wider community through activities such as beach clean-ups, sailing regattas and other local events, while continuing to provide emergency assistance to fishermen, sailors and recreational ocean users.

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Scientists investigating the recent mass deaths of thousands of sardines along the Western Cape coastline have detected pilchard herpesvirus (PHV) in samples of affected fish. The deaths were reported from Saldanha Bay to Gansbaai, with dead and dying sardines also spotted offshore near Hout Bay.

However, the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment says the virus has not yet been confirmed as the cause. PHV was also found at lower levels in apparently healthy sardines, suggesting other factors such as low oxygen levels, unusually cold water, harmful algae or other environmental stress may have contributed. Tests indicate that algal toxins were unlikely to be the primary cause.

There is currently no evidence that the virus can infect humans or other animals, and officials say commercially caught and canned sardines are not considered unsafe. Residents are nevertheless being warned not to collect, eat or feed dead or dying fish to pets while scientists continue investigating.

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