Mdantsane teenager Unakho Kewana, who had depended on an oxygen machine to breathe, has died at age 18. The Dispatch met Unakho at a time SA was hit by record levels of load-shedding that left the teen literally fearing for her life over concerns that her oxygen machine would lose power. Unakho died peacefully at Cecilia Makiwane hospital on Wednesday after she had been admitted for breathing complications.
As South Africans grimly surveyed their weekend load-shedding schedules, the government on Friday announced its latest brilliant plan a new board of directors at Eskom. On Friday public enterprises minister Pravin Gordhan announced a new board with people from diverse backgrounds including engineering, finance, law, academia and even a unionist.
An Eastern Cape teenager who depends on an electricity powered oxygen supply to stay alive, must be rushed to hospital within 30 minutes every time there is load shedding in her area or she will die.