Top news items of South Africa's major media outlets

The following are highlights of South Africa's major media outlets on Monday.

-- The National Energy Regulator of SA (Nersa) - on which the public rely to keep Eskom prices and other energy tariffs in check - has been depleted of skills and capacity as the contracts of long-serving members have not been renewed.

The independent regulator's status is also under threat from an amendment bill drafted by the Department of Energy, which will establish an appeal body for Nersa decisions, to be chaired by the energy minister. (Business Day)

-- The rand has seen a 25 percent recovery against the British pound since January, after Britain voted to leave the European Union on June 24.

The rand's depreciation in January followed growth fears in China, lower global demand in commodities and waning risk appetite for South Africa following the leadership crisis in National Treasury in December 2015.(Fin24)

-- President Jacob Zuma will begin a two-day visit to France on Monday morning. The aim of the visit is to boost trade and investment relations between the two countries.

It also coincides with the commemoration of the 100 years of South Africa's participation in the first World War 1 in which thousands of its troops died during the Delville Wood battle. (South African Broadcasting Corporation) Endit