News 09:00

BULLETIN 9 July 9 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The UAT blames poor governance for the funding freeze at municipalities
# The ANC says the Public Protector report confirms the neglect of working-class communities in Cape Town
# And, the US has launched another round of airstrikes against Iran

# The United Africans Transformation says the National Treasury’s decision to freeze funding to 69 municipalities exposes a deepening local government crisis caused by financial mismanagement, corruption and poor governance. The party argues communities are bearing the brunt through failing basic services and growing municipal debt. UAT’s Mighty Mabule calls for recovery plans, lifestyle audits of implicated officials, prosecutions where corruption is found, and the appointment of qualified officials based on merit:

# The National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union says it is concerned about the allegations of wasteful expenditure by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme Administrator. According to reports, administrator professor Hlengani Mathebula hired four technical advisors for ten-million-rand per year and spent 200-thousand-rand on accommodation and travel allowances. Nehawu’s spokesperson, Lwazi Nkolonzi, says this was reportedly done without the approval of minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana as required by the NSFAS Act:

# The ANC in Cape Town says behind the DA’s carefully manufactured image of “good governance” lies a painful reality of neglected communities, crumbling infrastructure, and a municipality that has failed to uphold the constitutional rights of many residents. The Public Protector’s report found that the metro failed some of its most vulnerable communities by not providing basic municipal services in Langa and Khayelitsha. The ANC’s Judy-Ann Stevens says the findings expose the daily reality that thousands of working-class families have endured for years:

# The US military launched another round of airstrikes on Iran yesterday evening. Explosions were reported in the port city of Bandar Abbas in the Strait of Hormuz, Sirik, and the south-western Bushehr province, home to Tehran’s nuclear-power-plant complex. The US Central Command says the strikes were carried out to further degrade Iran’s ability to threaten freedom of navigation in the Strait. Iran’s parliamentary speaker and chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, says America still hasn’t learned that bullying and breaking promises are no longer cost-free.

# Cricket: The International Cricket Council has accused the England and Wales Cricket Board of breaching the anti-corruption code after sharing dressing room footage of captain Ben Stokes’ retirement speech last month. The footage of the 35-year-old was shared with broadcasters and on social media shortly before the tea break of the third Test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge. The ICC says publishing the video of Stokes’ dressing room speech mid-match breached the standards for players and match officials’ areas at international matches.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-39-cents and the euro at 18-rand-72-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-95-cents, and Bitcoin trades at 61-thousand-981-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-59-dollars-80-cents a fine ounce, and Brent crude oil is quoted at 78-dollars-64-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….