News 17:00

BULLETIN 29 July 5 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The IEC confirms that 620 political parties are currently registered ahead of the local government elections
# Andrea Johnson suggests there may be a hidden influence within IDAC
# And athletics: ActionSA is outraged by minister McKenzie’s failure to fund Athletics South Africa

# The Electoral Commission says 620 political parties are currently registered ahead of November’s local government elections. It has also activated its online candidate nomination system, with 76 political parties and 39 independent candidates already using the platform to prepare their nominations. Chief electoral official Sy Mamabolo told the media these steps form part of the commission’s final preparations to ensure free, fair and credible elections:

# The former head of the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption, Advocate Andrea Johnson, has told the Madlanga Commission she believes unknown influences may have operated within the directorate without her knowledge. Johnson said she could not explain why key statements were withheld during investigations, suggesting “something else” was happening. Johnson admitted administrative mistakes during her tenure but denied intentionally targeting anyone. She also called for stronger internal safeguards to prevent undue influence within the unit:

# The chairperson of Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Communications and Digital Technologies, Khusela Sangoni Diko, has called for a trusted, inclusive and accountable artificial intelligence ecosystem to drive South Africa’s digital transformation. The Prosus and Naspers AI Governance and Policy symposium brings together government, industry, academia and technology leaders to advance the ethical and practical implementation of AI governance. Speaking at the symposium, Diko said responsible AI governance is essential to building public confidence and improving the country’s global competitiveness.

# The South African National Space Agency says construction of its Deep Space Ground Station at Matjiesfontein in the Western Cape is on schedule and expected to be completed within the next 18 to 24 months. SANSA says the government-funded facility will strengthen South Africa’s role in global space science and satellite communications. CEO Humbulani Mudau says the project will also create local jobs, support skills development, promote science education and boost economic opportunities for surrounding communities through long-term investment.

# Athletics: ActionSA is outraged after Athletics South Africa’s vice president, John Mathane, accused minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, that his department didn’t pay the body grants due to them. Spokesperson Dereleen James says the grants were supposed to have been paid by the end of June already, and athletes going to the Under-20 World Athletics Championship now have to pay for their own flights:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-77-cents against the rand and the euro at 19-rand-8-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-27-cents and Bitcoin trades at 64-thousand-154-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-20-dollars-20-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 91-dollars-84-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….