News 13:00

BULLETIN 4 August 1 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Eskom records its highest energy availability since 2017
# Soccer: Infantino is under huge pressure after his failed plan
# And the Electoral Commission launches a WhatsApp voter registration service

# Eskom says it has reached 441 consecutive days without load-shedding, marking its best performance in a decade. The utility also recorded its highest energy availability factor since 2017, reduced unplanned outages to an eight-year low, and cut diesel use to zero for two consecutive weeks. Energy expert Chris Yelland says new renewable energy generation capacity has played a significant role in reducing load-shedding, alongside improved Eskom performance, lower electricity demand, and government’s financial support.

# Union federation Cosatu says it is dismayed at the appointment of the National Council on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide by president Cyril Ramaphosa, after receiving recommendations from Parliament. The council comprises seven members, including academics, a gender activist, a clinical psychologist and a social worker. Cosatu’s Matthew Parks says representatives from key sectors like labour and business have not been included and adds GBVF is not a mere academic discussion:

# The Gauteng Health Department says the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital has received a partial delivery of consumables for dialysis. The DA had claimed it had completely run out of sodium bicarbonate solution, which is essential for daily dialysis treatments, and had been forced to borrow emergency supplies from another hospital. Spokesperson Steve Mabona says the partial replenishment maintains stock levels and allows critical care services to proceed uninterruptedly:

# Soccer: FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s abandoned plan to sell a World Cup stake to private investors have placed him under tremendous pressure to stay in the position. The governing bodies of Europe and North and Central America and the Caribbean, UEFA and Concacaf’s announcements they have lost confidence in his leadership was followed by UEFA’s consideration of legal action. Wales then said it was withdrawing support for Infantino’s re-election bid, while England is tipped to follow suit. FIFA’s next presidential election is scheduled for March next year.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-51-cents and the euro at 18-rand-99-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-19-cents and Bitcoin trades at 63-thousand-517-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-and-50-dollars-2-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 89-dollars-75-cents a barrel.

# And finally: The Electoral Commission has launched a WhatsApp voter registration service to make it easier for eligible citizens to register ahead of the November local government elections. More than 1.7 million people interacted with the IEC during last weekend’s final voter registration weekend. Friday is the deadline for voter registration. IEC CEO Sy Mamabolo says the WhatsApp platform allows users to register or update their details using secure identity verification to protect the integrity of the voters’ roll.

Stay tuned for more news………….