News 16:00

BULLETIN 25 August 4 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Ramaphosa says better project preparation can unlock faster infrastructure investment
# President Kagame denies Rwanda is the root of the DRC conflict
# And roadrunning: Comrades winners Steyn and Kusche clear their doping tests and a payout is confirmed

# President Cyril Ramaphosa says better preparation of infrastructure projects can help South Africa attract more investment and speed up construction. He virtually delivered the keynote address at the fifth Sustainable Infrastructure Development Symposium in Cape Town. Ramaphosa says too many projects are delayed because they are not properly prepared or funded. He adds stronger planning and project preparation can attract investment, create jobs, support economic growth and improve basic services:

# Justice minister Mmamoloko Kubayi says her department paid out almost 500-million-rand in Truth and Reconciliation Commission-related reparations to date. She was responding to questions in the National Council of Provinces. Kubayi says regulations for a once-off 30-thousand-rand grant to victims were published in 2003, initially identifying just over one-thousand-600 victims. She says as of 20 August, 17-thousand-560 of 21-thousand-676 victims have applied and been paid, totalling 498-million-rand. She says the names of four-thousand-216 people who have not yet applied were published

# The Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein is hearing government’s appeal against a High Court ruling on the 370-rand Social Relief of Distress grant. The Institute for Economic Justice and PayTheGrants argue application rules exclude people who need the grant. IEJ researcher Siyanda Baduza says the case also examines the eligibility threshold, which he says remains too low and excludes vulnerable beneficiaries from accessing social assistance:

Moving abroad:

# Rwandan president Paul Kagame has denied his country is responsible for the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo. He told the media the problems were created by Kinshasa and other external factors. Kagame accuses unnamed parties of making Rwanda a scapegoat to protect certain individuals. He maintains Rwanda has been unfairly blamed for instability in Central Africa amid continued tensions and international scrutiny over its role in the eastern DRC

# Roadrunning: The Comrades Marathon Association says all drug tests from this year’s race have returned negative. The South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport confirmed a clean bill of health for tested athletes, clearing the way for over eight-million-rand in prize money. Gold medals will now be issued to the top ten men and women. Winners Gerda Steyn and George Kusche, who both broke up-run records, will each receive more than 2.3-million-rand, including bonuses for best pace.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 15-rand-97-cents and the euro at 18-rand-63-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-78-cents and Bitcoin trades at 78-thousand-954-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-633-dollars-56-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 90-dollars-51-cents a barrel

Stay tuned for more news………….