News 13:00

BULLETIN 14 February 1 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The Institute of Race Relations says government simply cannot control its spending
# Government seeks to address the loopholes in housing legislation 
# And Soccer: The Premier League approves bid to buy a stake in Manchester United

# The Institute of Race Relations says it is clear that government has lost control of its revenue, and should be compelled to exercise discipline to maintain adequate levels of service delivery. The Auditor-General’s latest Material Irregularities in Local Government report of 2021/2022, revealed that municipalities posted 5.19-billion-rand in financial losses. The intitute’s Makone Maja, says losses were incurred in the procurement of goods and services paid for but not received; and unfair and uncompetitive practices:

# Human Settlements minister Mmamoloko Kubayi seeks to address loopholes in housing legislation. She engaged stakeholders in Cape Town to gather input on the draft white paper on Human Settlements to tackle delivery deficiencies. Government aims to refine housing delivery processes, leveraging stakeholder proposals for improvement. Kubayi says the round table underscores efforts to enhance housing access and effectiveness in addressing housing challenges.

# The International Energy Agency is calling on governments to work together to address the world’s major climate challenges. Energy and climate ministers from around the world are meeting in Paris for the agency’s 2024 Ministerial Meeting. The agency’s executive director, Fatih Birol, says major issues include the risks to energy security linked to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and international efforts to deliver on the outcomes of the COP-28 climate change conference are a concern:

# Soccer: The English Premier League has approved British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe’s deal to buy a 25-percent stake in Manchester United. The 71-year-old, who is the owner of multinational chemicals company INEOS (Ie-nie-os), agreed to buy a stake in the club in December last year. The deal, worth about 24.8-billion-rand, is still subject to Football Association approval. The Glazer family retain a majority stake in the club. Ratcliffe and INEOS will be in charge of both the men’s and women’s teams and the academies.

# And finally: Gauteng motorists will start applying for new high-tech number plates from the first of April. The number plates will be tamper-proof, and have a Q-R code linked to the owner of the vehicle, which can notify authorities when the vehicle crosses the border. Premier Panyaza Lesufi says the new number plate system is intended to clamp down on crime, with vehicles at the centre of many incidents. Motorists who renew their licence disc will simultaneously apply for a new number plate.

Stay tuned for more news………….