News 11:00

BULLETIN 11 August 11 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The ACDP questions the failure of state intelligence after a third suspected military-style camp is uncovered
# Cape Town gets permission to construct an emergency spillway to avoid a greater disaster in Riverlands
# And, rugby: Currie Cup victories for the Bulls, the Lions and the Cheetahs

# The ACDP says it joins many South Africans in expressing serious concern about the uncovering of a third suspected military-style camp in Modimole, Limpopo. The ACDP’s deputy president, Wayne Thring, says the failure of the state’s intelligence agencies to pre-empt and neutralise these threats to national security is alarming. Thring says it is inexcusable that more weapons and ammunition were uncovered without government’s knowledge, and only after a tip-off:

# The Department of Water and Sanitation has granted the City of Cape Town permission to construct an emergency spillway on the fourth and remaining farm dam near Malmesbury, which is reported to be on the verge of collapse. The department’s spokesperson, Mandla Mathebula, says the collapse of the other three dams in Riverlands have resulted in flooding that caused severe property and infrastructure damage, leading to hundreds of people requiring humanitarian assistance:

# Hamas denies the presence of fighters in a school building sheltering more than a thousand displaced Palestinians in Gaza City, which was hit by an Israeli airstrike. More than 80 people died in the attack and many others have been hospitalised. An Israeli military spokesperson says al-Taba’een school served as an active Hamas and Islamic Jihad military facility, with approximately 20 militants operating there. According to the United Nations, by 6 July, 477 out of 564 school buildings in Gaza had been directly hit or damaged, with more than a dozen targeted since.

# Rugby: The Bulls look unbeatable this Currie Cup season after cementing their place at the top of the standings with a 55-21 hammering of the winless Griffons at Loftus Versfeld. In Johannesburg, Ruan Venter notched a hat-trick of tries for the Lions while Bronson Mills scored 20 points in their 55-12 thrashing of the Pumas. And in Cape Town, Western Province suffered another loss as the Cheetahs came back from a 13-point deficit to claim a bonus-point 29-19 victory in rainy conditions. The Sharks welcome Griquas to Durban this afternoon.

# And, the National Zoological Garden in Pretoria is celebrating World Lion Day by showcasing its three resilient lionesses who are thriving in their new mountain enclosure. Confiscated by law enforcement authorities as cubs, Xena, Sora and Venus, are now strong and spirited young lions. Their enclosure is almost a hectare in size and gives the “queens of the jungle” plenty of room to explore and play. The team at the zoo is working hard to keep them active and engaged, using things like hanging tires, feathers and even elephant dung, for enrichment.

Stay tuned for more news………….