News 07:00

BULLETIN 19 August 7 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The Health Department remains on high alert over m-pox
# Government departments owe municipalities over 18-billion-rand
# And rugby: The Griquas thrash the Griffons in their Currie Cup encounter

# The Department of Health says the current mpox outbreak remains under control in South Africa. The World Health Organisation declared the outbreak in Africa a public health emergency of international concern last week. South Africa currently has 24 confirmed cases, 12 in Gauteng, eleven in KwaZulu-Natal, and one in the Western Cape, with three deaths. The department’s spokesperson, Foster Mohale, says the public is urged to play their part and support the country`s response efforts to prevent the spread of mpox:

# Minister of Employment and Labour, Nomakhosazana Meth, has acknowledged Statistics South Africa’s second quarter report showing an increase in unemployment from 32.9-percent to 33.5-percent. Spokesperson Teboho Thejane says there are ongoing government interventions and partnerships with business to address economic challenges. He highlighted efforts to preserve jobs and support youth employment through initiatives like the Presidential Youth Employment Initiative:

# National and provincial government departments owe municipalities over 18.6-billion-rand for rates, taxes, and services. Finance minister Enoch Godongwana revealed this in a parliamentary response to a question by the EFF. Public Works, Education, Health and Agriculture are the departments that owe the most. Minister Godongwana says Gauteng municipalities are owed the most with over 3.5-billion-rand, while Western Cape municipalities are owed the least with 345-million-rand.

# ANC Gauteng chairperson, Panyaza Lesufi, says if the party is to survive, it must change its ways. He delivered the political overview at the party’s provincial executive committee Lekgotla in Boksburg. Nationally the ANC lost its outright majority for the first time since 1994 following the May general election. It also lost its grip on the province, with Gauteng now being governed by a government of provincial unity. Lesufi says they will adopt a no-business-as-usual approach:

# Rugby: The Griquas picked up their second victory of the season after thrashing Currie Cup bottom-of-the-table Griffons 59-7 in Welkom. The Griquas scored nine tries including two each from Sako Makata, Marco de Witt, and Connor Mahoney, to the one from the Griffons, as they recorded a bonus point victory. Now the Griquas are one point behind sixth-placed Western Province. After seven games played, the Bulls top the table with 31 points, followed by the Lions in second and the Cheetahs in third.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-83-cents and the euro at 19-rand-67-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-10-cents and Bitcoin trades at 58-thousand-488-dollars-67-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-499-dollars-91-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 79-dollars-66-cents a barrel.

# And finally: President Cyril Ramaphosa has paid tribute to well-known academic and heritage expert professor Muxe Nkondo, who passed away in the early hours of Sunday morning. He was 83-years-old. Nkondo was a former vice-chancellor of the University of Venda, deputy vice-chancellor of the University of the North, and Harvard Andrew Mellon Fellow in English. Ramaphosa says Nkondo’s legacy is monumental, and he leaves at the end of a life distinguished by his relentless pursuit and generation of knowledge that has made the world a richer, more inclusive place.

Stay tuned for more news………….