News 12:00

BULLETIN 19 August 12 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

#  The DA in Gauteng says the Health Department fails to pay over 19-thousand invoices on time
# AZAPO is concerned about the Mpox outbreak in Africa
# And, president Ramaphosa is to attend the farewell dinner for retiring chief justice Zondo

# The DA in Gauteng says the provincial Department of Health has failed to pay 19-thousand-212 invoices within 30 days. This amounts to one-billion-rand owed to suppliers of goods and services for the department. The DA’s, Madeleine Hicklin, says the Public Service Commissioner, Vusumuzi Mavuso revealed that only 29-percent of invoices received by the department were paid within 30 days for the first quarter of 2024/2025:

# Residents of the exclusive Afrikaner township of Kleinfontein in Gauteng say they are not doing anything illegal. This comes after the High Court in Pretoria declared the township in the east of the capital illegal. The court ordered the City of Tshwane to take appropriate steps to enforce all relevant laws relating to planning and building regulations on the farms comprising the settlement. Kleinfontein’s Dannie de Beer says they have their own electricity, water, and municipality, and need nothing from the metro.

# The Azanian People’s Organisation has expressed concern about the Mpox outbreak in Africa. The World Health Organisation has declared the latest outbreak on the continent an international health emergency. Cases have been confirmed in at least 16 countries, including South Africa, Congo, Ghana, Kenya, and Rwanda. In South Africa there are 24 cases, including three deaths. Azapo’s spokesperson, Jabu Rakwena, says a coordinated international response is needed to stop the outbreak and save lives:

# Tennis: World number one Jannik Sinner will face American Frances Tiafoe in the Cincinnati Open final. The Italian defeated Germany’s Alexander Zverev and Tiafoe saved two match points on his way to a 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 victory over Denmark’s Holger Rune. In the women’s draw, world number three Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus will take on American Jessica Pegula in the final. Sabalenka defeated world number one, Iga Swiatek of Poland, 6-3, 6-3, while Pegula got the better of Spain’s Paula Badosa, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-78 and the euro at 19-rand-64-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-6-cents and Bitcoin trades at 58-thousand-544-dollars-89-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-505-dollars-2-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 79-dollars-24-cents a barrel.

# And finally, president Cyril Ramaphosa will attend a farewell dinner for chief justice Raymond Zondo, who retires after 27-years of service. The dinner, scheduled for a hotel in Melrose Arch, Johannesburg, tomorrow, precedes a special ceremonial sitting of the Constitutional Court. The Presidency says since Zondo’s appointment as chief justice in 2022, he has played a crucial role in judicial transformation. He also led the state capture commission, significantly impacting South Africa’s anti-corruption efforts.

Stay tuned for more news………….