News 07:00

BULLETIN 27 November 7 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The Auditor-General says audit outcomes have improved across all spheres of government
# An education activist says the safety of children must remain a national priority
# And Namibians go to the polls today

# Auditor-General Tsakani Maluleke says national and provincial government departments have shown signs of improved financial and performance management. She briefed Parliament on the audit outcomes of the national and provincial governments during the 2022/2023 financial year. Over the past five years, the number of clean audits increased from 93 to 142, a net improvement of 24-percent. Maluleke says however there are far too many entities that still fail to submit their annual financial statements for scrutiny on time:

# Education activist Hendrick Makaneta says the continuing death of learners due to food poisoning is concerning, even as the government takes steps to regulate spaza shops and address underlying socio-economic challenges. The country has recorded nearly 900 foodborne illness cases and over 20 deaths related to spaza shops. Makaneta says the safety and well-being of children must remain a national priority, and it is clear that the current measures alone are not enough to prevent these tragedies:

# The DA has criticised Gauteng’s adjustment budget, highlighting a 270-percent increase in the deficit, now at 5.4-billion-rand. DA provincial spokesperson for Finance, Ruhan Robinson, warns of impending bankruptcy if fiscal irresponsibility continues. Robinson also decries the growing e-Toll debt and unspent funds. He has urged the provincial government to prioritise service delivery, infrastructure, and fiscal responsibility:

# Namibians go to the polls today in a general election experts believe could trigger a run-off election for the first time since independence. Former liberation movement Swapo has been governing the country since 1990, but lost its two-thirds majority in 2019 when its support slumped from 87-to 56-percent. Panduleni Itula, who was expelled from the ruling party in 2020, has since formed the Independent Patriots for Change and is regarded as a serious contender after winning 30-percent of the vote as an independent in 2019.

# Rugby: Irish side Connacth will be without four of its Test players when they face the Bulls in a United Rugby Championship match in Galway on Saturday. Bundee Aki, Mack Hansen, Finlay Bealham and Ciaran Prendergast will represent Ireland in the weekend’s Test against the Wallabies. However, the national side did release Dave Heffernan to Connacht while Argentinian national Santiago Cordero also returns to club duty. The Bulls are currently in third place on the URC log and Connacht in fifth.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-18-cents and the euro at 19-rand-6-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-85-cents and Bitcoin trades at 92-thousand-367-dollar-57-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-633-dollars-13-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 72-dollars-68-cents a barrel.

# And finally: South African pop star Tyla has been nominated for eight Billboard Music Awards including top R&B female artist and top R&B song for Water. This is the first time she has been nominated. Country artist Zach Bryan is up for 18 awards while Taylor Swift, who holds the title of the most decorated female artist in the award’s history, has 16 nominations. Others nominated include Drake, Billie Eilish, Teddy Swims, SZA and Shaboozey. The awards will be held in Los Angeles on the 12th of next month.

Stay tuned for more news………….