News 13:00

BULLETIN 2 March 1 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Minister Majodina says government is developing innovative ways of funding water infrastructure
# Eco-Justice Organisations reject the draft scoping report for offshore drilling on South Africa’s West Coast
# And cricket: Bracewell says the Black Caps have a great record against India in ICC tournaments

# Water and Sanitation minister Pemmy Majodina says her department is developing innovative ways of funding both national water resource infrastructure and water services infrastructure. The government is engaging local and international financial institutions and investors to unlock 100-billion-rand in infrastructure financing. Majodina says to date, the Infrastructure Fund has secured 23-billion-rand for seven large water infrastructure projects:

# The Green Connection, Natural Justice, and Masifundise are rejecting the proposed draft scoping report on offshore oil and gas exploration drilling in the southern part of the Deep-Water Orange Basin, off the West Coast. The Green Connection Neville van Rooy says the project impacts on the country’s commitment to address the climate crisis and move toward a just energy transition. He says as the public participation process for this project unfolds,  Eco-Justice Organisations are urging South Africans to hold decision-makers accountable:

# The DA in the Western Cape is calling on provincial MEC for Local Government, Anton Bredell, to fast-track the process to place the Knysna Municipality under administration to give it a fighting chance at recovery. The DA’s Ryan Smith says it is evident that the removal of former mayor Aubrey Tsengwa and the election of the incoming mayor, Thando Matika were merely a reshuffle of the chairs on the Titanic, to maintain the interests of the coalition of corruption. He added that it was in total disregard of the needs of Knysna’s residents:

# Israel will adopt the proposal by US president Donald Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, for a temporary ceasefire in Gaza for the Ramadan and Passover periods. This comes hours after the first phase of the previously agreed ceasefire expired. The office of the Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the remaining hostages will also be released after a permanent ceasefire was agreed. Egyptian sources, where a peace deal is being negotiated, said earlier the Israeli delegation sought to extend the first phase by 42 days, while Hamas wanted to move to the second phase.

# And cricket: New Zealand all-rounder Michael Bracewell says his team’s top record against India in ICC tournaments gives them confidence ahead of their final group clash in the Champions Trophy. The first two teams into the semi-finals of the 50-over tournament are meeting in Dubai today with unbeaten records and with the winner to top Group A. The meeting of the two unbeaten teams comes after New Zealand registered a surprise 3-0 Test whitewash in India in October and November last year. South Africa is already through to the semi-finals when they beat England with seven wickets yesterday.

Stay tuned for more news………….