News 18:00

BULLETIN 6 March 6 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# ActionSA demands the public disclosure of Ithala’s loans to politicians and associates
# Climate change threatens the future of Winter Paralympic Games
# And, the Western Cape government mourns the passing of actress Crystal-Donna Roberts

# ActionSA is demanding transparency from KwaZulu-Natal’s Ithala bank over outstanding loans granted to politically exposed individuals. The party is concerned that taxpayer funds may have been misused to benefit politicians and their associates, including the chairperson of Parliament’s portfolio committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Zweli Mkhize, and his family. ActionSA’s Alan Beesley says reports indicate that Ithala is commercially and technically insolvent, with 2.2-billion-rand in loans, but only 100-million-rand impaired:

# Water and Sanitation minister Pemmy Majodina has emphasised that municipalities are responsible for providing access to water and sanitation services. Speaking on the sidelines of the District Development Model meeting in Gauteng, Majodina said her ministry oversees water resources, sets standards, and manages funding for infrastructure upgrades. She mentions the development of the National Water and Sanitation Master Plan to address sector challenges until 2030:

# Tshwane has recorded the highest child malnutrition cases in Gauteng. Up to 99 of the province’s one-thousand-and-46 severe acute malnutrition cases were reported in the region. Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni followed with 90 and 86 cases, respectively. The Gauteng Department of Health is currently screening children, providing nutrition education, and offering therapeutic food at clinics. Authorities say poor diets and food insecurity remain key causes. Parents are urged to provide nutritious meals and seek medical help if signs of malnutrition appear.

# Paralympic Games: The future of Winter Games is under threat because of climate change and the resulting lack of snow. The president of the International Paralympic Committee, Andrew Parsons, made the comment exactly a year before the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Paralympics in the French Alps. He told BBC he doesn’t worry that it would be the last Games, but realises they will have to prepare for change. The International Olympics Committee believes by 2040, only ten countries will be able to host snow sports.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-21-cents and the euro at 19-rand-70-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-46-cents and Bitcoin trades at 89-thousand-373-dollars. Gold sells at two-thousand-911-dollars-50-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 69-dollars-39-cents a barrel.

# And finally, the Western Cape government has expressed its sadness following the death of actress Crystal-Donna Roberts. She died of cancer, aged 41. Roberts was known for her roles on screen and stage, her portrayal of Krotoa in the film with the same name, and Janice in Arendsvlei which earned her accolades, including best actress awards. MEC for Cultural Affairs and Sport, Ricardo Mackenzie, praised Roberts’ passion and dedication. He hails her legacy, stating that it will live on in her contributions to South African entertainment.

Stay tuned for more news………….