News 15:00

BULLETIN 18 August 3 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The Municipal Demarcation Board declines boundary changes
# More than 176-billion-rand is raised during the Water Investment Summit 
# And cricket: Teenage sensation Kwena Maphaka is added to the Proteas’ ODI squad for the series against Australia

# The Municipal Demarcation Board has resolved not to alter any municipal boundaries after a nationwide consultation and research process. The decision affects 13 cases across 18 municipalities, including Ventersdorp, Tlokwe, Qwaqwa, Mjindi, and Naledi. While some communities plan court action, CEO Manye Moroka warned this could delay ward delimitation ahead of the 2026 local government elections. Speaking to SABC News, he said a proposed bill may soon introduce an appeals mechanism:

# Water and Sanitation minister Pemmy Majodina has announced that more than 176-billion-rand has been raised in the last three days of the Water Investment Summit in Cape Town. She says 80 priority water investment projects from 38 different countries were identified. The minister says inadequate investments in water have affected the gains made across all the Sustainable Development Goals on water and sanitation:

# Despite Eskom’s improved operational performance, South African companies are increasingly investing in alternative energy to reduce reliance on the power utility and mitigate rising electricity costs. This is according to Stanlib chief economist Kevin Lings. A report from Green Cape has estimated that the private sector will add a further six-thousand-megawatts of solar power and three-thousand-500-megawatts of wind power in the country by 2030. Lings says repeated above-inflation increases in electricity tariffs have resulted in companies looking for alternatives to Eskom to try to reduce costs. 

# The DA in Limpopo is calling for an independent wildlife management specialist to urgently review the future of Polokwane’s relocated rhinos. The animals were removed from the Polokwane Game reserve to an undisclosed sanctuary in 2017 following poaching incidents. The DA’s Mariëtte Pretorius says the independent wildlife management specialist must conduct a cost and benefit analysis and provide recommendations in the best interests of both the rhinos and the city’s ratepayers:

# Cricket: The Proteas have added teenage fast bowler Kwena Maphaka to their squad for the upcoming three-match one-day series against Australia. The 19-year-old was impressive in the T20s against the Aussies, picking up nine wickets to finish as the leading wicket-taker in the series which the hosts won 2-1. Meanwhile, Australia welcomes back experienced batter Marnus Labuschagne after he was dropped for the recent Test series against the West Indies. The first ODI will be played in Cairns tomorrow.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-61-cents and the euro at 20-rand-58-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-85-cents and Bitcoin trades at 115-thousand-and-46-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-348-dollars-42-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 65-dollars-77-cents a barrel. 

Stay tuned for more news………….