News 07:00

BULLETIN 7 February 7 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The MK Party establishes a presidential task team ahead of the local government elections
# South Africa restarts foot-and-mouth disease vaccine production after two decades
# And British MPs are warned to move out of Westminster

# The MK Party has announced the creation of a presidential task team to support party leader Jacob Zuma as the country prepares for local government elections. Zuma told the media the eleven-member team, which includes his son Duduzani Zuma, will coordinate election activities. He added that the party continues to expand and the task team will assist him in ensuring the organisation is well-prepared for its role in the upcoming local polls:

# For the first time in 21 years, South Africa has restarted domestic production of foot-and-mouth disease vaccines at the Agricultural Research Council at the  Onderstepoort campus in Pretoria. The move comes amid one of the worst outbreaks since 2019 and will help protect livestock while reducing reliance on imported vaccines. Two-million animals have already been vaccinated, and the new capacity will strengthen the country’s biosecurity, improve response to livestock disease outbreaks, and protect farmers.

Meanwhile, the minister of Agriculture, John Steenhuisen, says the resumption of locally produced foot-and-mouth disease vaccines is part of a long-term plan to protect farmers, stop the disease, and regain the country’s foot-and-mouth disease-free status. The first batch of 12-thousand-900 doses was handed over in Onderstepoort, Pretoria. Steenhuisen added that a nationwide rollout is planned, with 20-thousand doses per week from March, supported by strict vaccination controls:

# AfriForum says continued pressure has forced Eskom to backtrack on its rules for solar power users. The power utility will no longer impose fines on consumers who choose not to register their alternative energy systems. Eskom previously insisted that all solar installations be signed off by a professional engineer and threatened penalties for non-compliance. AfriForum’s Deidré Steffens says the organisation will continue monitoring Eskom to ensure proper policies are in place:

# Restoring the crumbling British Houses of Parliament could cost over 850-billion-rand and take between 38 and 61 years. It is one of two proposals being considered by Members of Parliament and peers, and would see work on the building, which mostly dates from the Victorian era, completed in stages. Under the second option, both houses would leave the Palace of Westminster for between 19 and 24 years for reparation work costing up to 330-billion-rand. Ongoing repairs are unsustainable at a cost of around 32-million-rand a week.

# And rugby: Italy’s captain, Michele Lamaro, and teammates Ignacio Brex and Paolo Garbisi will all play their 50th Test in today’s Six Nations match against Scotland in Rome. All three were included in the starting team for the encounter at Stadio Olimpico. One of former Wallaby captain Michael Lynach’s two rugby-playing sons, Louis, will start at right wing. England and Wales will do battle at Twickenham in the final match of the opening weekend tonight after defending champion France outclassed Ireland in the first game on Thursday.

Stay tuned for more news………….