News 08:00

BULLETIN 17 February 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The Public Protector has recused herself from a probe into the Secretary to Parliament’s salary hike
# The Institute of Race Relations says South Africa needs a concrete growth plan
# And, the Godfather star Robert Duvall has died at age 95

# Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka has recused herself from the investigation concerning the appointment, remuneration and benefits of the Secretary to Parliament, Xolile George. The DA lodged a complaint with the Public Protector about George’s salary increase of more than 88-percent since 2022. It also called for an investigation into the six-million-rand overspend on the 2023 BRICS Parliamentary Forum. Gcaleka, who is reportedly in a relationship with George, says she may reasonably be perceived to have a conflict between her private interests and her official duties in this matter.

# The Institute of Race Relations says under current conditions, economic growth will remain low, unemployment will continue rising, and South Africans will continue to be deprived of the opportunity to create a better life. The country has been stuck in a low-growth rut for over a decade, and as a result, since 2008, South Africa’s gross domestic product per capita has remained stagnant. IRR’s Terence Corrigan says government needs to place economic growth front and centre of public policy:

# The MK Women’s League says the water crisis is worsening, with taps running dry, sewage spilling into streets, and millions facing an unsafe water supply. They reject Water and Sanitation minister Pemmy Majodina’s claim that water security is in balance, arguing it does not reflect the daily struggles of residents. The league’s Lindi Mtshali calls for immediate interventions, including emergency water supply, technical teams, clear reporting, protected budgets, anti-corruption steps, and gender-focused policies:

# Rugby: The University of Cape Town-Ikeys got their Varsity Cup title defence off to a bad start, after being stunned by the University of Pretoria-Tuks 38-22 in the opening round in Pretoria. In Bloemfontein, 2024 champions University of the Free State-Shimlas secured a bonus-point 50-39 victory over University of Stellenbosch-Maties. North West University-Eagles claimed a hard-fought 59-42 victory against Central University of Technology in Bloemfontein, while the University of Johannesburg claimed all three points, sealing a comprehensive 61-41 victory over newly promoted Emeris in Johannesburg.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 15-rand-99-cents and the euro at 18-rand-93-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-76-cents, and Bitcoin trades at 68-thousand-625-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-954-dollars-72-cents a fine ounce, and Brent crude oil is quoted at 67-dollars-87-cents a barrel.

# And finally, Oscar-winning actor Robert Duvall, best known for The Godfather and Apocalypse Now, has passed away at the age of 95. He had an acclaimed screen career that spanned six decades, making his screen debut in the 1963 film adaptation of To Kill A Mockingbird. Duvall was famously known for playing the mafia consigliere in Francis Ford Coppola‘s The Godfather, earning him seven Oscar nominations. He won an Oscar in 1983 for playing a washed-up country singer in Tender Mercies. He also wrote, directed, and co-starred in the 1997 movie The Apostle.

Stay tuned for more news………….