News 16:00

BULLETIN 3 March 4 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Johannesburg confirms the demolition of the illegal Ormonde structure after it collapsed
# SALGA warns against the systemic collapse of local government
# And soccer: Today marks 100 days until the World Cup kicks off

# The City of Johannesburg will demolish a collapsed building in Ormonde after nine people died when part of the second-floor deck caved in yesterday. Emergency crews found the last body under rubble a short while ago. Mayor Dada Morero visited the site today and confirmed the city had not approved any construction plans, meaning the building was erected illegally. He says demolition will proceed once the assessment report is completed:

# South African Local Government Association president Bheke Stofile warns municipal revenue shortfalls, rising debt, and inefficient billing threaten service delivery and public trust. Councillors must enforce daily oversight, ensure accurate reporting, uphold accountability, and protect indigent policies. Stofile emphasises enforcement must be integrated, fair, and consistent. He adds this approach is essential to maintain municipal sustainability and prevent the systemic collapse of local government in South Africa:

# The DA says Mangaung Municipality in the Free State must act urgently to control foot-and-mouth disease. The party has tabled a motion, demanding the municipality take legal responsibility alongside the provincial government to manage outbreaks, enforce biosecurity, control livestock movement, and prevent the disease from spreading further. The DA’s Thomas Ferreira warns inaction threatens farmers’ incomes, jobs, and food security, especially on communal and municipal land:

# Soccer: Today marks 100-days until the start of this year’s World Cup in Northern America. The 48-team tournament will be co-hosted by Canada, the US, and Mexico, with 104 matches across 16 venues. Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca will become the first stadium to host three opening games when South Africa and co-hosts Mexico kick off the tournament on 11 June. The final will be played at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey in the US on the 19th of July.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-33-cents and the euro at 18-rand-95-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-75-cents and Bitcoin trades at 67-thousand-554-dollars. Gold sells at five-thousand-202-dollars-46-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 82-dollars-39-cents a barrel.

# And finally: Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, Mmamoloko Kubayi, says the Constitution was conceived as a living framework, one capable of responding to an ever-changing legal, social, and political context. She led the national launch of the Constitution’s 30-year commemoration. Kubayi says the Constitution built into its very structure the expectation that the work of transformation would be ongoing, and that rights would be progressively realised:

Stay tuned for more news………….