News 09:00

BULLETIN 8 March 9 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Minister Steenhuisen says government is taking decisive action to curb the foot-and-mouth outbreak
# FOSA says corruption within the police must be addressed decisively
# And rugby: The unbeaten Blitzboks set up the semi-finals against Australia at the Vancouver Sevens

# The minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen says the government of national unity is taking decisive action to curb foot-and-mouth disease, and every farmer and every animal counts. Steenhuisen warned against misinformation circulating regarding FMD vaccine payments, adding that the state has budgeted for the payments to be processed thorough the Public Finance Management Act:

# The Forum for South Africa says any strategy to fight organised crime in the country will fail if corruption within the police is not addressed decisively and urgently. FOSA leader Tebogo Mashilompane says across many communities, there are serious allegations of corrupt police officers working with criminal syndicates, protecting drug dealers, and undermining investigations:

# The Freedom Front Plus in Tshwane says the metro’s ongoing failure to replace ageing water infrastructure in Lyttelton and Lyttelton Manor is directly endangering residents’ lives. The party says according to the metro’s own disaster risk management report for 2024/2025, 63 sinkholes have formed across the city, with 88-percent of these not caused by natural phenomena but by water leaks in old pipes. Wesley Jacobs from the FF Plus says this increases the risk of further subsidence and sinkholes:

# The African Development Bank Group is calling for more support to agriculture projects that are led by women in Africa. As International Women’s Day is celebrated around the world today, the bank’s Jemimah Njuki, says since the launch of its women-led Staple Food Cooperative Advisory Project in 2022, it has targeted 322 women-led cooperatives and positively impacted more than 21-thousand-300 women. She says the programme has also equipped more than one-thousand-500 women with functional literacy training.

# Rugby: The Blitzboks delivered a clinical performance at the Vancouver Sevens tournament in Canada this weekend. South Africa dominated Pool A with three consecutive victories, defeating Great Britain by 21–5, Spain with 28–7 and New Zealand by 17–12. They will now face Australia in the semi-finals tonight at 10.30 pm.

# And finally: As inclement weather conditions continue in Gauteng, the Johannesburg Emergency Management Services is urging the faith-based organizations to avoid visiting river streams to conduct baptism and cleansing rituals during this rainy period. This to prevent incidents were congregants might be swept away while conducting these rituals. Spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi says motorists are urged to exercise caution while driving extend safe following distance avoid crossing flooded roads and low lying bridges:

Stay tuned for more news………….