News 07:00

BULLETIN 18 May 7 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# President Ramaphosa commends the DRC and Uganda for their quick response to Ebola
# The government is accelerating access to water services
# And, minister Macpherson moves to fix the government’s leasing failures

# President Cyril Ramaphosa has commended the governments of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda for their swift leadership and transparency in declaring an Ebola outbreak. The outbreak in the DRC’s eastern Ituri province has seen around 246 suspected cases and 80 deaths. In Uganda, two confirmed cases, including one death, have been reported in the capital Kampala. In his capacity as African Union Champion on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response, Ramaphosa says African Union Member States and international partners must strengthen support for pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response.

# Minister of Water and Sanitation, Pemmy Majodina, says government is accelerating access to water services for unserved communities, many of which are in rural areas. To date, over two-thousand-600 settlements without reliable potable water have been identified. Majodina says the department is implementing rapid, cost-effective, and appropriate interventions such as groundwater development, spring protection, and rainwater harvesting. She adds that they are also prioritising grant funding and mobilising Water Boards, the private sector, and civil society, to accelerate implementation.

# Public Works and Infrastructure minister Dean Macpherson has written to all national ministers, allowing departments facing leasing challenges to request limited powers through the Property Management Trading Entity under section 18 of the Government Immovable Asset Management Act. The move aims to address delays, disputes, and inflated lease costs that affect service delivery. He says the reform will strengthen oversight, reduce the state’s six-billion-rand annual leasing bill, stabilise the Property Management Trading Entity, and support the creation of the South African National Property Company.

# Gauteng Education MEC, Lebogang Maile, says it is concerning that municipalities have increasingly been accused of over-charging public schools through incorrect billing, inflated tariffs, historical debt transfers, and unlawful charges on municipal accounts. Gauteng schools collectively owe municipalities 583.9-million-rand in municipal debt older than 60 days as of March 2026. Maile says overcharging by municipalities on public schools results in the accumulation of massive municipal debt, threats of electricity and water disconnections, and disruption of teaching and learning:

# Tennis: World number one Jannik Sinner has completed the ‘Career Golden Masters’ by winning the Italian Open, a record six Masters titles in a row. The 24-year-old defeated Norway’s Casper Ruud, 6-4, 6-4, to become the first Italian champion in 50 years, and join Novak Djokovic in completing the full set of nine ATP Masters one-thousand titles. Djokovic achieved the feat in 2018 after winning in Cincinnati. Sinner says winning on home soil is special:

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-75-cents and the euro at 19-rand-45-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-29-cents and Bitcoin trades at 76-thousand-852-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-510-dollars-38-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 108-dollars-6-cents a barrel.

# And finally: The African National Congress has expressed sadness following the death of former North West Premier Bushy Maape. ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri described Maape as a freedom fighter, Umkhonto we Sizwe operative, and former Robben Island prisoner who dedicated his life to South Africa’s liberation. Bhengu-Motsiri says Maape was passionate about education and believed learning could uplift communities. She added that his life symbolised the sacrifices made by many struggle veterans for freedom, democracy, education, and development in South Africa.

Stay tuned for more news………….