News 08:00
BULLETIN 17 March 8 am
Good morning. I am……..
In this bulletin:
# Rand Water’s supply system is under severe strain in Tshwane
# Gaza will take years to be made safe again
# And, cycling: Riders are being challenged over eight days in the Cape Epic
# Rand Water is calling on Gauteng metros Tshwane, Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni to urgently manage water consumption, which is exceedingly high. Tshwane’s spokesperson, Lindela Mashigo, says the water utility’s supply system is under severe strain, which could lead to a total system collapse. Mashigo says the system is currently below 30-percent and an immediate intervention is required, prompting an urgent shut-down of water supply to certain reservoirs in Tshwane:
# The Johannesburg High Court has called out the culture of entitlement and ordered the Joubert Park Property in the CBD to pay for all municipal services consumed since 2015. The city’s spokesperson, Nkosana Lekotjolo, says since 2020, the landlords of the property, which has 79 units, had sought no less than five court orders, desperately trying to stop being cut off for non-payment of municipal services:
# The United Nations agency for Palestinians warns it will take years before the Gaza Strip is made safe again. It says Israeli attacks have left almost 23-million tonnes of rubble and unexploded weapons scattered across the enclave, which will continue to pose a threat well into the future. The UN aid coordination office says mine action partners are now carrying out assessments of explosive threats and educating Gazans about the dangers.
# Cycling: This year’s Cape Epic has started in Somerset West, with riders tackling the gruelling 617-kilometre, eight day race over mountainous terrain. Cyclists will climb a total of 16-thousand-500-metres from Lourensford Wine Estate and back. The race, known as the Tour de France of Africa, must be completed by both members of a two-person team with only 680 teams allowed to ride the race each year.
# And finally: President Cyril Ramaphosa says King Dinuzulu ka Cetshwayo embraced education, something that had a big impact on the Zulu Royal Household. Ramaphosa was speaking at the 110th anniversary celebration of King Dinuzulu in Nongoma, KwaZulu-Natal. Ramaphosa says the king was also deeply involved in the arts. Earlier in his life he had been a prolific composer of Amahubo esiZulu traditional songs:
Stay tuned for more news………….