Good News

BULLETIN 24 June 

Good afternoon, here is your Good News:

# South African employees are among the happiest in the world, showing higher levels of engagement and enthusiasm compared to the global average. According to Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace report, 29-percent of South African employees are engaged at work, surpassing the global average by six-percent. This is attributed to strong labour rights and positive work experiences. High engagement boosts productivity, retention, and customer service, reflecting positively on business outcomes. Despite challenges like daily stress, 56-percent of employees show decreasing levels of dissatisfaction and actively seek new jobs.

# One of the two green hydrogen plants in South Africa has been set up in Coega, Eastern Cape. As society explores ways to create a climate-resilient environment, Nelson Mandela University academics and stakeholders are holding webinars to discuss the benefits and constraints of green hydrogen in the South African context. Researcher Gary Koekemoer has highlighted the project’s potential role in creating employment opportunities:

# A pet donkey that escaped his owners in California five years ago has been found living with a herd of wild elk. Terrie and Dave Drewry’s pet donkey Diesel was spooked and took off during a hiking trip in 2019. Weeks of searching proved fruitless, and the last time he was seen was on a trail camera a few months later. A hiker spotted the happy donkey with the herd of elk earlier this month and posted a video on social media. The couple recognised Diesel but decided to leave him living as a wild burro.

# Two fishermen in Mississippi in the United States turned heroes as they rescued 38 dogs from drowning in Grenada Lake. While fishing, Bob Gist and Brad Carlisle, with guide Jordan Chrestman, encountered the stranded dogs far offshore, all wearing GPS collars. The dogs had been part of a fox hunt and had chased a deer into the lake. The fishermen made three trips to shore to save the exhausted dogs, some of which had been treading water for up to an hour. The dogs were reunited with their grateful owners.

# And finally: An eight-year-old Pekingese called Wild Thang won the 2024 World’s Ugliest Dog contest in California. The animal has competed in the contest five times, coming second three times before finally taking the top prize this year. Wild Thang contracted the viral disease canine distemper as a puppy. He survived, but not without permanent physical damage. He and his owner Ann Lewis took home a cheque for 90-thousand-rand. The World’s Ugliest Dog competition has been held for nearly 50 years and celebrates the imperfections that make all dogs special and unique.

Stay tuned for more news………….