News 07:00

BULLETIN 13 July 7 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Donations surge as Cape Town gathers support for affected communities
# The Drakenstein Municipality warns of more heavy downpours
# And, cricket: High praise for Anderson as he ends his illustrious career

# The City of Cape Town says it is continuing intensive disaster management operations amidst ongoing severe weather conditions. Teams from various departments are actively addressing residential flooding, road closures, and electricity outages. Donations surge in response to city-wide appeal for 33-thousand households, affecting 95-thousand individuals. The city’s Charlotte Powell says six fire stations have been designated as drop-off points for items like blankets, mattresses, and baby formula:

In the Drakenstein Municipality in the Western Cape residents of Newton in Wellington have been advised not to return to their homes as heavy rain is forecast this weekend. Around 900 households left due to a farm dam failure risk. The South African Weather Service predicts disruptive rain and possible flooding. Residents are urged to heed official municipal updates as engineering experts monitor the situation to ensure safety, while local fire and law enforcement patrol the area.

# The Freedom Front Plus calls for a complete overhaul of the Department of Employment and Labour, for improved administration and service delivery. The party argues strong political will is essential to implement changes and offer hope to millions of unemployed. They also call for decisive action to support people with disabilities. The FF Plus’ Heloïse Denner criticises the reduced budget for the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration, and urges a review of underperforming entities:

# Cricket: Legendary English bowler James Anderson received high praise when he retired after the first Test against the Windies at Lord’s in London. The 41-year-old ended his career on a high when he took four wickets and helped his team demolish the visitors by an innings and 114 runs within three days. He ended on 704 wickets in 188 Tests. Anderson’s last captain, Ben Stokes, says he is an incredible inspiration for many, while former teammate Stuart Broad describes him as the greatest seam bowler.

# And, experts from across the UK have arrived in Orkney to examine and conduct post-mortems on 77 pilot whales found dead on Sanday island. This is considered the largest mass stranding in nearly a century. Specialists will use tissue samples to determine the cause. Scottish Marine Animal Stranding Scheme’s, Nick Davison notes four female whales are being examined and warns the examination process could last several days. He cautions the public that access to the island is restricted.

Stay tuned for more news………….