News 09:00

BULLETIN 16 July 9 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Zane Dangor says Gaza is an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe
# A report shows South Africa’s public service productivity needs improvement
# The Republican speaker of the House also wants the release of the Epstein files

# Department of International Relations and Cooperation director-general, Zane Dangor, says that for too long, Israel has blatantly ignored orders from the International Court of Justice in violation of international law. He addressed the Emergency Conference to halt the genocide in Gaza of the Hague Group, in Colombia. Dangor says Israel continues with its violence against Palestinians, with forced evacuations, and targeted attacks on schools and medical facilities being the order of the day. He says this is an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe:

# There are significant gaps in South Africa’s public service productivity compared to countries like Canada, Singapore, and Rwanda. This is according to a report titled “Productivity as a Frontier in the South African Public Service”. The report also identifies both enabling and hindering elements within the country’s public service legislation, emphasising the need for coherent and adaptable policy reform. Public Service and Administration minister, Mzamo Buthelezi, says this report is not just a diagnostic tool; it is a call to action to improve productivity in the public service.

# The Gauteng Health Department has condemned the DA’s Jack Bloom’s misleading statements, alleging that patients at Bheki Mlangeni Hospital have been sleeping on plastic mattress covers for two months. Bloom claimed that he received numerous complaints from people at the hospital. The department’s spokesperson, Motalatale Modiba, says contrary to the claims made, the hospital currently has enough clean linen in the institutional linen bank to cover all the demands from various wards:

# Republican Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, has joined calls for the Justice Department to make public documents related to the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. Last week, Attorney General Pam Bondi said there was no evidence that Epstein kept a client list or was blackmailing powerful figures. This is despite Bondi telling Fox News earlier this year that Epstein’s client list was sitting on her desk to review. Johnson says Americans want transparency:

# Cricket: West Indies cricket boss Kishore Shallow has called for an “emergency meeting” involving past greats, after the team was bowled out for just 27 in the third Test to Australia. Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc took six for nine as the West Indies made the second-lowest score in Test history, suffering a humiliating 176-run defeat at Sabina Park. West Indies just avoided New Zealand’s record low of 26, set in 1955, and Shallow said there would be an inquest to review a dismal 3-0 series loss.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-88-cents and the euro at 20-rand-76-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-93-cents and Bitcoin trades at 117-thousand-447-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-333-dollars-14-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 68-dollars-22-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….