News 09:00

BULLETIN 21 July 9 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Travellers from the DRC and Uganda must complete health questionnaires before travelling to South Africa
# More than six-thousand government homes are being investigated
# And soccer: FIFA is probing on-pitch brawls between Argentinian and Spanish players

# The Department of Health has announced that people travelling to South Africa from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda will have to complete a health questionnaire before travelling, due to the Ebola virus outbreak. The outbreak, which is the fastest-growing Ebola epidemic on record, has claimed the lives of 930 people in the DRC, two in Uganda and one in France. The department says the travel health questionnaire can be completed up to 24 hours before travel to South Africa to facilitate smooth processing upon arrival.

# Public Works and Infrastructure minister Dean Macpherson has ordered an investigation into more than six-thousand-200 state-owned homes occupied by government officials. Macpherson has also requested a plan to identify properties that are no longer needed and could be sold, redeveloped or removed from the state’s portfolio. He says selling unnecessary properties will reduce costs and allow the government to focus more resources on service delivery:

# Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, Mmamoloko Kubayi, has welcomed the Johannesburg High Court’s decision to grant the National Prosecuting Authority’s Asset Forfeiture Unit a final forfeiture order. This is for the seizure of assets worth 326-million-rand from corruption-accused businessman Hangwani Maumela. Investigators say the assets were acquired through contracts linked to Tembisa Hospital, where irregular procurement processes allegedly funnelled millions into the Maumela syndicate’s accounts. The department spokesperson, Palesa Rammitlwa, says government is committed to ensuring that criminals are deprived of their ill-gotten wealth:

# The US military launched its tenth consecutive round of strikes on Iran yesterday evening. This comes after president Donald Trump warned Tehran of strong retribution after the recent deaths of American soldiers. The US Central Command says the latest strikes hit Iranian military command centres, maritime capabilities, missile and drone launch sites, and air defence systems. It says this is to degrade Iran’s ability to continue attacking commercial vessels flowing through the Strait of Hormuz. In retaliation, Iran says it had targeted sites in Bahrain, Jordan and Syria.

# Soccer: FIFA has launched an investigation into the on-pitch altercation between Argentinian and Spanish players after the World Cup final in New Jersey on Sunday. Leandro Paredes received a red card for violent conduct after he grabbed and pushed Spain players, including Eric Garcia. Nahuel Molina appeared to strike Spain’s captain Rodri in the stomach as he celebrated winning the World Cup. Argentina coach Roberto Ayala also tried to punch Dani Olmo. FIFA says a disciplinary and ethics prosecutor has been appointed to investigate potential breaches of the disciplinary code.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-48-cents and the euro at 18-rand-81-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-14-cents, and Bitcoin trades at 65-thousand-513-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-45-dollars-29-cents a fine ounce, and Brent crude oil is quoted at 86-dollars-79-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….