News 11:00

BULLETIN 9 September 11 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# President Cyril Ramaphosa says his visit to China strengthened trade and investment ties
# The DA is calling for drastic changes to fix Gauteng’s public hospitals
# And, Team SA finished with six medals at the Paralympic Games in Paris

# President Cyril Ramaphosa says the strengthening of ties with major trading partners like China continues to yield benefits for the South African economy and people. Last week he attended the summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and also met with president Xi Jinping. In his weekly newsletter, Ramaphosa says he welcomes Xi’s commitment that China will open its markets to more South African products, and broaden the frontiers for Chinese investment in the South African economy. He says the visit has strengthened trade and investment ties.

# Tirisano Transport and Services Union is calling on government to allocate sufficient funds to the traffic department environment so that officials may receive the training and equipment necessary to carry out their responsibilities. The union’s spokesperson, Gcobisa Kelembe, urges an extensive code of ethics to be established as a standard by traffic authorities. Kelembe says the union is concerned about eleven officials who were arrested for allegedly collecting bribes on the N1 between Polokwane and Musina in Limpopo:

# The DA in Gauteng says drastic changes are needed in the management of public hospitals in the province. The Health Department is investigating allegations into the state of Helen Joseph Hospital, after a patient, Tom London, posted a series of videos outlining poor treatment from staff and the appalling conditions of toilets and other facilities. The DA’s Jack Bloom says premier Panyaza Lesufi should review department head Arnold Lesiba Malotana’s appointment if he is serious about fixing hospitals:

# Paralympic Games: Team South Africa finished with six medals, two gold and four bronze, in Paris. Twenty athletes competed in seven sports, compared with the 34 who won seven medals at the Tokyo Games three years ago. The two gold medals were won by Mpumelelo Mhlongo in the men’s T44 100-meter final and 19-year-old Simoné Kruger in the women’s discus throw F38 final. Donald Ramphadi and Lucas Sithole made history as the first South Africans to win a medal in wheelchair tennis at the Games, winning bronze.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-90-cents and the euro at 19-rand-79-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-45-cents and Bitcoin trades at 54-thousand-864-dollars-70-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-489-dollars-71-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 71-dollars-87-cents a barrel.

# And finally, today is International Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Awareness Day, being commemorated under the theme Everyone Plays a Part. While the worldwide rate of Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder sits at 1.5-percent, in South Africa the prevalence rate ranges between 2.7- and up to 28-percent in some communities. The Department of Social Development’s Bathembu Futshane says according to the World Health Organisation, South Africa has the seventh highest per capita reported rate of alcohol consumption in the world:

Stay tuned for more news………….