News 11:00

BULLETIN 17 September 11 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The Institute of Race Relations welcomes a call for proposals to resolve the objections to the NHI
# The National Health Laboratory Service’s former CEO is ordered to pay 22-million-rand
# And the US Secret Service says measures were in place to protect Trump

# The Institute of Race Relations says president Cyril Ramaphosa’s open call for proposals aimed at resolving objections to the National Health Insurance must be embraced. The president signed the NHI into law before the May election, but it has not been promulgated, and so it is not in force. IRR’s, Makone Maja, says there are a few alternatives to NHI that Ramaphosa can consider including enabling affordable medical aids, compulsory medical aids for the formally employed, and health vouchers:

# The National Health Laboratory Service says it has always believed that the dismissal of former CEO, Joyce Mogale, and former chief financial officer, Sikhumbuzo Zulu, were fair and warranted. The Labour Court has dismissed a claim for unfair dismissal brought by Mogale. The court also ordered her to pay the public entity more than 22-million-rand, in light of irregularities in procurements made while she was in charge. NHLS board chairperson, Eric Buch, says the judgment vindicates the efforts and the commitment to clean governance and accountability.

# The Gauteng Health Department says the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital is currently experiencing water challenges. This is due to changes in the water systems instituted by Johannesburg Water. The department’s spokesperson, Khutso Rabothata, says the hospital management has implemented measures to ensure that patient care is not compromised:

# US Secret Service acting director Ronald Rowe says the highest levels of protection were in place during the attempted assassination of former president Donald Trump. Officials say the suspect, Ryan Wesley Routh, hid for nearly 12 hours in bushes before Trump played an unscheduled game of golf at his West Palm Beach golf club in Florida on Sunday. Routh has been charged. Rowe says Trump was out of sight of the gunman:

# Rugby: Fiji captain Waisea Nayacalevu has revealed the 2023 Rugby World Cup quarter-final between his team and England in France was hours from being called off. He alleges corruption in the country’s controlling body was at the heart of the matter. In an interview with the UK’s Daily Mail, Nayacalevu says the players were also promised bonuses that never materialised. He is playing for English Premiership club Sale Sharks at the moment, but the 34-year-old says he dreams of returning home to fix the system.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-61-cents and the euro at 19-rand-59-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-25-cents and Bitcoin trades at 58-thousand-563-dollars-30-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-583-dollars-57-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 72-dollars-98-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….