News 12:00

BULLETIN 30 June 12 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The EFF demands that minister Parks Tau explains the ANC appointments to the IDC board
# Today marks the deadline for public comment on the review of the 1998 white paper on local government
# And soccer: PSG’s coach says beating Messi’s Miami was harder than it seems

# The chairperson of Parliament’s portfolio committee on Trade, Industry, and Competition, Mzwandile Masina, is mulling over a request by the EFF to summon minister Parks Tau. EFF national spokesperson and MP Sinawo Thambo expressed concern over the recent appointments of three ANC loyalists to the board of the Industrial Development Corporation. Thambo says the appointments of Ayanda Dlodlo, Nomusa Dube-Ncube, and Sydney Mufamadi are not only inappropriate but also compromise the IDC’s role. Tau’s office hasn’t responded yet about whether the minister considers the appointments as above-board and fair.

# The public has until the end of today to submit comments on the review of the 1998 White Paper on Local Government. Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs minister, Velenkosi Hlabisa, says many municipalities are distressed due to weak revenue bases. Auditor-General, Tsakani Maluleke, had previously highlighted that the paper was a good legislation, but was not implemented adequately. The review aims to modernise local governance and tackle challenges affecting service delivery and municipal performance.

# The City of Cape Town says ahead of the new tariffs and rates that come into effect from tomorrow, households are reminded that there is some room to reduce monthly municipal service costs. In winter, households typically use more electricity due to factors such as space heating and water heating through geysers. Mayoral committee member for Energy, Xanthea Limberg, says the increased winter electricity usage impact bills:

# Soccer: Paris Saint-Germain steamrolled Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami 4-0 to reach the Club World Cup quarterfinals, but coach Luis Enrique says defeating Miami was trickier than it seemed. The Spaniard says PSG is in spectacular form and is hoping to triumph in the United States. Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano says he was pleased with his team’s performance and added Messi was able to show his quality despite the defeat. PSG will play Bayern Munich for a place in the last four on Saturday.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-78-cents and the euro at 20-rand-84-cents. One British pound costs 24-rand-35-cents and Bitcoin trades at 107-thousand-575-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-293-dollars-68-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 66-dollars-89-cents a barrel.

# And finally: The Tshwane Tourism Association unveiled a new artificial intelligence-powered WhatsApp chatbot to enhance guest engagement and streamline communication in the hospitality sector. Chairperson Susan Marais describes the tool as a friendly, 24/7 platform to boost guest experiences. Looking to next year, plans include expanding township tourism, launching a heritage circuit, enhancing transport links, and improving safety. The association also announced the 25th Official Tshwane Guide and upcoming Tourism Awards set for 16 August to celebrate industry excellence.

Stay tuned for more news………….