News 12:00

BULLETIN 30 July 12 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Parliament says the release of equitable share transfers to municipalities must not suspend accountability
# The Eastern Cape government intensifies interventions against violent boys’ faction fights
# And Commonwealth Games: Swimmer Pieter Coetze shines for South Africa with three gold medals in Glasgow

# Parliament’s joint oversight committees have welcomed National Treasury’s decision to release the remaining 7.1-billion-rand in withheld July equitable share transfers to 49 municipalities tomorrow. Minister of Finance, Enoch Godongwana, says the release was conditional and intended to protect basic service delivery, while requiring affected municipalities to correct the serious weaknesses identified. Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs chairperson, Zweli Mkhize, says releasing the funds must, however, not allow responsible officials and office-bearers to escape accountability for their role in governance failures.

Meanwhile, Soil of Africa says the release of the remaining funds should not be interpreted as a relaxation of financial accountability. National Treasury withheld 13.5-billion-rand of transfers from 69 municipalities, and will now commence releasing the balance of the funds. Soil of Africa’s spokesperson, Luzuko Sofute, says the release of the funds is a conditional intervention designed to preserve service delivery:

# The Eastern Cape government remains committed to protecting the lives of young people, promoting peaceful communities and ensuring every child can learn and grow in a safe environment. It has launched a week-long Moral Regeneration Programme in Mbhashe Local Municipality as part of intensified efforts to curb violent boys’ faction fights and strengthen social cohesion. Spokesperson Khuselwa Rantjie says the campaign is specifically targeted at learners from Grade 7 upwards:

# Commonwealth Games: Swimmer Pieter Coetze tops South Africa’s participation in Glasgow so far, earning his third gold medal of the meeting when he won the men’s 100-metre backstroke in the second fastest time ever. The 22-year-old’s time of 51.77-seconds is just 0.17-seconds off the world record pace set by Italian Thomas Ceccon four years ago. Coetze also became the first male swimmer to win three individual gold medals in the Scottish city after Australians Lani Pallister and Jenna Forrester became the women to achieve the same results.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-64-cents and the euro at 19-rand-5-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-21-cents and Bitcoin trades at 64-thousand-221-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-and-65-dollars-48-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 93-dollars-20-cents a barrel.

# And finally: A report by Stellenbosch University shows many people with disabilities across Africa still struggle to access assistive technology such as wheelchairs, hearing aids and screen readers. The report indicates high costs, limited services and weak support systems prevent many people, especially in rural areas, from getting the devices they need. Spokesperson Luigia Nicholas says more investment is needed to help people with disabilities access education and jobs and live more independently:

Stay tuned for more news………….