News 12:00

BULLETIN 20 May 12 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# ActionSA rejects the Department of Health’s claim that the Constitutional Court’s ruling is unrelated to the NHI
# The George Municipality urges coastal residents to participate in a storm impact survey
# And rugby: Four South Africans are up for the United Rugby Championship’s try of the year prize

# ActionSA says it rejects the Health Department’s attempt to downplay the significance of the Constitutional Court’s landmark ruling declaring Sections 36 to 40 of the National Health Act unconstitutional and invalid. Spokesperson Kgosi Letlape says the department claims the judgment is unrelated to the National Health Insurance. He says the department itself argued the scheme created by the impugned provisions is a central pillar in the implementation of the act:

Meanwhile, Nehawu says the ruling represents another blow to the struggle for adequate and accessible healthcare. The union’s Lwazi Nkolonzi says the ruling bolsters the coalition of big capital in their attempts to derail the introduction of universal health coverage:

# First deputy president and parliamentary leader, John Hlophe, is one of three MK Party members who will be part of Parliament’s 31-member impeachment committee. The other two are chief whip Mmabatho Mokoena- Zondi and Khanyisile Litchfield-Tshabalala. The committee will look into whether president Cyril Ramaphosa violated his oath of office in the alleged cover-up of a burglary at his Phala Phala farm in Limpopo. The MK Party says it has full confidence that the three members will represent the party’s interests with integrity and sound judgment.

# The George Municipality in the Western is calling on coastal residents to participate in a survey aimed at assessing the impact of the recent storms on beaches, dunes and coastal properties. Spokesperson Ntobeko Mangqwengqwe encourages residents to report what they observed during or after the storm, including erosion, flooding, wave overtopping and damage to coastal infrastructure or nearby properties:

# Rugby: Fans can still vote for their United Rugby Championship try of the year, with four South African players being nominated. They are the Bulls’ players, Springbok flyhalf Handré Pollard for the match against Scarlets, and Junior Springbok wing, Cheswill Jooste, for his five-pointer against Munster; Wandisile Simelane of the Stormers for the match against Ospreys, and the Lions’ Nico Steyn for the encounter with the Bulls. The Stormers’ Bok player, Deon Fourie, won the award last year. The winner will be announced early next month.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-68-cents and the euro at 19-rand-33-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-31-cents and Bitcoin trades at 77-thousand-151-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-481-dollars-86-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 106-dollars-16-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….