News 13:00

BULLETIN 24 July 1 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Several Pretoria High School for Girls learners have been suspended over racism allegations
# Substantial work needs to be done before the implementation of the two-pot retirement system
# And, rugby: Springbok centre Esterhuizen has been banned for three matches after his red card against Portugal

# The Gauteng Education Department says about 12 learners from Pretoria High School for Girls have been suspended over allegations of racism. The department’s spokesperson, Steve Mabona, says the school alerted the Tshwane South District about a planned protest by a group of learners. He says this was triggered by alleged racial connotations, micro-aggressions, and complaints about black learners, which were ventilated through a WhatsApp Group comprised of white learners:

# Despite the recent signing of the Pension Funds Amendment Bill, substantial work remains before the two-pot retirement system’s implementation on September 1. Old Mutual’s Michelle Acton highlights the need for administrative readiness and integration with SARS. Initial seeding calculations and fund amendments are also deemed crucial for payouts. While some funds are prepared, delays in submitting rule amendments to the Financial Sector Conduct Authority may hinder withdrawals.

# The Department of Water and Sanitation says government is focusing on investing in additional national water resource infrastructure. Building awareness of the need to use water sparingly, and improving municipal water and sanitation services are also some of government’s focus. The department’s spokesperson, Wisane Mavasa, says good progress has been made in unblocking and accelerating delayed infrastructure projects:

# Rugby: Springbok centre André Esterhuizen has been banned for three matches after his red card in the Test against Portugal in Bloemfontein. His yellow for head contact in a tackle on José Lima was upgraded to red after a review. Esterhuizen has received a four-week ban, but it will be reduced to three weeks if he completes World Rugby’s intervention course. He will serve the ban in the Currie Cup, having been omitted from the Rugby Championship tour of Australia, but will be available against the All Blacks.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-33-cents and the euro at 19-rand-87-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-64-cents and Bitcoin trades at 66-thousand-340-dollars-21-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-412-dollars-25-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 81-dollars-68-cents a barrel.

# And finally, 82-year-old Lumka Koyana has published her debut book titled, Good, Bitter, Best. She is the wife of pioneering Roman Law lecturer at the University of Fort Hare, the late professor Beresford Svatho Koyana. The book, written 25 years ago upon retirement, delves into Koyana’s upbringing by her grandparents in Healdtown, her journey into nursing, her career switch to teaching, and the challenges of navigating life after becoming widowed at age 33. Koyana says she wrote the book to inspire single mothers, widows, and young professionals.

Stay tuned for more news………….