News 13:00

BULLETIN 13 August 1 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Johannesburg mayor Kabelo Gwamanda resigns
# Minister Mchunu vows to root out corruption within the South African Police Service
# And, free access to most national parks for South Africa’s National Parks Week

# Johannesburg mayor Kabelo Gwamanda has resigned. He submitted his resignation to the speaker of council, Margaret Arnolds. The resignation’s effective date will be set by Arnolds, who will oversee the election of a new mayor. Various civil organisations, including the Johannesburg Crisis Alliance, and political parties like ActionSA, have been calling for Gwamanda’s removal. The city’s youngest mayor, aged 39, cites achievements in financial stability and governance during his term since May last year. He will continue to serve as a councillor.

# Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu says work is continuing to root out corruption wherever it may exist within the South African Police Service. This comes after four police members attached to the Crime Intelligence Unit, alongside an employee of First National Bank, were recently arrested in Gauteng for alleged corruption, extortion, kidnapping, and assault. The minister’s spokesperson, Kamogelo Mogotsi, says as a matter of urgency, internal disciplinary processes will be instituted against the police members:

# The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention is poised to declare Mpox a continental health emergency. The World Health Organisation is also considering an emergency declaration. The outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the worst ever reported, has spread to four new countries. With over 14-thousand cases, mostly in children, and hundreds of deaths, CDC director general Jean Kaseya highlights the urgent need for ten-million vaccine doses, though cost remains a barrier at over one-thousand-rand per dose.

# Mixed martial arts: A huge battle is expected when reigning champion Dricus du Plessis of South Africa faces Nigerian-born Israel Adesanya for the UFC world middleweight title in Perth, Australia, on Sunday. Du Plessis clinched the title in January when he beat American Sean Strickland in Canada. Adesanya, known as “The Last Stylebender”, lost the title to Strickland in September last year. Du Plessis, nick-named “Stillknocks”, believes victory over Adesanya will make him one of the all-time greats of the sport.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-21-cents and the euro at 19-rand-88-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-29-cents and Bitcoin trades at 58-thousand-974-dollars-21-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-460-dollars-74-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 82-dollars-1-cent a barrel.

# And finally, SANParks will celebrate the 19th annual SA National Parks Week next month, with free access to most of its 21 national parks. The event will kick off at Marakele National Park in Limpopo on the eighth, and extend to the 14th and 15th at select parks. The project aims to promote South Africa’s natural and cultural heritage and foster awareness of conservation and sustainable development practices. SANParks spokesperson JP Louw explains the free entry does not cover accommodation or additional tourist activities:

Stay tuned for more news………….