News 13:00

BULLETIN 15 August 1 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The Gauteng Health Department has returned 570-million-rand to Treasury
# South Africa’s June retail sales outperform predictions
# And Olympic silver medallist Bayanda Walaza gets a hero’s welcome by his schoolmates

# The Gauteng Health Department has returned 570-million-rand to Treasury after failing to spend 1.1-billion-rand of its 2023/24 budget. According to the head of Health, Arnold Malotana, the department secured approval to roll over only 530-million-rand for the current financial year. He revealed this at a legislature meeting, where he also disclosed that 3.45-billion-rand is owed to suppliers. The DA’s Jack Bloom says this has a huge impact on patients:

# According to Statistics South Africa, retail sales surged by 4.1-percent year-on-year in June, surpassing forecasts and signalling improved consumer confidence. This increase follows a 1.1-percent rise in May and supports positive gross domestic product growth. With inflation easing to 5.1-percent, the Reserve Bank is anticipated to cut interest rates in September, offering relief to consumers. Stats SA’s Raquel Floris says the growth is driven by lower fuel prices and stronger sales in supermarkets: 

# Thousands took to the streets of Kolkata today to condemn the rape and murder of a local doctor, demanding justice for the victim and an end to the chronic issue of violence against women in Indian society. The discovery of the 31-year-old’s body at a state-run hospital last week has sparked nationwide protests. Prime minister Narendra Modi demanded swift punishment for those who commit monstrous deeds against women. Large crowds marched through the streets of Kolkata, with a candlelight rally at midnight coinciding with the start of India’s independence day celebrations today.

# Olympic Games: Eighteen-year-old Bayanda Walaza has thanked his schoolmates at Curro Hazeldean High School in Pretoria for supporting him as he chased his dream in Paris. He won a silver medal in the four-by-100-metre relay. Walaza is the youngest athlete from South Africa to win an Olympic medal since the country’s re-admission into international sport in 1992. At a welcoming ceremony at his school, he acknowledged that the encouragement he got from teachers and learners was amazing:

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-2-cents and the euro at 19-rand-84-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-15-cents and Bitcoin trades at 58-thousand-133-dollars-98-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-455-dollars-33-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 79-dollars-93-cents a barrel.

# And finally, ANC stalwart Gertrude Shope turns 99 today. Born in Johannesburg, Shope, a trained teacher, left teaching to join the ANC and boycott Bantu Education. In 1991, she was elected president of the ANC Women’s League, until 1993. She worked closely with another stalwart, Albertina Sisulu, convening the ANC’s Internal Leadership Corps Task Force from 1990 to ’91. In 1994, she became a member of Parliament in the government of national unity, during former president Nelson Mandela’s tenure.

Stay tuned for more news………….