News 14:00

BULLETIN 29 July 2 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The DA says Gauteng Health underspent 1.1-billion-rand despite the need for improved service delivery
# SAPA supports a plan for VAT exemption on chicken to aid low-income households
# And, Olympic Games: The SA Zionist Federation supports minister McKenzie’s stand against politicising the Olympics

# The DA in Gauteng says the provincial Department of Health  failed to spend 1.1-billion-rand of the 2023/’24 budget which ended on 31 March this year, despite the dire need for improved service delivery. This was revealed by the head of department, Arnold Malotana, during the provincial legislature’s Health Committee meeting. The DA’s Jack Bloom says according to Malotana, they have applied to Treasury to roll over 780-million-rand into this financial year, but approval has not yet been given:

# The South African Poultry Association has expressed support for president Cyril Ramaphosa’s plan to expand Value-Added-Tax exemptions on essential food items. SAPA urges the inclusion of targeted chicken products, vital for low-income households. Despite efforts to keep prices low, removing the 15-percent VAT would offer immediate relief. The VAT exemption list was last updated in 2018 without including chicken. With rising food prices, SAPA now calls for VAT-free chicken to support poor consumers.

# At least 15 South African election observers who are part of overseeing Venezuela’s presidential elections have condemned Reuters’ fraud allegations, stating them as baseless. The observers, representing groups like the ANC, SACP, and COSATU, have affirmed the process is free, fair, and transparent. They have commended Venezuelan authorities for ensuring a smooth electoral process. The team highlights the high voter turnout and the robust, transparent voting system in place.

# Olympic Games: The South African Zionist Federation urges government to respect Israel’s right to compete in the Olympics. They support Sports, Arts, and Culture minister Gayton McKenzie’s stance against politicising sports and warns that this approach could harm South Africa’s relations with the United States. The federation’s Rolene Marks opposes deputy minister Peace Mabe’s calls to exclude Israel, as it contradicts the Olympics’ values of unity and diversity: 

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-33-cents and the euro at 19-rand-86-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-51-cents and Bitcoin trades at 69-thousand-404-dollars-60-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-393-dollars-1-cent a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 80-dollars-22-cents a barrel.

# And finally, a group of scientists have discovered new evidence suggesting complex life on Earth may have begun 1.5-billion-years earlier than previously thought. Working in Gabon, the scientists found signs of animal life in rocks dating back 2.1-billion-years. The organisms were restricted to an inland sea and eventually died out. This theory, which challenges the conventional belief that animal life began around 635-million-years-ago, has sparked debate among scientists.

Stay tuned for more news………….