News 14:00

BULLETIN 8 August 2 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Cabinet welcomes successes in combating organised crime
# SALGA says municipalities are struggling with water quality and resources
# And, Olympic Games: Simbine sprints the men’s relay team into the final

# Cabinet has applauded recent successes in tackling organised crime, including the arrest of over 700 suspects. This includes a notable operation that led to the dismantling of an illegal military training camp and the apprehension of 95 Libyan nationals in Mpumalanga. Briefing the media, minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni condemned actions by some community leaders that have jeopardised school safety by threatening learners and teachers: 

# The South African Local Government Association has highlighted the importance of collaboration between government levels to ensure access to clean water. Speaking at a SALGA meeting in Polokwane, Limpopo, SALGA president Bheki Stofile said most municipalities, especially rural ones, struggle with water quality and resources. Stofile calls for stronger intergovernmental financial support. In response, Sekhukhune District Municipal mayor Minah Bahula announced the drilling of boreholes as a temporary measure to address water shortages.

Meanwhile, Cape Town’s Water and Sanitation Directorate says it is ready to spend its five-billion-rand council-approved capital budget over the 2024/’25 financial year, which continues to drive key priorities to benefit residents. The total budget is 18-billion-rand, of which five-billion-rand is capital and 13-billion-rand is operational. Mayoral committee member for Water and Sanitation, Zahid Badroodien, says key priorities include building Cape Town’s resilient water future, providing ongoing access to good quality drinking water, and tackling sewer overflows:

# Olympic Games: Akani Simbine ran ‘n brilliant final leg for South Africa’s four-by-100-metre men’s relay team to qualify for the final. He had to come from behind to finish second behind America. South Africa’s other sprinters are Shaun Maswanganyi and teenagers Bayanda Walaza and Bradley Nkoana. Meanwhile Marioné Fourie won her repechage heat to sneak in the backdoor for the semifinal of the 100-metre hurdles for women.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-42-cents and the euro at 20-rand-13-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-36-cents and Bitcoin trades at 57-thousand-345-dollars-29-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-398-dollars-90-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 78-dollars-16-cent a barrel.

# And finally, 15 children are set to receive prosthetic legs through a collaboration between the Walter Sisulu University’s Department of Rehabilitation and the Eastern Cape Health Department. This initiative, commemorating 30 years of democracy, will involve casting and pre-prosthetic fitting visits to Mthatha, Gqeberha, and East London. The university’s Siphosethu Mgwili says they will use paediatric prosthetic components from the university, and the prosthetic legs will be manufactured in Mthatha and distributed at the end of this month.

Stay tuned for more news………….