News 14:00

BULLETIN 18 September 2 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Statistics SA reports a third consecutive month of slowing inflation, now at 4.4-percent
# SCOPA chair says there are improvements around irregular expenditure at Prasa
# And golf: Jordan Spieth is aiming to return to the PGA Tour by the start of next season

# Statistics South Africa reports that consumer inflation has slowed for the third consecutive month, dropping to 4.4-percent in August from 4.6-percent in July. This marks the lowest inflation rate since April 2021. Lower annual inflation rates were seen in transport, housing, and restaurants, while food and non-alcoholic beverages, alcoholic drinks and tobacco, saw increases. Stats SA’s Patrick Kelly, says food inflation increased to 4.7-percent, driven by higher prices for bread, cereals, and dairy:

# The chairperson of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts, Songezo Zibi, says there is improvements relating to irregular expenditure at the Passenger Rail Agency. During the committee briefing in parliament yesterday, the Auditor General announced that Prasa spent 3.8-billion-rand on irregular expenditure in the 2022/2023 financial year, compared to the 3.3-billion-rand in 2021/2022 financial year. Ziba says the committee will continue to help the agency deliver its mandate:

# The Western Cape Department of Agriculture has announced a new partnership aimed at advancing agricultural technology and supporting local farmers. The collaboration with the American agricultural machinery manufacturer CASE IH, was marked by a memorandum of understanding signed by Mogale Sebopetsa and Stephan Nel, focusing on precision agriculture and innovation. MEC Ivan Meyer highlighted the importance of this investment for economic growth, export potential, and technological advancement in the region.

# Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates says malnutrition is the world’s worst child health crisis, and climate change will only make things more severe. According to a report by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, between now and 2050, 40-million more children will have stunted growth. Twenty-eight million more will suffer from wasting, the most extreme and irreversible form of malnutrition, as a result of climate change. Gates says around 90-percent of the negative effect of climate change works through the food system.

# Golf: Three-time major winner Jordan Spieth says he is expecting to make his return to the PGA Tour early next year after undergoing wrist surgery. The 31-year-old dealt with wrist issues since May last year, when he injured it while playing with his son. He resisted surgery at the time, opting for a rest-and-recovery strategy. The American finally had surgery last month. Spieth says his recovery is progressing well:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-56-cents and the euro at 19-rand-56-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-23-cents and Bitcoin trades at 59-thousand-604-dollars-13-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-574-dollars-89-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 72-dollars-70-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….