News 14:00

BULLETIN 9 September 2 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# South Africa’s economy picks up slightly at 0.8-percent in the second quarter
# Water and Sanitation says a Sunday Times article about water board members earning almost 50-million-rand is misleading
# And rugby: All Blacks centre Quinn Tupaea re-signs through to 2027

# South Africa’s economy grew by 0.8-percent from April to June, up from 0.1-percent in the previous quarter. Growth was supported by mining, manufacturing, and trade, with strong performance in platinum, gold, chemicals, and motor industries. Household spending on goods, clothing, and hospitality also helped. Releasing the results of the gross domestic product, Statistician-general Risenga Maluleke said transport and construction fell, and exports dropped by 3.2-percent, weighing on the economy:

# The Water and Sanitation Department says the Sunday Time article, ‘Splashing out, Dry Taps as Water Boards drown in excess’ referring to board members earning almost 50-million-rand a year in board fees, is misleading. The department’s spokesperson, Wisane Mavasa, says the maximum amount earned by a board member in the last financial year was 1.7-million-rand. She adds the statement in the article that some board members are pocketing as much as 100-thousand-rand per meeting is also misleading:

# State-owned digital distributor, Sentech, has warned it will switch off the SABC’s signal by December if the broadcaster fails to settle its one-billion-rand debt. The SABC wants to renegotiate signal costs, while delays in passing the SABC Bill to create a new funding model, add to the crisis. The chairperson of Parliament’s Communications committee, Khusela Diko, says urgent intervention is needed to save the SABC from collapsing and secure jobs and community broadcasting:

# Rugby: All Blacks centre Quinn Tupaea has renewed his contract with New Zealand Rugby and the Chiefs until the end of 2027. The 26-year-old enjoyed a standout Super Rugby Pacific campaign this year, which earned him the recall to the national side for the first time since 2022. The All Blacks’ 24-17 victory over the Springboks at Eden Park on Saturday, in which Tupaea scored a try off the bench, was his 18th Test. He says he is excited to continue his journey with both club and country.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-46-cents and the euro at 20-rand-54-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-72-cents and Bitcoin trades at 112-thousand-917-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-654-dollars-10-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 66-dollars-33-cents a barrel.

# And finally: This year, PNA has set its sights on raising 2.5-million-rand, as part of its annual nationwide fundraising event, designed to uplift South African and Namibian communities. The fundraising campaign, which started on Nelson Mandela Day, July 18th, concludes with the PNA Funky Socks Day on Friday. The event supports four vital non-profit organisations, Breadline Africa, CHOC Childhood Cancer Foundation SA, Rally to Read, and Matla a Bana. On Friday, people are encouraged to purchase a sticker for just ten-rand and wear their funkiest socks.

Stay tuned for more news………….