News 15:00
BULLETIN 6 August 3 pm
Good afternoon. I am……..
In this bulletin:
# South Africa objects to the abuse of national symbols in Morocco during Zuma’s visit
# The Road Traffic Infringement Agency confirms the demerit system is to commence in December
# And rugby: Overseas-based players can now play for Australia after the Giteau Law was rescinded
# The Department of International Relations and Cooperation says it has registered its strong objection regarding circumstances around the recent visit of former president and leader of the MK Party, Jacob Zuma, to Morocco. The ministry’s spokesperson, Chrispin Phiri, says Zuma held a meeting in Rabat last month with minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, Nasser Bourita. He says the department strongly protests the use of South Africa’s national symbols:
# The Road Traffic Infringement Agency will begin phasing in the long-awaited demerit point system from 1 December, starting with 69 municipalities. RTIA spokesperson, Monde Mkalipi, told Newzroom Afrika a further 144 municipalities will follow from the first of April next year. The system targets serious road offences linked to high fatalities. Mkalipi emphasised that repeat offenders may lose their licences, while a 50-percent fine discount and dispute resolution mechanism will be available:
# The Federation for Sustainable Environment has called for a specialised detective unit to tackle illegal mining after over 500 illegal miners were arrested at Sheba Gold Mine in Barberton, Mpumalanga. CEO Mariette Liefferink says policy alone isn’t enough and South Africa needs better enforcement and cooperation from the police and Hawks. She warns that poor regulation and lack of closure certificates leave mines vulnerable to infiltration by illegal miners.
# The City of Cape Town, in partnership with the Cape Animal Welfare Forum, will embark on a mass sterilisation project. The project, funded by the metro for the past 12-years, will take place in areas including Ravensmead, Elsies River and Bellville South. Mayoral committee member for Community Services and Health, Francine Higham, says since 2013, 17-thousand-876 animals have been sterilised at a cost of nearly eight-million-rand:
# Rugby: All overseas-based Australian players will be able to play for the Wallabies in future after Rugby Australia relaxed its policy that heavily favoured home-based players. It indicated the end of the so-called Giteau Law, named after former fly-half Matt Giteau. The law, adopted in 2015, allowed overseas-based players only to play for the Wallabies if they had played 60 Tests for Australia, and seven Super Rugby seasons. The decision was apparently made after Test stars Will Skelton, Tom Hooper and Taniela Tupou all moved to European clubs.
# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-82-cents and the euro at 20-rand-70-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-75-cents and Bitcoin trades at 114-thousand-250-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-366-dollars-33-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 68-dollars-44-cents a barrel.
Stay tuned for more news………….