News 15:00
BULLETIN 7 July 3 pm
Good afternoon. I am……..
In this bulletin:
# The Madlanga commission hears about an alleged VBS information leak from Khan to Malema
# The World Health Organization warns Europe may face more deadly heatwaves
# And rugby: The Wallabies are hit with a double injury blow ahead of their clash with France
# The Madlanga commission has heard claims that senior police officer Feroz Khan shared confidential police information linked to a VBS Bank fraud complaint with EFF leader Julius Malema. WhatsApp messages read by evidence leader Michael Chaskalson claimed VBS curator Anoosh Rooplal’s home address was passed to Malema through businessman Mohamed Sayed. Chaskalson says former VBS chairperson Tshifhiwa Matodzi alleged in a plea agreement that Malema and the EFF received millions-of-rand in bribes:
Meanwhile, the Freedom Front Plus has asked the Public Protector to investigate the process that led to the precautionary suspension of Tshwane’s city manager. Johann Mettler is accused of serious financial misconduct, maladministration and gross dereliction. The FF Plus’s Grandi Theunissen says there is strong suspicion this decision is politically motivated and linked to Mettler’s stance on certain tender processes currently under investigation by the Madlanga commission:
# Education activist, Hendrick Makaneta, has welcomed the clearing of the backlog of pit toilets identified in the Department of Basic Education’s 2018 Sanitation Appropriate for Education initiative. Three-thousand-372 schools identified in the 2018 audit have now been provided with safe and appropriate sanitation facilities, benefitting over three million learners. Makaneta has hailed this achievement as a testament to what can be accomplished when the well-being of children is prioritised:
Moving abroad:
# The World Health Organization has warned Europe could face more deadly weeks ahead, with another intense heatwave forming over the Atlantic. Regional director for Europe Hans Kluge held an emergency call with representatives from 41 countries in the region, the European Commission and civil society groups to discuss lessons from the recent heatwave and heat health action plans. France, the Netherlands and Belgium recorded three-thousand-700 deaths due to the heatwave, with temperatures reaching 40-degrees Celsius.
# Rugby: Flyhalf Carter Gordon and forward Tom Hooper have been ruled out of Australia’s Nations Championship clash against France in Brisbane on Saturday. Gordon will also miss next week’s match against Italy in Perth after picking up a calf injury in their narrow 31-33 defeat to Ireland last weekend. Hooper has sustained a shoulder injury. Uncapped flyhalf Harry McLaughlin-Phillips has been drafted as cover for Gordon, but Ben Donaldson is likely to start against France after replacing Gordon early in the second half against Ireland.
# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-23-cents and the euro at 18-rand-56-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-73-cents and Bitcoin trades at 63-thousand-139-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-143-dollars-91-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 72-dollars-67-cents a barrel.
Stay tuned for more news………….