News 15:00

BULLETIN 27 October 3 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The GOOD Party hits Western Cape MECs with a fraud complaint over a so-called fake budget
# SAFTU calls for a full criminal prosecution of the Tembisa Hospital tender looting scandal
# And cricket: The Australian captain Pat Cummins is ruled out of the first Ashes Test

# The GOOD Party has lodged a fraud complaint against two Western Cape MECs, alleging they knowingly tabled a false provincial budget last year. The complaint was filed at the Cape Town Central Police Station and targets Health and Wellness MEC Mireille Wenger and Education MEC David Maynier. GOOD secretary-general Brett Herron says the 2024 budget underfunded two-thousand-400 teacher posts by 3.8-billion-rand, despite both MECs being aware of the shortfall:

# Union federation SAFTU is calling on the Special Investigating Unit and the National Prosecuting Authority to ensure Hangwani Maumela is joined as an accused in the criminal prosecution of the so-called Matlala case. SAFTU’s Asive Dyani says Maumela was identified as a major figure in the looting of public health funds at Tembisa Hospital and is linked to looting of at least 800-million-rand via shell companies. She says this reflects a structural problem of networks of tender-syndicates in the health sector.

# The MK Party says it remains deeply concerned by the unabated increase in illicit tobacco and alcohol trading, which undermines legitimate industries and deprives the state of critical revenue. MK’s Des van Rooyen says South Africa’s porous ports of entry continue to serve as conduits for smuggling and illicit financial activities, costing South Africa billions of rand in lost revenue and opportunities for job creation:

# The Bureau for Economic Research says the politicisation of economic data could have serious consequences for global economies. It warns that when statistics are not credible or independent, governments struggle to plan effectively, businesses lose confidence, and citizens are misled. The bureau cites problems in the US, China, and the United Kingdom, where interference and underfunding have affected data accuracy. In South Africa, concerns remain over inaccurate agricultural gross domestic product data and the credibility of the 2022 Census.

# Cricket: Australian captain Pat Cummins has been ruled out of the first Ashes Test against England. The 32-year-old, who has been sidelined with a lower back injury, will not be fit enough to play the series opener, which starts in Perth on November 21st. Steve Smith will lead the side in Cummins’ absence, while Scott Boland is the likely replacement in the bowling attack. Coach Andrew McDonald says they are hopeful Cummins will be fit for the second Test, starting in Brisbane on December 4th:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-21-cents and the euro at 20-rand-3-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-96-cents and Bitcoin trades at 115-thousand-270-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-and-30-dollars-19-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 64-dollars-95-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….