News 17:00

BULLETIN 11 July pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# AZAPO urges the prosecution of politicians linked to the VBS bank looting
# The former Health ombud calls for accountability post the Life Esidimeni ruling
# And, rugby: Veteran Slipper captains the Wallabies against Wales in Melbourne

# AZAPO has urged the National Prosecution Authority to swiftly prosecute politicians implicated in the VBS Mutual Bank looting scandal. The party expressed disappointment over the 15-year sentence of former board chairperson Tshifhiwa Matodzi, criticising it as lenient given the severity of his crimes. Almost two-billion-rand was looted from the bank. AZAPO’s Jabu Rakwena urges the NPA to bring all implicated individuals to justice and provide restitution to the victims:

# Former Health ombud Malegapuru Makgoba insists senior officials should face accountability following the Life Esidimeni ruling. Makgoba exposed the patient transfers to unlicensed NGOs in 2017, leading to an inquiry. Over 140 psychiatric patients have died. The High Court in Pretoria found former Gauteng Health MEC Qedani Mahlangu and former Mental Health head Makgabo Manamela culpable of negligence. Makgoba told Newzroom Afrika there is a need for improved health services in South Africa:

# The Western Cape Education Department says schools in the Cape Winelands and Overberg education districts will remain closed tomorrow. This decision follows severe weather conditions that have caused extensive road damage and flooding, posing safety risks for learners and teachers. Education MEC David Maynier says affected schools are expected to reopen on Monday, pending ongoing assessments and repairs to damaged infrastructure across the province:

# The International Energy Agency lowered its forecasts as it said world oil demand growth continues to slow and consumption in China dipped. The Paris-based body that advises industrial nations on energy policy said oil demand increased by just 710-thousand barrels per day in the second quarter, the slowest rate in over a year. Oil consumption in China, long the engine of global oil demand growth, contracted in both April and May. Chinese demand in the second quarter was also marginally below the same period in 2023.

# Rugby: Veteran prop James Slipper will captain the Wallabies in Saturday’s second Test against Wales in Melbourne in place of Liam Wright, who was injured during last weekend’s 25-16 victory over the Welshman in the first Test in Sydney. Charlie Cale, who replaced Wright, gets his first start at number eight, while Rob Valetini moves to blindside flanker. This is the only change Joe Schmidt made to his starting 15.

# And, the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-97-cents and the euro at 19-rand-57-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-23-cents and Bitcoin trades at 58-thousand-727-dollars-76-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-405-dollars-1-cent a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 85-dollars-1-cent a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….