News 17:00

BULLETIN 7 August 5 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The ANC admits to poor implementation of economic policies amid a World Bank report
# The Post Office seeks private partners to upgrade its digital and delivery services
# And, Olympic Games: An Australian hockey player is arrested in Paris for allegedly trying to buy cocaine

# The ANC says its economic policies are sound but admitted poor implementation hinders progress. This comes as the World Bank names South Africa the most unequal society globally, with rising unemployment. Head of the ANC’s Economic Transformation Committee, Mamoloko Kubayi, cites the rapid population growth as a challenge, outpacing housing and infrastructure. She highlights the need for data-driven decision-making to enhance policy effectiveness.

# The South African Post Office seeks private partners to upgrade its digital and delivery services. This forms part of government’s plan to inject private capital into state-owned entities in order to future-proof the organisation. The upgrade will include limited postal services at smaller retailers mainly located in rural areas where Post Office branches have been closed down. Other upgrades involve e-platforms and the upgrading or refurbishing of properties.

# Chief Justice Raymond Zondo has reiterated calls for nominations to fill a long-standing Constitutional Court vacancy. Zondo’s office received three nominations, insufficient for shortlisting. Nominations are due 30 August with interviews in October, alongside nominees for the Supreme Court of Appeal and the Western Cape High Court. Zondo emphasised the importance of filling this position:

# The DA is urging that attacks on social workers in the Western Cape be classified as attacks on the state due to a significant rise in incidents. The party argues with nearly one attack per week, social workers are increasingly targeted and hijacked by criminal syndicates. The DA’s Wendy Kaizer-Philander calls for harsher penalties for perpetrators, as these attacks disrupt essential social services to assist vulnerable people:  

# Olympic Games: French police have arrested an Australian hockey player for allegedly trying to purchase cocaine in Paris. The 28-year-old hasn’t been charged yet. The Australian Olympic Committee is making arrangements to support the athlete. He is reportedly on his second Games after winning the silver medal with the team at the previous Games in Tokyo. Both national teams, known as the Hockeyroos and the Kookaburras, were eliminated in the quarterfinals earlier this week.

# And, the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-32-cents and the euro at 20-rand-1-cent. One British pound costs 23-rand-30-cents and Bitcoin trades at 57-thousand-164-dollars-41-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-402-dollars-67-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 77-dollars-86-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….