News 18:00

BULLETIN 11 July 6 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Minister McKenzie is accused of undermining people’s dignity with the publication of relief fund recipients’ names
# Schools in the Cape Winelands and Overberg will remain closed tomorrow due to severe weather
# And, Olympics: Russia compensates 245 athletes not allowed to participate in Paris

# New minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, has received flack for his decision to publish the names of athletes and artists who benefited financially from the department’s Covid-19 relief fund. He is accused of undermining the dignity of recipients who struggled during the harsh limitations. Media personality Sizwe Dhlomo describes the publishing of the list as a political stunt. McKenzie published a second list of beneficiaries today, saying this was public money and South Africans must know who received it.

# 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:

# Action Society has requested a meeting with Police minister Senzo Mchunu to discuss safety reforms. Spokesperson Juanita du Preez highlighted concerns over police corruption and mismanagement, proposing measures like an anti-corruption unit, enhanced whistleblower protection, and regular public reporting. Du Preez says Action Society aims to collaborate with Mchunu to improve public safety and restore trust in law enforcement:

# Alexforbes has noted that not all retirement funds will be two-pot applicable. Pension companies have been sharing more information about how the process will unfold. Alexforbes’ John Anderson has detailed the financial implications of withdrawing from the savings pot as well as the conditions and exclusions to keep in mind. He says the two-pot system aims to balance saving for retirement and addressing immediate short-term needs:

# Olympics: Russia has paid compensation to 245 of its athletes who didn’t meet the criteria to compete in Paris. Although Russia and Belarus are banned from the Games due to the war in Ukraine, some of their athletes are allowed to participate as neutrals provided they do not support the war, and don’t have any connection to the military. Only 16 Russian athletes will compete in Paris in comparison to 355 in the previous Games in Tokyo, where the country won 71 medals, including 20 gold.

# And, the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-97-cents and the euro at 19-rand-55-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-23-cents and Bitcoin trades at 57-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………….