Transcript

Hello everyone, welcome to “Just a Moment News.” I’m Erika, and today’s date is August 30, 2024. Let’s dive into today’s news stories.

First, Dr. Sandile Buthelezi, the Director-General of South Africa’s Department of Health, found himself in a legal tussle as he sought a court order to block the Hawks, South Africa’s Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, from accessing his personal cellphone. This device was seized during a raid and is believed to contain information pertinent to two significant investigations: the Digital Vibes scandal and an alleged bribery scheme involving five hundred thousand Rand. Although Buthelezi initially secured a temporary order to halt the Hawks’ access, he later withdrew his legal challenge, allowing the investigation to proceed.

Moving on, Cell C’s CEO, Jorge Mendes, is facing a challenging task. The company’s latest financial results for 2024 show a decline in revenue from eleven point nine billion Rand to eleven point three billion Rand. Despite these challenges, Mendes is optimistic about a new turnaround plan which relies on corporate culture enhancements and strategic partnerships with MTN and Vodacom. The plan’s success, however, remains to be seen.

Next, we have an intriguing development in South Africa’s grocery delivery market. Zulzi, a company founded by Vutlharhi “Donald” Valoyi in 2013, has been instrumental in the success of Checkers Sixty60, the leading on-demand grocery delivery service in South Africa. With over five thousand daily orders and a rapid delivery time of seventeen minutes, Zulzi’s technology has propelled Sixty60’s growth, even post-pandemic.

In Cape Town, there’s talk about reviving the historic tramway system as a solution to the city’s transport woes. A feasibility study is currently assessing the potential for this project, which aims to reduce traffic congestion and enhance transportation efficiency. The Young Urbanists team, led by Luke van Wyk, is at the forefront of this initiative, hoping to blend modern technology with historical elements.

From Namibia, we hear of a drastic measure due to a severe drought—the worst in a century. The government plans to cull 723 wild animals, including 83 elephants, to provide food for nearly half of its 1.4 million population facing hunger. This controversial decision aims to manage the dwindling food resources and mitigate dangerous human-animal encounters.

In the realm of science, Indian physicists Aninda Sinha and Arnab Priya Saha have made a breakthrough by discovering a new series representation of pi. This discovery, which emerged unexpectedly from their work on string theory and quantum physics, could revolutionize high-precision calculations in various scientific fields.

Lastly, Netflix’s new anime series “Terminator Zero” is offering a fresh take on the Terminator franchise. Set in Tokyo and featuring new characters, this series aims to rejuvenate the franchise with its unique narrative and visual style, despite some criticisms regarding its pacing and predictability.

That wraps up our news for today. Thank you for tuning in to “Just a Moment News.” I’m Erika, and I’ll see you next time.

Keywords - moment, daily, news