News Bulletin of 24 August 2026, 3pm

Headline 1
Smart ID services expanded in Thembisa
Story 1
Thembisa residents now have easier access to Home Affairs services following the launch of expanded Smart ID services at Mall of Thembisa.
The initiative is a partnership between the Department of Home Affairs and ABSA, bringing services closer to communities while making identity documents more secure.
The number of Smart ID access points has grown to 541 nationwide, including 327 bank branches.
The department also plans to add passport applications and secure delivery of Smart ID cards.
Story 1 category
Headline 2
Ladles of Love expands nutrition support for Cape Town preschools
Story 2
Ladles of Love has expanded its Nourish Our Children programme to support 80 more preschool principals and cooks from underserved communities in Cape Town.
The group attended a workshop where they learned how to prepare affordable, nutritious meals using familiar ingredients that children enjoy.
The initiative will now work alongside the participants to improve nutrition at their early childhood development centres, as part of a programme supporting 240 community based ECD leaders.
Story 2 category
Headline 3
Germiston SPCA dogs to enjoy greater freedom
Story 3
Dogs at the Bedfordview Germiston SPCA will benefit from new running chains donated by Silvasons Hardware and Building Supplies.
The systems allow dogs to move along a cable between two fixed points, giving them more space to exercise while keeping them safely contained.
The project will be especially helpful for animals that would otherwise spend much of their time restricted to short chains.
Story 3 category
Financial Indicators headline
Financial Indicators
Financial indicators
Your financial indicators for this hour:

The Rand is trading at 16.00 to the US Dollar, 21.83 to the British Pound, and 18.67 to the Euro.

Gold is trading at 4,660.52 dollars a fine ounce, Brent Crude Oil is at
94.39 per barrel, and a Bitcoin will set you back 79,187.00.
Teaser / Tailpiece headline
Telemedicine brings healthcare closer to patients in Côte d’Ivoire
Teaser / Tailpiece story
Telemedicine and home visits are helping bring healthcare closer to patients in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, where traffic and long distances can make accessing hospitals difficult.
Medical services such as MOBIDOC and Umed allow patients to consult doctors remotely or have healthcare professionals visit them at home.
Côte d’Ivoire has also introduced a national telemedicine platform, connecting patients with qualified doctors through video and voice consultations, digital prescriptions and ongoing health monitoring.
Split analysis
Local: 138 words (66%), National: 70 words (34%), International: 0 words (0%)