For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Halima Frost.

Making headlines: Govt notes 11% decrease in rhino poaching; Russia says Brics summit to discuss expanding group; And, Bheki Cele promises to restore law and order

Govt notes 11% decrease in rhino poaching

The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment noted a decrease in the number of rhinos killed in the first six months of this year.

In the first half of this year 231 rhinos were killed in South Africa, with the department saying this represents an 11% decrease – or a decline of 28 animals killed for their horn – compared with the same period last year.

Between January 1 and June 30, poaching trends also continued to show a move away from the Kruger National Park to provincial and private reserves, the department added.

It revealed that 42 rhinos were poached in the Kruger National Park and 143 in KwaZulu-Natal from January to June. Forty-six of the rhinos killed were in privately-owned nature reserves and 143 in provincially-owned reserves.

In marking World Ranger Day on July 31, the DFFE honoured the bravery and dedication of the men and women who run the country’s ranger services and who are on the front line of the battle against wildlife poaching.

Russia says Brics summit to discuss expanding group

The Kremlin said that expanding the Brics group of nations would be a topic high on the agenda of the group's upcoming summit in South Africa on August 22 to 24.

Brics' current members are Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. South Africa said last month that more than 40 other nations had expressed interest in joining the grouping, which seeks to offset the perceived hegemony of the US-led West in global affairs.

While acknowledging "nuances" within the current five-nation group about expanding its membership, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the fact that such a debate was taking place "testifies to the great potential of the association, its growing authority".

Russia has boosted economic, military and other ties with China, India and various African and Latin American states after Moscow's launch of full-scale military operations in Ukraine in February 2022 prompted Western economic sanctions.

Russia will be represented at the summit by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, not by President Vladimir Putin.

And, Bheki Cele promises to restore law and order

Police Minister Bheki Cele assured protesting Riverlea residents that his troops would go toe-to-toe with armed illegal miners who were wreaking havoc in the area.

Cele arrived in the area yesterday to address angry residents.

Residents had barricaded roads to complain about illegal miners, who regularly exchanged fire in clashes related to illegal mining activities.

Videos of the illegal miners, including footage showing high calibre weapons being fired, are doing the rounds on social media.

Residents complained that they slept on the floor to avoid stray bullets.

The minister claimed the police had identified openings used by the illegal miners to go underground.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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