News 14:00

BULLETIN 10 July 2 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Eskom’s CEO earned 11.7-million-rand in the previous financial year
# Solidarity challenges Tshwane over its city manager’s suspension
# And rugby: The experienced Allan and Lynagh are in Italy’s starting-15 for the All Blacks Test

# Eskom group CEO Dan Marokane received a total remuneration package of 11.728-million-rand in the previous financial year. The utility says the package reflects performance after returning to profitability, with a pre-tax profit of 23.9-billion-rand. Employee costs rose to 45.4-billion-rand, including 5.4-billion-rand in performance incentives aimed at retaining critical skills. Despite operational gains, Eskom continues to face major financial challenges, including 111-billion-rand in municipal debt and 254-billion-rand in government debt relief.

# Solidarity is challenging the City of Tshwane over the precautionary suspension of municipal manager Johann Mettler. The trade union says it has formally requested the metro to halt what it describes as an unlawful process and is considering urgent court action. Solidarity’s Anton van der Bijl argues the suspension is irrational, unconstitutional and politically motivated. He says Mettler was suspended pending an independent investigation:

# Trade union COSATU has backed its affiliate, SACCAWU, in opposing Sun International’s retrenchment process. COSATU’s Zanele Sabela alleges retrenchments were implemented before consultation processes had been completed, in breach of the Labour Relations Act. She says SACCAWU will pursue legal action to protect affected workers and has called on Sun International to suspend the retrenchment process:

# The South African government and the United Nations have signed a five-year Cooperation Framework Agreement in Pretoria today, to support the country’s development priorities and the Sustainable Development Goals. Minister of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Maropene Ramokgopa, signed on behalf of South Africa and the UN’s Resident Coordinator Nelson Muffuh, represented the organisation. The agreement, covering the period from this year to 2030, aims to promote inclusive economic growth, reduce inequality, strengthen institutions, and protect the environment.

# Rugby: Experienced fullback Tommaso Allan and Louis Lynagh will play in Italy’s starting-15 when they take on the hopeless task of beating the All Blacks for the first time ever in tomorrow’s Nations Championship match in Wellington. Thirty-three-year-old Allan will play his 91st Test for the Azzurri after coming off the bench in last week’s loss to Japan in Tokyo. South African-born flanker Ross Vintcent was included on the bench.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-28-cents and the euro at 18-rand-61-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-85-cents and Bitcoin trades at 64-thousand-361-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-108-dollars-36-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 76-dollars-10-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….