News 06:00

BULLETIN 3 August 6 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# President Ramaphosa says there is no crisis at the Public Investment Corporation
# The DA challenges the Expropriation Act in the High Court
# And rugby: The Pumas beat Boland to secure their first victory of the Currie Cup season

# President Cyril Ramaphosa says government acted swiftly to deal with the governance challenges at the Public Investment Corporation, but there is no crisis. The PIC has a new board led by deputy minister in the Presidency for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Seiso Mohai. CEO Patrick Dlamini is currently suspended. Speaking on the sidelines of the ANC’s voter registration drive in Emalahleni, Mpumalanga yesterday, Ramaphosa emphasised that the PIC is an important institution that needs to be safeguarded:

# The DA leader  Geordin Hill-Lewis has announced that the party begins its constitutional challenge of the Expropriation Act in the Western Cape High Court today. He says they are in court because the right to own property is fundamental to freedom, dignity and economic opportunity. Hill-Lewis says no government should be given vague and sweeping powers to take what belongs to South Africans without compensation:

# Police say investigations on a consignment of cocaine worth an estimated 28-million-rand are ongoing to identify and apprehend those involved in the attempted smuggling operation. Police spokesperson, Athlenda Mathe, says the cargo, which had arrived at OR Tambo International Airport in Kempton Park, Ekurhuleni, on Friday on a flight from São Paulo, Brazil, with 95 kilograms of cocaine, was intercepted immediately upon arrival. She says no arrests have been made so far:

# The Food and Allied Workers Union has strongly condemned what it considers to be ongoing intimidation and pressure directed at its members during the protected strike at Heineken Beverages South Africa in Sandton, Johannesburg. FAWU spokesperson Richard Aphane says Heineken has offered workers a five-percent wage increase, while the union members are demanding a 7-percent across-the-board wage increase. He says workers continue to demonstrate discipline, unity and commitment throughout the ongoing protected strike. He adds they remain committed to resolving this dispute through lawful collective bargaining.

# US president Donald Trump says he has agreed to hold off strikes against Iran for now, provided a deal is struck rapidly to end the conflict. This follows reports that America and Israel were planning new, intense strikes on Tehran. In a post on Truth Social, he says he was asked by Iran and other countries in the Middle East to hold off any attack on Iran. Trump reiterated that any agreement must include the complete and total reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and an end to Iran’s nuclear threat.

# Rugby: The Pumas secured a hard-fought 20-15 win against the Boland Kavaliers in Wellington, their first victory in the 2026 Currie Cup season. Flyhalf Nevaldo Fleurs produced a man-of-the-match performance, contributing 15 points, which included a try to help the visitors to victory. The Pumas have moved up to sixth on the log, while Boland, after their first defeat of the campaign, sit fourth at the end of round three. There were also victories for the Griquas, Lions and Stormers-23 over the weekend.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-45-cents and the euro at 19-rand. One British pound costs 22-rand-21-cents and Bitcoin trades at 63-thousand-355-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-66-dollars-6-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 87-dollars-83-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….