News 13:00

BULLETIN 12 August 1 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The Border Management Authority intercepts over four-thousand undocumented foreign nationals trying to re-enter South Africa
# The Presidency rebukes Eskom’s chairperson over his restructuring concerns
# And rugby: Ma’a Nonu’s response to the haka reverberates throughout the rugby world

# The Border Management Authority says the recent mass repatriations have not deterred foreign nationals from trying to re-enter South Africa. A total of 89-thousand-936 people had been repatriated through the country’s ports of entry by August 7, at a cost of almost 293-million-rand. The BMA has intercepted four-thousand-229 individuals who have tried to enter the country without valid documents from borders with Zimbabwe, Lesotho and Mozambique between April first and July 31st. BMA commissioner Michael Masiapato says they have now enforced stricter entry measures.

# The Presidency has rebuked Eskom chairperson Mteto Nyati for publicly questioning plans to restructure the power utility. He has warned transferring transmission assets could affect lending agreements, accounting and bondholders. Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya says government is committed to ensuring Eskom does not emerge financially weaker from the unbundling process. He says Eskom’s concerns have been discussed with government, while Treasury prepares to engage lenders over the planned separation of the transmission business.

# The Motor Industry Staff Association is raising concern over the rising unemployment rate, which reached 33.6-percent between April and June. According to the union, 345-thousand more people became unemployed, while youth unemployment rose to 47.4-percent. MISA’s Phakamile Hlubi-Majola calls on the government, business and labour to work together to create permanent jobs, invest in skills and support small businesses to help address the growing jobs crisis:

# Gauteng Education MEC Lebogang Maile ordered an urgent investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct involving educators and learners at Curtis Nkondo School of Specialisation in Emdeni, Soweto. The department’s Onwabile Lubhelwana says it is investigating a complaint by a Grade 11 learner against a teacher as well as broader allegations involving other teachers. He says the investigation will establish whether complaints were previously reported and whether officials acted appropriately:

# Rugby: All Blacks legend Ma’a Nonu’s lone response to his former teammate’s haka is still reverberating throughout the rugby world. The 44-year-old veteran of 103 Tests played for the Sharks against New Zealand in Durban. Everyone at King’s Park, including the players on the field, stood in awe when Nonu showed the opponents the ultimate sign of Maori respect, accepting the visitors’ challenge on behalf of the hosts. The All Blacks ultimately won 54-0, but Nonu’s reply will probably be remembered rather than the score.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-15-cents and the euro at 18-rand-63-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-82-cents and Bitcoin trades at 63-thousand-898-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-414-dollars-37-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 91-dollars-87-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….