News 07:00

BULLETIN 13 August 7 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The Impeachment Committee is continuing with its preparatory work
# The death toll from the Lake Kariba ferry tragedy in Zimbabwe has risen to 44
# And rugby: The Bulls coach says they are under-prepared for the All Blacks clash

# Parliament’s Impeachment Committee says it has noted the Constitutional Court’s ruling, denying the direct application for leave to appeal against the Western Cape High Court judgment on president Cyril Ramaphosa’s interdict. The African Transformation Movement had sought to overturn the court’s ruling last month, halting a parliamentary inquiry into Ramaphosa’s handling of a burglary at his Phala Phala farm in Limpopo. Impeachment Committee chairperson Makashule Gana says they will continue with their preparatory work:

# Business Leadership South Africa says the Public Investment Corporation needs a fundamental overhaul of its governance. Last week, the Gauteng High Court overturned the suspension of PIC CEO Patrick Dlamini, ruling that the board that suspended him lacked the authority to do so, as only the Finance Minister holds that power. The Mpati Commission found that ministerial control over board appointments was a primary driver of poor decision-making at the PIC. BLSA Busisiwe Mavuso says the PIC board must have full authority over the executive, free from political interference.

# Cape Forum says former Coloured military veterans should be considered in efforts to fight gangs and the drug trade in the Western Cape. The organisation believes experienced former soldiers from the South African Cape Corps could strengthen community safety if policing powers are devolved to the province. The forum’s Heindrich Wyngaard says many Coloured military veterans continue to struggle to access recognition and benefits. Wyngaard calls for policing powers to be devolved to the province to strengthen the fight against crime.

# The death toll from the Lake Kariba ferry disaster in Zimbabwe has risen to 44. An overcrowded ferry carrying about 120 people, including children and five crew members, capsized after it hit large waves. According to Zimbabwe’s Civil Protection Unit, the boat had a capacity of 90 people. So far, 77 people have been rescued. President Emmerson Mnangagwa has declared a state of disaster, as search and rescue operations intensify. Lake Kariba is the world’s largest human-made lake by volume, stretching along Zimbabwe’s northern border with Zambia.

# Rugby: Bulls coach Johan Ackermann says they are relishing the chance to test themselves against the All Blacks at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday. The Bulls have had to split their pre-season to accommodate this one-off game, as ordinarily they would have just returned from their off-season break. The All Blacks have defeated both the Stormers and Sharks in their opening two games of the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour. Ackermann says ideally he would have liked to get some players match-fit:

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-13-cents and the euro at 18-rand-59-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-77-cents and Bitcoin trades at 63-thousand-382-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-426-dollars-30-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 90-dollars-49-cents a barrel.

# And finally: Singapore and South Korea have removed American grocery store Trader Joe’s popular Everything But the Bagel seasoning from online platforms because it contains poppy seeds. The seeds can be contaminated with opiates during harvesting. Both countries have strict policies towards controlled drugs. South Korean tests reportedly found morphine and codeine in the product. Singapore has removed more than 20 online listings and urged anyone with the seasoning to dispose of it. Officials warn products legally sold overseas can be classified as controlled substances or prohibited imports in other countries.

Stay tuned for more news………….