News 17:00
BULLETIN 13 August 5 pm
Good afternoon. I am……..
In this bulletin:
# Former speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula wants the corruption charges against her dropped
# Iran says there is no progress on reviving the interim peace deal with the US
# And soccer: Banyana Banyana is ready for a crucial World Cup playoff against Nigeria
# Former National Assembly speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula will ask for the withdrawal of corruption charges against her. She faces 12 corruption counts and a money-laundering charge after allegedly accepting bribes while serving as Defence minister. Mapisa-Nqakula has consistently denied wrongdoing. The high Court in Pretoria postponed the case to next Thursday while the defence is awaiting evidence transcripts from at least 16 witnesses. If the application is successful, Mapisa-Nqakula will be acquitted without having to testify or call witnesses in her defence.
# Statistics South Africa says manufacturing production fell by 1.7-percent in June compared with the same month last year. The decline was mainly driven by weaker production in food and beverages, wood and paper products, and motor vehicles. Production increased slightly from May. Stats SA’s Nicolai Claassen says manufacturing sales also fell by 1.6-percent in June, although sales increased by 0.6-percent between April and June:
# Forum for South Africa is calling for urgent government intervention after Higher Education Minister Buti Manamela announced an estimated 15-billion-rand National Student Financial Aid Scheme funding shortfall across universities and TVET colleges. The forum’s spokesperson Tebogo Mashilompane says qualifying students should not be denied access to education because of financial or governance failures. He is demanding greater transparency, stronger financial oversight and a review of the student funding model:
# Iran and the United States remain at loggerheads over efforts to agree to a permanent end to the war in the Gulf. A senior Iranian source told Reuters there had been no progress in talks to revive the interim deal agreed in June and efforts to define a time frame for implementation. The comments came as US President Donald Trump issued yet another verbal attack against Iran’s leaders. The Persian Gulf Strait Authority, the body Iran set up to manage the waterway, said it remains blocked and will not be reopened until Iran’s conditions are accepted.
# Soccer: Banyana Banyana coach Desiree Ellis says they will need to bring their A game when they face old rivals Nigeria in Morocco tonight. The winner will advance to the FIFA Inter-confederation play-offs and remain in contention for a place at next year’s World Cup in Brazil. Both teams failed to reach the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations semifinals, which would have guaranteed automatic qualification. Ellis expects a tough game:
# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-11-cents against the rand and the euro at 18-rand-60-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-77-cents and Bitcoin trades at 63-thousand-636-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-393-dollars-21-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 89-dollars-36-cents a barrel.
Stay tuned for more news………….