News 09:00

BULLETIN 19 August 9 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Minister Manamela welcomes the Public Protector’s findings
# Cosatu supports the South African National Petroleum Company Bill
# And, the former Ukrainian Defence minister calls for a wartime presidential election

# Minister of Higher Education and Training, Buti Manamela, has welcomed the Public Protector’s findings on systemic inefficiencies at the National Student Financial Aid Scheme. A damning report by Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka found that 40-thousand eligible students were left unfunded, despite a three-billion-rand allocation between 2024 and 2027 aimed at supporting the missing middle. The department’s spokesperson, Matshepo Seedat, says the issues identified by Gcaleka were among longstanding challenges that contributed to the minister’s decision to place the scheme under administration:

# Union federation Cosatu says it supports the South African National Petroleum Company Bill as it could help unlock jobs in the gas, petroleum and energy sectors. The bill provides for the establishment of a state-owned company, giving effect to the Cabinet decision of 10 June 2020 to merge PetroSA, South African Gas Development Company and the Strategic Fuel Fund Association. Cosatu’s Matthew Parks says if managed correctly, the state-owned company can help end duplicating mandates, save costs and ensure better coordination:

# Trade union Solidarity has called on security company G4S and the Department of Correctional Services to urgently meet over about 50 employees at the Mangaung Correctional Centre in the Free State who have been without their usual salaries since last month. Workers are caught between an ongoing legal dispute over the takeover of the facility. The union’s Theunis van Staden has urged both parties to agree on interim financial relief and support:

# Former Ukrainian Defence minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, has called for a wartime presidential election, arguing that democracy cannot be held hostage by Russia. The 35-year-old’s sacking last month triggered a wave of protests. He has been credited with energising the ministry, heading a drive against corruption and using data to analyse and improve performance on the front line. In a video posted on YouTube, Fedorov says Ukraine was facing a systemic crisis of governance, adding that the country has to restore a full democratic process even amid a prolonged war.

# Tennis: World number one Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus needed just 54-minutes to defeat China’s Wang Xinyu, 6-1, 6-3, and book her place in the Cincinnati Open round of 16. 2023 champion Coco Gauff secured her spot in the fourth round after a 6-1, 7-6 win over fellow American Ann Li. In the men’s draw, fifth-seeded American Taylor Fritz saw off Spain’s Daniel Merida, 6-3, 6-4, while his compatriot American Brandon Nakashima defeated Russia’s Daniil Medvedev, 6-7, 7-6, 6-1 to reach the round of 16.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-24-cents and the euro at 18-rand-81-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-99-cents, and Bitcoin trades at 64-thousand-307-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-350-dollars-89-cents a fine ounce, and Brent crude oil is quoted at 93-dollars-22-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….