News 07:00

BULLETIN 21 August 7 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Minister Lamola calls for South Africa-Zimbabwe ties to deliver tangible economic opportunities
# The Madlanga Commission condemns the intimidation of journalists
# And, the PRASA ministerial task team is given more time to explore alternatives to retrenchments

# Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, says South Africa and Zimbabwe must translate their strong bilateral relationship into tangible economic opportunities, including investment, trade, jobs, infrastructure and improved livelihoods. He addressed the Ministerial Meeting segment of the Fourth Session of the South Africa–Zimbabwe Bi-National Commission in Pretoria yesterday. Since the commission was established in April 2015, more than 33 agreements and memoranda of understanding have been concluded. Lamola says the bilateral cooperation must contribute to wider regional integration:

# The Madlanga Commission has condemned the intimidation of journalists attending the hearings in Pretoria, saying members of the media have the constitutional right to execute their duties. This follows the arrest of controversial businessman Stuart James Scharnick, after he allegedly confronted and threatened Sowetan journalist Herman Moloi for filming him without permission during the tea break yesterday. Commission spokesperson Jeremy Michael says disorderly behaviour will not be tolerated on the premises of the public hearings:

# Minister of Transport Barbara Creecy has extended the notice period for the retrenchment of employees at the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa. This is to allow the Ministerial Task Team more time to explore alternatives for 227 employees. Of the 580 affected employees, 43 have accepted early retirement packages, while 102 have been matched and placed in identified vacancies across PRASA divisions and departments. A further 208 protection services employees have been ring-fenced pending the conclusion of engagements with Transnet on the transfer of stations and related assets.

# The DA has urged Parliament to hold Eskom and regulators accountable over pollution at the Kusile power station in Mpumalanga. According to the party, a Supreme Court of Appeal judgment found that pollution limits were breached and enforcement was weak. The DA’s Kevin Mileham wants an urgent joint parliamentary hearing to establish whether the environmental failures affected Kusile’s financing agreements and whether lenders and the National Treasury were informed:

# The Democratic Republic of the Congo will receive Ervebo vaccines from the global Ebola virus disease vaccine stockpile for use in the current Bundibugyo virus disease outbreak. The death toll stands at two-thousand-476. The International Coordinating Group on Vaccine Provision will release an initial 70-thousand doses of the Ervebo vaccine. Of these, 20-thousand doses will support a phase three clinical trial, while 50-thousand doses will be used for frontline workers. The World Health Organisation says it is not known whether Ervebo may be protective against the Bundibugyo virus.

# Rugby: The Bulls-15 have included three uncapped players in their squad for tomorrow night’s Currie Cup match against the Stormers-23 at Loftus, with the hosts looking for their first victory of the season. Loosehead prop Arno Gustafson and outside centre Pieter van der Merwe will make their debuts in the starting team, and hooker Duwan Potgieter should get his first chance from the bench. Scrumhalf Keagan Johannes will captain the Bulls, with Devon Williams at flyhalf.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-10-cents and the euro at 18-rand-81-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-96-cents and Bitcoin trades at 74-thousand-533-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-530-dollars-47-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 95-dollars-3-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….