News 07:00
BULLETIN26 August 7 am
Good morning/Good afternoon. I am……..
In this bulletin:
# The ANC is looking for leaders with integrity, competence, and humility
# Canada announces retaliatory tariffs on US goods
# And rugby: The All Blacks fight back to beat the Lions
# ANC Secretary General Fikile Mbalula says the party has approached the candidate selection process with the seriousness it deserves. The party convened an extended National Executive Committee meeting yesterday, the final stage of the national list process before submitting candidates to the Independent Electoral Commission. This is ahead of the November local government elections. Mbalula says that at every stage, emphasis was placed on ensuring that candidates meet the standards required of public representatives:
# Tourism minister Patricia de Lille and Public Works and Infrastructure minister Dean Macpherson have signed a three-year agreement to speed up investment in tourism infrastructure. The partnership aims to turn tourism plans into viable projects that can create jobs and boost economic growth. De Lille says Infrastructure South Africa will provide specialist support to help prepare priority projects and make them more attractive to private investors:
# Trade union Solidarity is threatening legal action against the Department of Correctional Services over the employment of nearly 200 former G4S workers at the Mangaung Correctional Centre in the Free State. According to the union, the Labour Court ordered that the employees be transferred to the department with their existing rights and years of service intact. Solidarity’s Theunis van Staden says some workers remain without salaries and benefits, demanding that the court order be implemented.
# The Centre for Development and Enterprise says the City of Johannesburg’s budget is increasingly disconnected from reality, noting the non-payment of rates and utility bills by residents. This is amid the metro’s lack of service delivery and failing infrastructure. The organisation’s latest report shows unpaid bills owed to Johannesburg rose from 15-billion-rand in 2014/2015 to nearly 72-billion-rand in 2024/2025. Meanwhile, employee-related costs rose by nine-percent over the last decade. The organisation says the metro needs to rebuild confidence in the accuracy of its billing and financial management.
# Canada will impose retaliatory tariffs on a wide range of US goods to the value of about 322.47-billion-rand, effective from the eighth of September. The tariffs, ranging from 15-to-50-percent will hit over 700 US products, including steel and aluminium, furniture, clothing, and fish. This is in response to 50-percent tariffs imposed by president Donald Trump’s administration on a small percentage of Canadian goods after trade talks collapsed. Canadian prime minister Mark Carney says they will negotiate if the US has the right attitude:
# Rugby: The All Blacks completed a clean sweep of South Africa’s franchise sides with a hard-fought 41-35 win over the Lions at Ellis Park in Johannesburg. This follows victories against the Stormers, Sharks, and the Bulls. New Zealand also beat the Springboks 33-16 in the first Test. The Lions played brilliantly in the first half, taking their opportunities to lead at the break. However, the All Blacks fought back from an 18-point deficit in the second half to beat the Lions, scoring seven tries in total.
# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 15-rand-9-cents and the euro at 18-rand-58-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-73-cents and Bitcoin trades at 78-thousand-869-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-644-dollars-51-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 87-dollars-85-cents a barrel.
Stay tuned for more news………….