News 17:00

BULLETIN 27 August 5 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The DA approached the Constitutional Court to uphold a High Court ruling on VAT
# Crime Intelligence failed to provide the Hawks with grabbers to curb crime
# And golf: LIV Golf is set to lay off the majority of its staff as it scales back operations

# DA Parliamentary Leader George Michalakis says the party is asking the Constitutional Court to uphold the Western Cape High Court’s ruling in its VAT challenge. The DA wants Section 74 of the VAT Act declared unconstitutional, arguing that Parliament, rather than Finance minister, Enoch Godongwana, should determine tax increases. He says VAT affects South Africans struggling with rising living costs:

# Former Hawks head Godfrey Lebeya has told the Madlanga Commission that Crime Intelligence failed to provide the Hawks with access to grabbers needed for kidnapping and cash-in-transit robbery investigations. Lebeya said the Hawks had requested dedicated capacity from Crime Intelligence from 2018, but the request was unsuccessful. He said the arrangement required Hawks investigators to submit dockets for approval before the equipment could be deployed:

# Newly formed political movement, MOVE SA says more than 300 South Africans have stepped forward to contest municipal council seats under its banner, just over 30 days after the party was formed. Party president, Rali Mampeule, says MOVE SA will contest Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni and Emfuleni in the 2026 Local Government Elections. The candidates have undergone induction in Diepsloot as preparations intensify. Mampeule says MOVE SA is focused on community-based leadership, bringing together young and experienced candidates to deliver practical solutions. The party launches officially on Sunday.

# Members of Norway’s royal family have gathered around the bedside of King Harald in hospital. The 89-year-old monarch’s health has deteriorated, and the royal palace says his condition is now very serious. Queen Sonja and Crown Prince Haakon have cancelled their official engagements and joined other family members at Oslo University Hospital. Harald has been receiving treatment for haemolytic anaemia and a bacterial blood infection. Haakon has been serving as regent while his father is in hospital.

# Golf: LIV Golf is scaling back operations and will cut most of its 300 staff starting next week. Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, which invested over 79.76-billion-rand since June 2022, will end its funding at the end of this year. The LIV season finished a week early after the cancellation of the Team Championship in Michigan. CEO Scott O’Neil says discussions are ongoing with a prospective lead investor and multiple minority investors:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 15-rand-98-cents against the rand and the euro at 18-rand-61-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-72-cents and Bitcoin trades at 79-thousand-404-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-585-dollars-46-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 89-dollars-98-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….