News 07:00

BULLETIN 2 September 7 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Parties have until Friday to submit further nominations for the Impeachment Committee’s evidence leader
# OUTA welcomes Eskom’s withdrawal of the threat to cut Joburg’s power
# And swimming: Tatjana Smith accuses Swimming SA of withholding prize money

# Parliament’s Impeachment Committee chairperson, Makashule Gana, has given political parties until Friday to submit further nominations for an evidence leader. The committee rescinded its decision to recommend advocate Thandazani Madonsela as the evidence leader of its inquiry into president Cyril Ramaphosa over the Phala Phala saga. Ramaphosa objected to the appointment, citing potential conflicts of interest, including previously providing legal advice to the ANC on matters connected to the impeachment process. Gana says the committee will consider the nominations next Wednesday:

# Minister of Employment and Labour, Nomakhosazana Meth, says the National Minimum Wage remains a critical protection for sectors where women are concentrated: domestic work, agriculture, hospitality and retail. The national minimum wage is 30-rand-23-cents per ordinary hour worked. Meth says it is concerning that a significant proportion of economically active women in South Africa work in the informal economy, largely outside the reach of the Unemployment Insurance Fund and other protections delivered by the department. The National Minimum Wage Commission recently invited public comments to inform the 2027 adjustment.

# The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse has welcomed Eskom’s decision to stop its process to cut electricity to parts of Johannesburg after the city settled five-billion-rand in overdue debt. OUTA says the immediate threat of power cuts has been removed, but questions remain about how the debt was paid and whether the solution will last. The organisation’s Julius Kleynhans calls for better financial management and stronger oversight to prevent Johannesburg from falling into another electricity debt crisis.

# Beaufort West Municipality in the Western Cape has adopted a funded budget for the first time in six years, marking progress in its financial recovery. The municipality was placed under a financial intervention in 2022 after struggling to pay its bills and staff. Since then, it has improved its audit results and qualified for debt relief on its Eskom and water debts, which could write off about 94-million-rand. The funded budget shows Beaufort West is moving towards better financial stability and improved service delivery.

# Canadian prime minister Mark Carney says trade talks with the US can resume when Washington gets serious about negotiations. Last week, US president Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the renaming of Lake Ontario to Lake America, a move rejected by Canadians. The Trump administration has levied 50-percent tariffs on Canadian goods, while Canada plans to impose retaliatory tariffs on American goods. Carney says Washington is currently seeking an “uncompetitive” deal for key industries:

# Swimming: Olympic champion Tatjana Smith has issued Swimming South Africa with a letter of demand seeking payment of interest on prize money allegedly retained for more than a year. She alleges that SSA retained the interest that accrued on 560-thousand-rand at the current exchange rate and 650-thousand-rand at the time in prize money earned at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships in Japan. Smith won gold and silver medals in the 200 and 100-metres breaststroke at the championships. Hurter Spies Attorneys, representing Smith, has given SSA ten days to comply.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-18-cents and the euro at 18-rand-73-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-84-cents and Bitcoin trades at 76-thousand-796-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-298-dollars-27-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 98-dollars-39-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….