News 07:00

BULLETIN 11 September 7 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The parliamentary ad hoc committee asks the Speaker for a sixth extension
# Over 170 prison officials are facing disciplinary action
# And rugby: World Rugby opens talks to move a Six Nations fixture to the US

# Parliament’s ad hoc committee investigating corruption in the criminal justice system has written to the National Assembly Speaker, Thoko Didiza, asking for another extension. This request comes as the committee is busy compiling its draft preliminary report. Its report was due to be submitted today. Didiza has granted the committee five extensions already. Committee chairperson Soviet Lekganyane says there is still too much work left to do:

# Department of Correctional Services National Commissioner, Makgothi Thobakgale, has revealed that around 173 prison officials are facing disciplinary processes. Some are charged with helping criminals bring contraband into prisons. This is part of an intensified nationwide crackdown and recent intelligence-led raids at correctional services facilities. Thobakgale says following the Rooigrond Maximum Correctional Centre escape, they will not relent in pursuing those who attempt to undermine the integrity of the correctional system:

# The South African Communist Party says it stands with workers at Adcock Ingram who are opposing plans to retrench up to 250 employees and close one of the company’s plants. The party argues the job cuts come amid growing retrenchments in the pharmaceutical sector, with more than two-thousand-500 workers reportedly losing their jobs in the past 18 months. Acting spokesperson Mhlekwa Nxumalo has urged the government to intervene to protect jobs and support the development of a state-owned pharmaceutical manufacturing sector.

# The City of Cape Town says its dam levels have dropped to 75.5-percent, compared with 92.4-percent at the same time last year. The city is stepping up water-saving measures, including fixing leaks and replacing ageing pipes, while considering water restrictions ahead of an expected hotter and drier summer. Mayoral committee member for Water and Sanitation Zahid Badroodien urged residents and businesses to use water responsibly to help protect the city’s water supply.

# The International Atomic Energy Agency says it has observed activity at Iran’s Pickaxe Mountain, an underground tunnel complex near Tehran’s Natanz uranium enrichment facility. The heavily fortified site is believed to be an under-construction nuclear facility. According to reports, Iran is using stockpiled parts to assemble both solid- and liquid-fuelled missiles. Agency director general Rafael Grossi told Bloomberg that they don’t have any concrete information as to activities that may be taking place at Pickaxe:

# Rugby: World Rugby has opened talks over staging a Six Nations match in the United States, as the sport builds towards the 2031 World Cup. South Africa and New Zealand have sold out the 71-thousand-capacity M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore for the fourth and final Test tomorrow. World Rugby chief executive Alan Gilpin says the financial performance of the Baltimore fixture proves commercial returns are no longer an obstacle. He added that there is an appetite to take some of these big matches to the US.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-19-cents and the euro at 18-rand-80-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-87-cents and Bitcoin trades at 76-thousand-930-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-327-dollars-45-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 109-dollars-71-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….