News 11:00

BULLETIN 15 August 11 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The EFF criticises the Justice Department’s loss of the Zondo Commission database
# SALGA reiterates its warning that municipal debt threatens Eskom’s future
# The president of Columbia University resigns following the student protests over the war in Gaza
# And rugby: The All Blacks make four changes to their starting team for their second clash against the Pumas

# The EFF says it is now clear that the ongoing conflict between the Department of Justice and the National Prosecuting Authority is a direct consequence of the misuse of justice. A News24 report revealed that due to a lack of maintenance, the evidence database assembled by the Zondo Commission allegedly cannot be accessed by the NPA. The EFF says Justice Raymond Zondo’s state capture report was never intended for the effective prosecution of all corrupt politicians but was a tool for factional battles within the ANC.

# The South African Local Government Association has called on residents to pay their bills to reduce the 78-billion-rand debt owed by municipalities to Eskom. Salga’s head of energy, Nhlanhla Ngidi, warned this mounting debt jeopardises Eskom’s ability to invest in infrastructure and threatens its future viability. He told Newzroom Afrika that structural and systemic issues caused Eskom debt:

# Columbia University’s president, Minouche Shafik, has resigned following months of criticism of her handling of student demonstrations over the Israel-Hamas war. Columbia was widely seen as the centre of the student-led pro-Palestinian protests, sparking a widespread movement of demonstrations at universities across the US and abroad. Shafik says it has been a period of turmoil where it has been difficult to overcome divergent views across the university. She is now the third president of an Ivy League university to resign over the Gaza war protests.

# Rugby: All Blacks coach Scott Robertson has made four changes to the starting side to face Argentina in the second Test at Eden Park in Auckland on Saturday. He has responded to the upset 38-30 loss to the Pumas last weekend, by changing three backs and one forward. Will Jordan, Caleb Clarke, Rieko Ioane and Tamaiti Williams are in the starting line-up while Sam Cane has been recalled to the bench. Robertson says they need to cut down on errors:

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-6-cents and the euro at 19-rand-90-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-22-cents and Bitcoin trades at 59-thousand-128-dollars-17-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-455-dollars-55-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 79-dollars-89-cents a barrel.

# And finally, South African Grammy Award-winning pop star Tyla’s song Jump has been included in former US president Barack Obama’s annual summer playlist. The song has more than 140-million streams on Spotify, and Tyla performed it at the BET Awards, where she received two honours. Other singers who landed on Obama’s playlist include Beyoncé’s Texas Hold ‘Em, Billie Eilish’s Chihiro, I Can’t Get No Satisfaction by the Rolling Stones, and Tommy Richman’s Million Dollar Baby. Obama has curated and shared his summer playlist almost every year since 2015.

Stay tuned for more news………….