News 06:00

BULLETIN 22 August 6 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The suspended MK MPs’ court case is set for 3 September
# SA Rugby makes key changes to its coaching lineup
# And tributes are pouring in for a renowned math and science teacher

# Ten of eighteen MK Party MPs who were suspended will have their case heard on 3 September at the High Court in the Western Cape. Their lawyer Wendy Cele says the MPs allege fraudulent resignation letters were created. She says the court order seeks to prevent replacement candidates from being submitted to parliament until their review application is resolved:

# The EFF has dismissed rumors that senior leader Mbuyiseni Ndlozi has resigned from the party, following Floyd Shivambu’s exit. EFF spokesperson Leigh-Ann Mathys denounced the social media rumours of his exit. Ndlozi has remained silent about Shivambu’s departure. EFF national chairperson Veronica Mente has also denounced the rumors, emphasising the party’s strength despite internal tensions.

# ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba says a new era of stability, good governance, and effective service delivery in the City of Johannesburg has begun. This comes as the party’s caucus leader Nobuhle Mthembu has been elected council speaker. The ANC-EFF coalition block supported her election to the seat, which saw 180 councillors voting for her rise to office. Mashaba says he has confidence in ActionSA’s relationship with the ANC in the metro.

# The City of Cape Town is urging the National Energy Regulator to reject Eskom’s proposed 44-percent electricity tariff hike. Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis argues that the increase, driven by Eskom’s financial mismanagement, would heavily impact small businesses and households, particularly lower-income families. According to Hill-Lewis, the city is investing in its own energy infrastructure to reduce reliance on the power utility and mitigate the impact of future tariff increases: 

# Rugby: SA Rugby has confirmed key changes to the coaching line-up of its national teams in a bid to emulate the success enjoyed by the Springboks. Former Springbok consultant Swys de Bruin has been appointed as the Springbok Women’s performance coach, until the Women’s Rugby World Cup in England in September 2025. Former Springbok Sevens captain Kevin Foote returns to South Africa from Australia to lead the Junior Springboks. Bafana Nhleko has been redeployed from the SA Under20s to the senior women’s fifteens team.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-84-cents and the euro at 19-rand-90-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-36-cents and Bitcoin trades at 61-thousand-82-dollars-93-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-512-dollars-45-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 76-dollars-6-cents a barrel.

# And finally: Tributes are pouring for South African educator William Smith, who was famous for his televised maths and science lessons. The 85-year-old, who was recently diagnosed with cancer, passed away in Perth, Australia. The ANC says Smith’s dedication to making complex subjects accessible and engaging to countless students, has left an indelible mark on the fabric of the educational system. The DA says Smith transformed Maths and Science learning for countless students. The IFP says his legacy will endure through the countless lives he touched.

Stay tuned for more news………….