News 09:00

BULLETIN 23 August 9 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The DA commends the business groups boycotting the health compact
# Kamala Harris warns of the consequences of another Trump presidency
# And tennis: Ons Jabeur has withdrawn from the US Open

# The DA has commended business groups, including Business Unity South Africa and the South African Health Professionals Collaboration, for boycotting the second presidential health compact. The party’s Michele Clarke argues the compact, which supports the National Health Insurance Act, was signed without adequate consultation, undermining cooperation between the government and key health sector stakeholders: 

The South African Health Professionals Collaboration has meanwhile said the government refusing to address concerns raised about the Presidential Health Compact is problematic. About nine healthcare professional bodies representing more than 25-thousand healthcare practitioners have not signed the compact, saying it is nothing more than an attempt to lock in support for the National Health Insurance Act. SAHPC says they do not believe that NHI is a viable or workable model for achieving universal health coverage.

# The GOOD Party in Cape Town says mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis should refrain from bragging about the city’s capital budget being the largest in the country since he openly admits it’s unachievable. The mayor has highlighted the significant rollover of capital funding for carry-over commitments from the 2023/2024 financial year. GOOD’s, Anton Louw, says there is no point in putting forward the biggest capital budget knowing that likely only about 70-percent will be spent:

# Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris has pledged to work for all Americans and create an opportunity economy. She accepted her party’s nomination for president as she delivered an election pitch on the final night of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. She is the first black woman and the first Asian American to lead a major party ticket. Harris detailed why she believes another Donald Trump presidency would have extremely serious consequences:

# Tennis: Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur, who has been struggling with a shoulder injury, has withdrawn from the US Open. Her only match during the summer hard-court swing has been an opening-round loss to Japan’s Naomi Osaka in Toronto. She was runner-up to Poland’s Iga Swiatek in the 2022 final in New York and made the round of 16 last year. Her seeded spot in the draw will be filled by Belgium’s Elise Mertens, who will now take on Russia’s Veronika Kudermetova in the opening round.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-96-cents and the euro at 19-rand-99-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-55-cents and Bitcoin trades at 60-thousand-608-dollars-17-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-493-dollars-54-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 77-dollars-26-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….