News 18:00

BULLETIN 29 August 6 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# ActionSA joins forces with the ANC, EFF and ACDP to oust Tshwane’s mayor  
# Zuma’s corruption pre-trial has been postponed to 11 September
# And, Paralympic Games: A young South African swimmer qualifies for the final in Paris

# ActionSA has announced it will join the ANC, EFF, and ACDP in a bid to oust Tshwane mayor Cilliers Brink and challenge the DA-led multiparty coalition. News24 reports the four parties aim to remove Brink through a motion of no confidence set for tomorrow. Brink has written to the council speaker, arguing he wasn’t given enough time to defend himself. While no formal coalition has been established yet, discussions will follow regarding future leadership and a potential coalition. The DA is challenging the legality of the motion in court.

# The High Court in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, has postponed former president Jacob Zuma’s pre-trial hearing for his arms deal corruption case to 11 September. He is set to stand trial on corruption and money-laundering charges from 14 April next year. Judge Nkosinathi Chili will later provide reasons for dismissing Zuma’s bid to remove state prosecutor Billy Downer from the case. Zuma’s lawyer, Dali Mpofu, argued that exceptional circumstances justify an explanation for the decision. Chili agreed and will deliver his reasons in two weeks: 

# Parole had been denied to the Griekwastad murderer. He was only 15 when he killed his parents and sister, Deon, Christel and 14-year-old Marthella Steenkamp, in their Northern Cape farmhouse in 2012. The High Court later sentenced him to 20-years on each of the murder counts, 12 years for raping Marthella, and four years for defeating the ends of justice. He may not be identified as he had been a minor at the time. Correctional Services admitted he served his prescribed time, but wouldn’t explain why parole was denied.

# AfriForum and the Southern African Agri Initiative, SAAI, have called on Interpol to intensify efforts against rising cross-border stock theft between South Africa and Lesotho. They believe livestock farming is crucial for the region’s economy and food security, and call for better assessment of criminal syndicates, and increased support for local law enforcement. SAAI’s executive director, Theo de Jager, calls for a robust monitoring framework to address these crimes and restore safety to affected communities:

# Paralympic Games: The young South African swimmer Nathan Hendricks qualified for the final of the men’s 100-metre butterfly in the S13 class. He came fourth in his heat in Paris. The 18-year-old from Middelburg in Mpumalanga is one of Team South Africa’s youngest members. He also competes in the S13 200-metre individual medley, the 100-metre backstroke, and the SB13 100-metre breaststroke. Hendricks had been diagnosed with diabetes as a baby and later with the genetic eye condition Stargardt disease.

# And, the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-75-cents and the euro at 19-rand-65-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-35-cents and Bitcoin trades at 60-thousand-564-dollars-24-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-517-dollars-5-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 79-dollars-18-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….