News 08:00

BULLETIN NEWS AGENCY 7 September 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The DA is concerned as eleven-thousand teaching jobs are at risk in KZN amid the budget crisis
# Rise Mzansi urges a review of VAT-exempt goods to alleviate financial strain
# And, it’s gold for South Africa’s Simone Kruger in the discus at the Paralympic Games

# The DA says severe underpayments in provincial budgets, especially in KwaZulu-Natal, threaten up to eleven-thousand teaching positions. DA national spokesperson Willie Aucamp urges Treasury to intervene, advocating for reductions in wasteful spending and freezing salaries for non-essential public servants. He warns that similar impacts may affect healthcare and policing, calling for swift government action to prevent widespread job losses:

# Rise Mzansi has called for a review of VAT-exempt goods and services to help address the escalating cost-of-living crisis. In his National Assembly mini-plenary speech, the party’s Makashule Gana said high crime rates, corruption, and inadequate public services are key drivers of rising living costs. Gana proposed solutions such as ensuring affordable energy and water, improving public transport, and strengthening the criminal justice system to combat corruption:  

# Police minister Senzo Mchunu is set to attend the public safety and security technology expo in China as part of the global public security cooperation forum. Running from Sunday to Wednesday, the expo will showcase cutting-edge advancements in public safety technology. The minister will also meet with China’s Public Safety minister Wang Xiaohong to discuss cooperation on transnational crime and advanced policing technology. Mchunu will explore advanced technologies to enhance the South African Police Service’s capabilities in tackling cybercrime and improving urban safety.  

# The UK will send an additional 650 short-range missiles to Ukraine to help in its fight against invading Russian forces. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky made another plea for further support from allies yesterday, at a defence summit at the Ramstein air base in Germany. Zelensky said he was grateful but urged allies to authorise the use of Western-supplied long-range missiles on targets inside Russia. The summit in Ramstein follows just days after a Russian missile attack on Poltava in central Ukraine killed at least 51 people.

# And, the Paralympic Games:  South Africa’s Simone Kruger surges to gold  for Team South Africa in the women’s discus throw F38 final. In her third attempt, Kruger threw a Paralympic record with a distance of 38.7 metre. China’s Yingli Li took silver with a best attempt of 38.64 metre and Colombia’s Xiomara Saldarriaga Hernandez claimed bronze with a distance of 38.36 metre. Kruger took gold at the Para-World Athletic Championship in Kobe, Japan in May. and is now also a Paralympic champion. She won Team SA’s fifth medal and second gold of the Paris Games.

Stay tuned for more news………….