News 08:00

BULLETIN 27 September 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Mbalula hits back at sell-out accusations against the ANC
# The SACP says those who oppose the NHI want the minority to benefit
# And swimming: Le Clos, Meder, and Van Renen qualify for the World Short Course Championships

# ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula has hit back at critics who called the party sell-outs for forming the government of national unity with opposition parties with different ideologies. He addressed a networking and fundraising gala dinner in Komani, Chris Hani Region in the Eastern Cape. Mbalula emphasised that the ANC does not cease to be what it is because it is in the government of national unity. He adds that the coalition government was a tactical intervention to regroup and recapture power:

# The South African Communist Party says president Cyril Ramaphosa must remain steadfast in the imperative to take the National Health Insurance forward. Some political parties and organisations have questioned the NHI Act’s constitutional validity, economic feasibility, and potential impact on the public and private healthcare sectors. The SACP says the unjust two-tier healthcare system is characterised by private monopoly-dominated healthcare provision catering to a minority of the population. It adds that implementing the NHI, like any paradigm shift, will not be without its challenges.

# The EFF in Gauteng says the removal of Tshwane mayor Cilliers Brink was long overdue as he has failed to manage the metro’s finances, service delivery and infrastructure. He was removed in a vote of no-confidence with 120 councillors voting in favour and 87 against, with one abstaining. The EFF’s spokesperson, Baleni Dumisani, says councillors voted for the ousting of Brink due to his incompetence and arrogance as the mayor of Tshwane:

# Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy says his country can still win its war with Russia, so long as the US and other nations significantly and quickly ramp up their military assistance. He visited the White House where he met with president Joe Biden and vice president Kamala Harris, to present his victory plan for the war. Zelenskyy says he is confident Ukraine will continue to have the US’s unwavering support against Russian aggression under a Harris presidency:

# Swimming: Chad le Clos, Rebecca Meder and Ruard van Renen have qualified for the World Short Course Championships in Budapest, Hungary in December. Le Clos won the 50-metre butterfly in 22.40-seconds and the 100-metre freestyle in a time of 46.91-seconds at the SA Short Course Championships in Durban. Van Renen finished second in the 100-metre freestyle in 47.02-second, also below the qualifying time. Meder sprung a surprise by claiming victory in the 100-metre breaststroke, an event that’s not her speciality, and the 100-metre individual medley.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-22-cents and the euro at 19-rand-24-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-7-cents and Bitcoin trades at 64-thousand-934-dollars-70-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-669-dollars-45-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 71-dollars-73-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….