News 06:00

BULLETIN 5 August 6 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# President Ramaphosa says the government is committed to normalising trade relations with the US
# Ten Ekurhuleni police officials will today appear in court on corruption charges
# And cricket: Marques Ackerman will captain South Africa A against New Zealand A

# ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa says government is continuing to engage with the United States to normalise trade relations and generally strengthen bilateral ties. This follows America’s decision to impose a 30-percent unilateral tariff on South African exports. Delivering his closing address at the ANC National Executive Council meeting in Gauteng yesterday, Ramaphosa called for more investment in the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area and the diversifying of export markets:

# The DA says the ANC’s failure to secure a solid trade deal with the US has left South African exporters exposed to damaging new tariffs. The party blames Trade, Industry, and Competition minister Parks Tau and International Relations and Cooperation minister Ronald Lamola for not acting sooner, as businesses now face a 30-percent tariff while neighbouring countries pay only 15-percent. The DA’s Ryan Smith calls for urgent reforms to cut red tape:

# The Parliamentary ad hoc committee established to investigate allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner, Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, will meet today to elect its chairperson. Mkhwanazi has alleged infiltration and corruption within the country’s criminal justice system. Some of the members set to serve on the multi-party committee include ANC chief whip Mdumiseni Ntuli, EFF leader Julius Malema, and the DA’s Glynnis Breytenbach. The committee is expected to report to the National Assembly by the end of October.

# Ten officers from the South African Police Service and Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department in Gauteng will appear in the Germiston Magistrate’s Court today on charges of corruption and theft. The officers were arrested yesterday while on duty following a raid at a shop in Edenvale in June. Independent Police Investigative Directorate spokesperson, Lizzy Suping, says the officers are accused of stealing 35-thousand-rand in cash, confiscating cigarettes worth 150-thousand-rand, and headache tablets valued at nearly five-thousand-rand:

# Fifty-one Democratic state lawmakers have fled Texas to try to stop a vote on a new congressional map that would heavily favour Republicans. The proposed re-districting is backed by US President Donald Trump and would create five new Republican-leaning seats in the US House of Representatives, where Republicans have a slender majority. Two-thirds of the 150-member state legislature must be present to hold a vote. The 51 Democrats are now in Illinois to prevent the required quorum and plan to stay there until the end of a special legislative session.

# Cricket: Dolphins batter Marques Ackerman will again be captain of South Africa A when they face the visiting New Zealand A team. The two countries will play three one-day matches at Willowmoore Park in Benoni, Gauteng, from the 30th of this month, followed by two four-day games, in Potchefstroom and Benoni, respectively. Ackerman led South Africa on a recent tour of the West Indies, where they won both the one-day and four-day series. Proteas’ fast bowlers Gerald Coetzee and Kwena Maphaka were included in both squads.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-92-cents and the euro at 20-rand-76-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-83-cents and Bitcoin trades at 115-thousand-318-dollar. Gold sells at three-thousand-378-dollars-49-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 68-dollars-40-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….