News 06:00
BULLETIN 7 Augustus 6 am
Good morning. I am……..
In this bulletin:
# The ANC NEC wants to broaden the government of national unity
# The families of apartheid-era crime victims criticise president Ramaphosa’s court application
# And the Tshwane Emergency Services urge caution as a severe thunderstorm warning is issued
# The ANC’s national executive committee has resolved to reset the government of national unity to broaden participation and strengthen its effectiveness. The committee has mandated party officials to re-engage with GNU partners to ensure the full implementation of the statement of intent. Briefing the media on the outcomes of the NEC meeting in Germiston, in Ekurhuleni, secretary-general Fikile Mbalula warned against any attempts to misuse the platform for narrow partisan interests:
# Public Works and Infrastructure minister Dean Macpherson is expected to address bribery allegations against suspended Independent Development Trust CEO Tebogo Malaka at Cape Town Central Police Station. Investigative reports by the Daily Maverick claim Malaka attempted to bribe journalist Pieter-Louis Myburgh to stop negative coverage. Malaka was suspended following a final PricewaterhouseCoopers forensic report into the PSA Oxygen Plant tender. Macpherson says this is part of a broader, possibly paid-for campaign to undermine his reform efforts at the IDT.
# The families and survivors of apartheid-era crimes have criticised president Cyril Ramaphosa’s application to delay a constitutional damages case. The families are demanding 168-million-rand for what they call the state’s gross failure to adequately investigate and prosecute political crimes, which the Truth and Reconciliation Commission identified. Ramaphosa wants the High Court in Pretoria to stay the constitutional damages case pending a probe by a commission of inquiry. The Foundation for Human Rights’ Zaid Kimmie says the families want justice:
# The City of Tshwane Emergency Services is urging residents to remain alert following a Level 3 Yellow Warning for severe thunderstorms issued today. The SA Weather Service warns of heavy rain, hail, damaging winds, and lightning across Gauteng, including Tshwane. The city’s spokesperson Lindsay Mnguni has advised residents to stay indoors, avoid low-lying roads, and practice fire safety during the cold weather. He says authorities will remain on high alert:
# Texas Governor Greg Abbott is taking legal action to remove from office dozens of Democrats who have fled the state to block a plan to redraw electoral boundaries. He filed a lawsuit with the Texas Supreme Court seeking to fire Democrats for what he calls a plot to hijack state government. Abbott said the departure of more than 50 Democrats would constitute abandonment and justify their removal from office. The redrawn congressional map would create five more Republican-leaning seats in the US House of Representatives, where Republicans hold a slim majority.
# Cricket: The brilliant Test series between England and India has improved several players’ world rankings. Indian opener Yashasvi Jaiswal is now fifth in the Test batter rankings after scoring 411 runs, including two centuries. Mohammed Siraj improved 12 places to 15th in the Test bowlers rankings and another Indian fast bowler, Prasidh Krishna, moved up 25 places to 59th. English bowler Gus Atkinson broke into the top-ten for the first time, and Josh Tongue improved 14 places to 46th. The series ended in a 2-all draw.
# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-78-cents and the euro at 20-rand-73-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-74-cents and Bitcoin trades at 114-thousand-987-dollar. Gold sells at three-thousand-366-dollars-97-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 66-dollars-69-cents a barrel.
Stay tuned for more news………….