News 14:00

BULLETIN 8 August 2 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The High Court rules that former Zambian president Lungu’s body must be returned for a state funeral
# Thabo Mbeki and others withdraw from the national dialogue preparatory team
# And goat herds help with fire prevention in Spain

# The High Court in Pretoria has ruled that late former Zambian president Edgar Lungu’s mortal remains must be repatriated for a state funeral. This ends a legal standoff between the Zambian government and his family who wanted to bury him in Johannesburg. Lungu died two months ago while receiving treatment in South Africa. Deputy judge president Aubrey Ledwaba upheld Zambia’s right to honour Lungu, stating public interest outweighs personal wishes:

# Former president Thabo Mbeki’s foundation and others have withdrawn from the national dialogue preparatory team. They’ve called for a postponement after 15 October, citing rushed planning, lack of funding transparency, and a shift from a citizen-led approach to government control. The dialogue is expected to take place next Friday. Despite meeting president Cyril Ramaphosa, the groups say the current format lacks inclusivity. The move has raised questions about the dialogue’s readiness and governance.

# The GOOD Party says the published regulations for the implementation of the Basic Education Laws Amendment Act are the product of a settlement agreement reached at a private meeting between Basic Education minister, Siviwe Gwarube, and Solidarity in November. GOOD secretary-general Brett Herron says this came to light in response to a Promotion of Access to Information application by GOOD for access to the National Economic Development and Labour Council proceedings, after Solidarity’s declaration of a dispute over BELA last year:

# Rugby: Both Western Province and the Sharks, who lost badly against the Bulls and the Lions respectively last weekend, would want to turn the tables in their third-round Currie Cup outings. Province travels to Kimberley this afternoon to take on Griquas and the Sharks welcome the Cheetahs in Durban tomorrow. The Bulls, who are on a winning streak, take on the Pumas in Pretoria tomorrow, and the Boland Kavaliers will have to a face a confident Lions team in Wellington on Sunday.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-72-cents and the euro at 20-rand-62-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-81-cents and Bitcoin trades at 116-thousand-544-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-389-dollars-44-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 66-dollars-56-cents a barrel.

# And finally: Goat herds are playing their part in the prevention of wildfires in Spain. Each summer, scorching heat sparks wildfires across southern Europe, ravaging vast swathes of land. In Catalonia last year, despite being in the third year of the worst drought in a century, the number of outbreaks decreased. The regional government attributes this to improved fire prevention measures and goats. The animals are known for their voracious appetites and feeding on thorny plants like cacti or thistles, making them ideal for clearing bush to create natural firebreaks.

Stay tuned for more news………….