News 06:00

BULLETIN 15 August 6 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The Presidency says the national convention will go ahead
# Saftu suspends its participation in the national dialogue over a lack of transparency
# And Russia and North Korea strengthen their cooperation on the eve of Putin’s meeting with Trump

# The Presidency says the first national convention of the national dialogue process will go ahead today and tomorrow, despite some political parties and organisations withdrawing their participation. The DA, Freedom Front Plus, MK Party, the Thabo Mbeki Foundation, and the Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation are among those that have withdrawn from the convention. Briefing the media yesterday, Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya says the reality is that the show will go on:

Meanwhile, Union federation Saftu says it’s pausing its participation in the national dialogue. The union federation says the process is controlled by the government, lacks transparency, and ignores the voices of workers and communities. Saftu’s Asive Dyani says the federation wants a citizen-led, open dialogue that addresses real social and economic issues:

# Justice and Constitutional Development minister, Mmamoloko Kubayi, has appointed five additional members to the South African Law Reform Commission’s Advisory Committee for the Review of the Criminal Justice System. Also known as Project 151, the new appointees join eight members appointed in 2023. The new members include professor Geert Philip Stevens from the University of Pretoria and a member of the National Forum of Advocates, Charlie Eric Mhlari. The project aims to review the Criminal Procedure Act, align it with the Constitution, prioritise victims, and modernise justice processes.

# The United Democratic Movement has condemned the killing of an e-hailing driver at Maponya Mall, Soweto, on Wednesday, describing it as an assault on safety and livelihoods in the transport sector. UDM’s Yongama Zigebe calls for urgent action from government, SAPS, and the Gauteng Transport Department to resolve ongoing taxi–e-hailing tensions. He also calls for a safer public transport environment:

# A Russian delegation arrived in North Korea, two days after the countries’ leaders vowed to strengthen cooperation. Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un spoke by phone on Tuesday before Putin meets Donald Trump at a summit in Alaska, where the US president will seek to broker an end to the war in Ukraine. North Korea has sent thousands of troops to Russia’s Kursk region, as well as weapons to aid its war effort, with relations between Russia and the North growing closer over the past year.

# Rugby: Springbok Women’s head coach Swys de Bruin says their main goal in the World Cup is to make South Africa proud. They are full of confidence after convincingly beating a Black Ferns-15 from New Zealand. The Boks will face Brazil, France, and Italy in Group D, with the top two teams advancing to the quarterfinals. De Bruin says the World Cup is the biggest occasion in most of the players’ lives, while vice captain Babalwa Latsha believes it will be a turning point for the women’s game.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-59-cents and the euro at 20-rand-48-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-78-cents and Bitcoin trades at 118-thousand-469-dollar. Gold sells at three-thousand-333-dollars-47-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 66-dollars-32-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….