News 13:00

BULLETIN 17 August 1 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# BOSA calls on Ramaphosa to declare 16 August Marikana Memorial Day
# The DA says South Africa’s healthcare facilities must never be used as political pawns
# And rugby: The Cheetahs and Lions secure narrow victories in their Currie Cup encounters

# BOSA is calling on president Cyril Ramaphosa to declare 16 August Marikana Memorial Day to be commemorated each year in honour of the miners who were killed 13 years ago. BOSA’s spokesperson, Roger Solomons, says the president is empowered, through proclamation, to declare any day to be observed and commemorated. He says the 34 mineworkers were killed and 78 injured, many of them critically, in Marikana on 16 July 2012, because they dared to stand up and speak out against their living conditions and their low wages:

# The DA says South Africa’s healthcare facilities must never be used as political pawns or platforms for undermining the rule of law. The party responded to the ongoing xenophobic campaign led by Operation Dudula and other groups denying migrants access to healthcare. The DA’s Imran Keeka says healthcare is a right for all – and in protecting public health, treating every sick person is not only constitutional, it is essential for the safety of everyone in the country:

# The GOOD Party says lawyers representing opposition parties in the City of Cape Town have written to the Speaker of the council, Felicity Purchase. The party says this to demand that the Council meeting scheduled for this coming Thursday be held in-person in the council chambers, and not online, as was the case with previous meetings. The GOOD’s Jonathan Cupido says if the Speaker does not accede to the demand, the parties will seek a court order compelling her to act within her powers and the law:

# Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says Russia is complicating efforts to end the war by rejecting calls for a ceasefire and continuing its military operation. This comes as Presidents Trump and Putin failed to reach a deal during talks in Alaska on Friday, though the Russian leader described the meeting as very useful. In a post on X yesterday, Zelensky said that despite numerous calls for a ceasefire, Russia had not yet determined when it would stop the killing. He accused Putin of lacking the will to carry out a simple order to stop the strikes.

# And sports news:

# Cricket: Harry Brook, who was appointed England’s white-ball captain after the ICC Champions Trophy earlier this year, will continue to lead the team in the upcoming home series against South Africa. England are set to play three ODIs and three T20Is against the Proteas starting September 2 in Headingley. Joe Root has been named in only the ODI squad, while fast bowler Jofra Archer has been included in both. Pacer Sonny Baker has received his maiden call-up for the ODI series.

# And rugby: In a dramatic day of Currie Cup action, both the Cheetahs and the Lions secured hard-fought victories. In Bloemfontein, the Cheetahs held on for a 31-24 bonus-point win over a spirited Western Province, despite finishing the game with 13 men due to ill-discipline. Meanwhile, the Lions edged out the Pumas 36-35 in Nelspruit, with both teams scoring five tries. This afternoon, the Bulls take on the Boland Kavaliers on their home ground. The Cheetahs have moved to the top of the table, and the Lions are tied for second with the Griquas.

Stay tuned for more news………….