News 09:00

BULLETIN 18 August 9 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Ramaphosa supports Madagascar’s president as he takes over the leadership of the SADC region
# The ad-hoc parliamentary committee on the police continues its work
# And the FF Plus welcomes Home Affairs’ collaboration with the private sector in issuing IDs and passports

# President Cyril Ramaphosa says South Africa fully supports the Madagascar president, Andry Rajoelina, following his accession to the chairperson of the Southern African Development Community. The president attended the 45th SADC Summit in Antananarivo, Madagascar, on Sunday. The summit focused on accelerating regional integration through key pillars, including strengthening industrial capacity, modernising agriculture, and promoting an inclusive energy transition. Ramaphosa says he is confident that under Rajoelina’s stewardship, SADC will continue to advance regional integration and economic resilience:

# Parliament’s ad hoc committee that will investigate allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner, Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, will meet today to further engage on its terms of reference. The ANC wants the committee to establish the veracity of the claims, rather than investigate them. The DA has proposed obtaining documents and evidence from all relevant witnesses and investigating the 121 missing dockets removed from the Political Killings Task Team. The allegations include that Police minister Senzo Mchunu, who is on special leave, was involved with criminal syndicates and interfered in high-profile investigations.

# The Freedom Front Plus has welcomed the Department of Home Affairs’ expansion of its digital banking partnerships, as additional financial institutions will now assist with issuing identity documents and passports. Approximately 840 branches of Capitec, FNB, Absa, Discovery, and Standard Bank are now involved in this initiative. FF Plus’ Philip van Staden says this initiative will not only alleviate pressure on Home Affairs offices, but also ensure that people no longer have to stand for hours in long queues at overcrowded offices, waiting to be helped.

# The City of Tshwane’s Forensic Services Division and Tshwane Metro Police have discovered and exposed an individual posing as a legitimate employee at the city’s Rietvlei Water Treatment Plant. This followed a request from the Office of the Chief Operations Officer to investigate suspicions of identity fraud involving a staff member, under the name Prince. The city’s spokesperson, Selby Bokaba, says investigations revealed that the individual had been employed by the city in 2012, under the name Mohlaume Geoffrey Mamabolo, despite discrepancies regarding the official identity document on file:

# Golf: World number one Scottie Scheffler erased a four-shot deficit in five holes to win the BMW Championship in Baltimore, Maryland, his 18th PGA Tour title. The American closed with a three-under 67 for a two-shot victory over Scotsman Robert MacIntyre, becoming the first player since Tiger Woods to win at least five times on the PGA Tour in consecutive years. American Maverick McNealy finished third while Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy finished tied-12th. Scheffler says it was a tough final round:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-55-cents and the euro at 20-rand-55-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-80-cents and Bitcoin trades at 115-thousand-479-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-351-dollars-8-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 65-dollars-46-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….