News 06:00

BULLETIN 25 August 6 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Naledi Pandor says Gertrude Shope would have been dismayed by the ANC’s decline
# The MK Party rejects the SETA appointments
# And rugby: The Springbok Women are off to a winning start in the World Cup

# ANC veteran and former minister, Naledi Pandor, says the late former Women’s League president Gertrude Shope would have been dismayed by corruption and declining ANC values. She spoke at the Gertrude Shope Memorial lecture in Pretoria on Sunday. Shope died in May this year at the age of 99. Pandor says Shope was aware of the party’s decline, not just in electoral outcomes, but also in the ability to maintain the essential character of the ANC:

# The MK Party has strongly condemned Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela’s appointment of Oupa Nkoane, Leholonolo Masoga, and Zukile Mvalo as administrators of three Sector Education and Training Authorities. The party says the trio have tainted records of financial mismanagement and corruption, warning their appointments amount to state capture of the SETAs. With youth unemployment soaring, the MK Party argues that billions meant for skills development risk being looted and has demanded the immediate reversal of the appointments.

# Special Investigating Unit head Andy Mothibi has confirmed action to cancel unlawfully obtained contracts at Tembisa Hospital. Mothibi confirmed that 111 officials are implicated in four corruption syndicates, with disciplinary processes underway and some already dismissed. He also confirmed that assets worth billions will be seized and recovered:

# A 33-year-old man arrested by the Hawks in connection with the murder of State Prosecutor Tracy Brown is expected to make his first court appearance today on murder charges. The 42-year-old was gunned down outside her Gqeberha home on 31 July. The suspect, who had fled to Gauteng, was nabbed at a coordinated roadblock on Thursday last week. Hawks Provincial Head Obed Ngwenya says the arrest marks progress, but investigations continue.

# The Steel Tube Export Association of South Africa will take part in an outward selling mission to Nigeria and Ghana from today to Saturday. Facilitated by the Department of Trade, Industry, and Competition, the mission aims to boost industrialisation, exports, and job creation. Steasa CEO Keitumetse Moumakoe says the initiative will expand the industry’s footprint in West Africa’s hydraulic, pneumatic, and mining sectors. She empasised the importance of the mission as Nigeria and Ghana serve as gateways to regional industrial value chains.

# Rugby: The Springbok Women got their World Cup campaign off to a winning start with a comprehensive 66-6 win against Brazil in Northampton, England, on Sunday. South Africa scored ten tries with Aseza Hele crossing over the line three times, as the Bok Women recorded their first World Cup pool victory since 2010. Coach Swys de Bruin’s side will face Italy next before finishing the pool stage against France.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-43-cents and the euro at 20-rand-40-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-53-cents and Bitcoin trades at 113-thousand-475-dollar. Gold sells at three-thousand-367-dollars-33-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 67-dollars-18-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….