News 07:00

BULLETIN 29 August 7 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# AfriForum criticises the MK Party’s proposed bill to overhaul land rights
# Gauteng will be getting its own political killings task team
# And cricket: Dane van Niekerk will not be part of the Proteas Women’s World Cup squad

# AfriForum says it strongly opposes MK Party Mzwanele Manyi’s proposed Constitution Twenty-Second Amendment Bill. The private member’s bill seeks to rewrite section 25 of the Constitution and redefine how land and natural resources are owned and governed. It proposes that all land and natural resources be declared collectively owned by the people, with custodianship vested in the state and traditional or Khoi-San leadership. AfriForum’s Barend Uys says this proposed bill is an attack on private land ownership:

# The South African Revenue Service is cracking down on social media influencers, urging them to regularise their tax affairs. This comes amid investigations into undeclared income from online content creation and brand partnerships. With platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok generating significant revenue, SARS is using advanced data analytics to track earnings. Tax experts warn that many influencers may be unaware of obligations; however, failure to declare sponsored posts, ad revenue, or affiliate income risks hefty penalties.

# National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola says Gauteng will have its own political killings task team within a month. This comes as 121 dockets, which were taken from KwaZulu-Natal to Gauteng, are in the process of being returned to KZN. In recent months, IFP member Khethamabala Sithole and ward councillor Thabang Masemola have been killed in Gauteng. Masemola says the Gauteng task team will work similarly to the KZN one:

# The United Nations secretary general António Guterres says Israel’s initial steps to militarily take over Gaza City signal a new and dangerous phase, warning against the devastating consequences. At least 62-thousand-263 people, including many children, have been killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza since October 2023. Guterres says the Israeli military operations, settler violence, demolitions, and discriminatory policies are driving displacement and deepening vulnerability in Gaza:

# Cricket: Proteas Women’s coach Mandla Mashimbyi says former captain Dane van Niekerk won’t be included in the squad for the upcoming World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. This is despite her coming out of retirement and being included in an ongoing pre-tournament training camp in Durban. The 32-year-old is still in the formative phase of her integration into the team, after not being in the system since 2023. Mashimbyi says Van Niekerk is part of a wider plan to build the base of playing options, looking ahead to 2026.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-71-cents and the euro at 20-rand-66-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-90-cents and Bitcoin trades at 111-thousand-565-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-410-dollars-37-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 67-dollars-38-cents a barrel.

# And finally: The Gautrain, in partnership with PRASA, will run late-night trains for fans attending the Scorpion Kings Live with Friends concert tonight, at Loftus Versfeld Stadium. Commuters can travel on Gautrain to Pretoria Station and transfer seamlessly to PASA trains heading directly to the stadium. Return services will operate between Hatfield and Park Stations, excluding Rhodesfield and O.R. Tambo. Gautrain CEO Tshepo Kgobe says the initiative ensures safe, efficient transport while easing road congestion.

Stay tuned for more news………….