News 08:00

BULLETIN 17 May 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The MK Party announces major organisational restructure
# Julius Malema stresses unity and rejects claims of racism
# And, the Bulls secure a home quarter final after beating Benetton in a United Rugby Championship clash

# The MK Party has restructured its organisation ahead of the 2026 local government elections, establishing an Institute to oversee strategy and administration. Party leader Jacob Zuma announced the move following an internal assessment aimed at strengthening ideological and organisational coherence. The Institute will coordinate leadership structures, policy direction and mobilisation programmes, and will report directly to Zuma. The party says the changes are intended to improve discipline, grassroots mobilisation and long-term electoral readiness.

# EFF leader Julius Malema says South Africans are deeply interconnected and should not be divided along racial lines. Speaking at the Frank Dialogue Podcast, Malema rejected claims that the party targets white farmers, arguing that such narratives are misleading and politically motivated. He called for greater inclusion of progressive white South Africans within the EFF, saying the struggle is against systems of privilege, not individuals:

# Eskom is preparing for the gradual transition from coal-fired power stations with decisions on shutting down and repurposing older plants are expected between July and September 2026. In addition, Eskom says that more than 500-thousand households are benefiting from its load-reduction programme, with the Northern Cape and Western Cape having fully eliminated load-reduction. Eskom spokesperson Daphne Mokoena says improved electricity stability supports economic growth:

# Ghana has officially ended its Extended Credit Facility programme with the International Monetary Fund after reporting major economic improvements. The government says fiscal discipline, spending cuts and structural reforms helped stabilise the economy following years of high inflation, debt pressure and currency weakness. Officials report lower inflation, stronger foreign reserves and improved investor confidence. Ghana will continue working with the IMF through a non-financing Policy Coordination Instrument aimed at supporting reforms, boosting credibility and attracting long-term investment.

# Rugby:  The Bulls secured a guaranteed home United Rugby Championship quarter-final at Loftus Versfeld after crushing Italian side Benetton 45–19. The visitors retaliated on either side of the interval with two quick scores from winger Louis Lynagh, narrowing the gap to 26–19. However, Player of the Match Jeandré Rudolph halted Benetton’s momentum with brilliant defensive turnovers, allowing Mpilo Gumede and captain Ruan Nortjé to boost the hosts’ score. The seven-try, bonus-point victory lifted the Bulls to third place on the overall league standings.

# And in tennis: World number one Jannik Sinner will face Norway’s Casper Ruud in the finals of the Italian Open today after he beat Daniil Medvedev ‌6-2, 5-7, 6-4 in the semi-final. The game was suspended on Friday due to rain with Sinner leading 4-2 in the decider when play was halted. The victory ​extended Sinner’s remarkable Masters winning streak to 33 consecutive matches. Sinner ⁠has a perfect 4-0 record against Ruud, including a quarter-final win in Rome last year, and has never ​dropped a set against the Norwegian.

Stay tuned for more news………….