News 08:00

BULLETIN 30 May 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The second Madlanga Commission report is presented to president Cyril Ramaphosa
# The Motor Industry Staff Association says unemployment should be declared a national state of emergency
# And soccer: Bafana Bafana was held to a nil-all draw against Nicaragua ahead of the World Cup

# The second interim report of the Madlanga Commission is now before president Cyril Ramaphosa, with expectations growing that several arrests could soon follow. The commission investigating allegations of corruption and criminal infiltration within law enforcement and state institutions resumes hearings on Monday with suspended KwaZulu-Natal Hawks head Lesetja Senona scheduled to testify. Investigators continue probing claims linked to organised crime networks and misconduct within the criminal justice system.

# Minister of Higher Education and Training Buti Manamela says the National Student Financial Aid Scheme is being strengthened and reformed despite growing governance concerns. He appeared before Parliament’s portfolio committee on Higher Education and Training, where concerns were raised about irregularities at the scheme, including the filling of positions. Manamela defended the administration of the fund, citing that repeated board failures since 2019 have contributed to ongoing challenges:

# The Motor Industry Staff Association calls on the government to declare unemployment a national state of emergency as rising joblessness is fuelling poverty, anger and growing hostility toward immigrants. MISA’s Phakamile Hlubi-Majola says South Africa’s unemployment rate of 32.7-percent remains among the highest in the world, leaving millions of people, especially young people, dependent on social grants and excluded from work opportunities:

# The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse says Johannesburg’s financial and service delivery challenges will not be solved through unclear announcements or vague intervention plans. It comes as Eskom and the City of Johannesburg consider an agreement aimed at addressing the city’s growing debt while avoiding electricity cuts to paying customers. OUTA’s Julius Kleynhans says the success of any deal will depend on transparency, accountability and clear measures for revenue recovery:

# Soccer: Bafana Bafana was held to a nil-all draw by a resolute Nicaragua at the Orlando Stadium last night in their warm-up match, before departing for the World Cup. It was a frustrating and disappointing night for South Africa to not able to break the defence of the visitors and Lyle Foster missing a penalty. The team departs for Mexico tomorrow where they will conclude their World Cup preparations with a match against Jamaica. They face Mexico in the opening match of the World Cup on the 11^th of June.

# And finally: The South African Weather Service says widespread morning fog in several parts of the country is expected today, followed by cloudy to partly cloudy and warm conditions. Isolated showers are expected in Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal and parts of the Eastern Cape. Gauteng is forecast to be cool in the morning, becoming warmer later in the day, while frost is possible over parts of Mpumalanga’s southern Highveld. Motorists are urged to exercise caution during reduced visibility conditions in the early morning hours.

Stay tuned for more news………….