News 06:00

BULLETIN 5 September 6 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Minister Lamola calls for mineral beneficiation to drive growth
# The ousted SA Tourism board members file an urgent court application
# And, the legendary Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani has died

# International Relations minister Ronald Lamola says the beneficiation and value addition of critical minerals must underpin a more sustainable and inclusive growth model. Speaking at the B20 Summit in Sandton, Lamola stressed that South Africa can no longer rely on extractive supply chains of the past. He urged investment in localisation and technology transfer to create jobs, strengthen economies, and ensure Africa is not left behind in global supply chains:

# The ousted SA Tourism board members have filed an urgent application in the High Court in Pretoria to overturn Tourism minister Patricia de Lille’s decision to dissolve the structure. The minister has defended her decision to dissolve the board, citing unlawful conduct, procedural violations, and reckless financial management as grounds for intervention. In their court filing, the ousted board members argue that the minister’s actions undermine good governance, accountability, and the independence of statutory boards. They add that the current impasse threatens stability at SA Tourism.

# The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse welcomes the City of Johannesburg’s decision to repeal its controversial CCTV by-law. The by-law would have forced property owners with private cameras to pay annual fees and provide access to footage. The organisation and the South African Property Owners Association had launched legal challenges, arguing the law infringed on residents’ rights. OUTA’s Stefanie Fick urges the city to focus on fixing services like water, potholes, instead of imposing unnecessary fees:

# The DA in the Western Cape urges urgent action as child killings continue to rise across the province. According to the party, between 2022 and last year, 557 children lost their lives to violent crime, with 197 murdered in 2024 alone. Areas hardest hit include Kraaifontein, Philippi East, Delft, Nyanga, and Mfuleni. The DA’s Wendy Kaizer-Philander calls for stronger policing, improved social services, gang prevention, and a more effective justice system to protect children:

# Rugby: The Springboks and the All Blacks have rejected World Rugby’s request for more contrasting kits in tomorrow’s expected blockbuster match in Auckland, opting to play in their traditional colours. This is seen as respect for a long-standing tradition, with the Boks playing in their iconic Green and Gold, and the hosts donning their trademark black kit. Neither team have deviated from this over the last 104 years of rivalry, which could be threatened by the governing body’s kit policy to make it easier for colour-blind spectators.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-75-cents and the euro at 20-rand-68-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-85-cents and Bitcoin trades at 111-thousand-357-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-542-dollars-48-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 66-dollars-56-cents a barrel.

# And finally: Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani has died at the age of 91. He co-founded the luxury fashion house bearing his name in 1975 with his partner, Sergio Galeotti. Armani was seen as a pioneer, elevating red carpet fashion to what it is today. The Armani Group has described him as a tireless driving force. Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni paid tribute to Armani, saying that, with his elegance, sobriety, and creativity, he was able to bring lustre to Italian fashion and inspire the entire world.

Stay tuned for more news………….