News 07:00

BULLETIN 2 August 7 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The Special Investigation Unit takes over AfriForum’s complaint against the Financial Aid Scheme
# The US says the prisoner swap deal was very complex
# And Olympic Games: Tatjana Smith calls time on her career

# The Special Investigating Unit is set to probe AfriForum’s corruption complaint against the National Student Financial Aid Scheme, involving minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Blade Nzimande, and former scheme board chairperson, Ernest Khosa. This follows a formal complaint lodged with the Public Protector in January. AfriForum’s Campaign Officer, Charné Mostert, calls the transfer to the SIU a positive step towards justice:

# The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development has condemned racism allegations at Pretoria High School for Girls, Table View High, and Pinelands High in the Western Cape. Allegations include offensive WhatsApp messages, the use of racial slurs, and a slave auction incident. The department is alarmed by the incidents and demands strict disciplinary measures. They aim to combat racism and hate crimes through the national action plan, collaborating with relevant bodies to address these issues and promote constitutional rights.

# Telkom has welcomed the Competition Commission’s recommendation to approve the sale of 100-percent of Swiftnet, subject to conditions. Shareholders approved the 6.75-billion-rand transaction in May. The sale to an infrastructure fund managed by Actis LLP, with Royal Bafokeng Holdings as a BBB-EE partner, aims to unlock shareholder value and streamline operations. CEO Serame Taukobong says this is a step towards becoming a leading infrastructure company. Meanwhile, regulatory approvals from ICASA and the Competition Tribunal are pending.

# The Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi says they intend to finalise all Life Esidimeni claims by the end of the 2025/2026 financial year. Last month, the High Court in Pretoria found former Health MEC Qedani Mahlangu and the Head of Department for Mental Health Makgabo Manamela, were negligent and responsible for the deaths of some of the 144 Life Esidimeni psychiatric patients. Lesufi says the provincial government will build the Life Esidimeni Monument in memory of the deceased victims.

# US National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan, says while they had confidence in the prisoner swap, they were cautious that this was a fragile and complex deal. Sixteen individuals who were detained in Russia were released including Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and US Marine Paul Whelan. Among the eight returning to Russia was the assassin Vadim Krasikov, who was imprisoned in Germany since 2019 for the murder of a Chechen exile in Berlin. Sullivan says pulling off this deal took a lot of work:

# Olympic Games: Tatjana Smith has announced her retirement from swimming. The 27-year-old won gold in the 100-metre breaststroke and silver in the 200-metre breaststroke in Paris. She is one of South Africa’s most decorated Olympians, having won two golds and two silvers at the Games during her career. Smith says she is looking forward to what is ahead for her:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-28-cents and the euro at 19-rand-73-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-26-cents and Bitcoin trades at 64-thousand-736-dollars-43-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-447-dollars-98-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 79-dollars-90-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….