News 07:00

BULLETIN 5 August 7 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# President Ramaphosa says the decision to establish the government of national unity was correct
# The Israeli government votes to fire the country’s Attorney General
# And rugby: The Junior Springbok star Batho Hlekani will join the Lions next year

# ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa says the National Executive Committee has concluded that the decision to establish the government of national unity was correct. Yesterday, he delivered the closing remarks following the three-day NEC meeting in Gauteng. Ramaphosa says South Africans appreciate that the GNU has brought stability and enabled progress in addressing their challenges. He adds that the GNU has enabled the ANC to continue to execute its agenda for nation-building and fundamental socioeconomic transformation:

# The MK Party says the Constitutional Court has failed South Africans by not holding president Cyril Ramaphosa accountable for breaking the Constitution. The party argues the apex court avoided the matter by sending it to the high court, which could delay justice. It has issued a letter of demand to Ramaphosa, asking why the public must pay for two Police ministers and the Madlanga commission. Spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela says protests will continue to demand Ramaphosa’s resignation.

# The Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa has warned that the 30-percent tariff on South African exports to the US is set to severely impact the metals and engineering sector. According to a recent survey 33-percent of companies expect revenue and job losses, with some relying on the US for up to 20-percent of turnover. Seifsa CEO Tafadzwa Chibanguza says indirect supply chain disruptions, stalled investments, and shrinking alternative markets add pressure. He calls for urgent government support and trade diplomacy to safeguard industry competitiveness and jobs.

# The DA in KwaZulu-Natal says it is alarmed at allegations linking Labour and Employment deputy minister, Jomo Sibiya, to companies flagged as beneficiaries in the controversial two-billion-rand National School Nutrition Programme. Sesiphambili Trading was registered by the deputy minister in 2008 and is currently under the directorship of his wife, Simphiwe Sibiya. The DA’s Sakhile Mngadi says this crisis can no longer be treated as an administrative mishap; it is organised corruption:

# The Israeli government has voted unanimously to fire the country’s Attorney General, Gali Baharav-Miara. This decision will not take effect until the High Court of Justice rules on pending petitions against the removal process. Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government has accused her of abusing her authority to undermine the government’s policies and destabilise Israel’s rule of law. Baharav-Miara has warned that from now on, the government will be able to fire any attorney general without any oversight mechanisms, and even on improper grounds. 

# Rugby: One of the Junior Springboks’ stars in the recent Under-20 world championship, loose forward Batho Hlekani, will play for the Lions from next season. He will move to Johannesburg from Durban at the end of the year, when his contract with the Sharks expires. The 20-year-old joined the senior Springboks’ training camp in Johannesburg before the start of the Rugby Championship, together with Junior Bok teammates Cheswill Jooste and Haashim Pead.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-91-cents and the euro at 20-rand-71-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-80-cents and Bitcoin trades at 114-thousand-806-dollar. Gold sells at three-thousand-380-dollars-3-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 68-dollars-56-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….