News 07:00

BULLETIN 23 September 7 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Business Leadership SA says the country must accelerate its trade diversification
# The EFF says Zille has no clue how to fix Joburg’s complex issues
# And cricket: The Pakistan Women beat South Africa in the final ODI

# Business Leadership South Africa says, amidst trade negotiations with the US, the government must prepare for all scenarios by accelerating trade diversification efforts. Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Parks Tau, met US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and members of Congress in Washington last week, to strike a trade deal. BLSA CEO Busiswe Mavuso says in an increasingly fragmented global economy, South Africa’s success will depend not on any single trading relationship, but on its ability to build resilience through multiple pathways to prosperity.

# Suspended Crime Detection deputy national police commissioner, Shadrack Sibiya, has been linked to tenderpreneur Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala during a testimony at the Madlanga Commission in Pretoria. National police commissioner Fannie Masemola told the commission that a concerned individual raised allegations that Sibiya was close to Matlala, who faces attempted murder charges. Masemola testified that he ordered Crime Intelligence to investigate, leading to searches at Matlala’s premises and the arrest of Sandton businessman Katiso “KT” Molefe:

# The EFF says Helen Zille does not have an understanding of the City of Johannesburg’s complex issues and how to fix them. Zille is the DA’s mayoral candidate for Johannesburg ahead of next year’s local government elections. If elected, Zille, at 74 years old, would become the oldest Johannesburg mayor in the country’s democratic history. EFF Gauteng leader, Nkululeko Dunga, says picking Zille shows a lack of capacity of the DA in itself:

# United Nations Secretary General, António Guterres, has warned that the principles of the organisation are under assault as never before. He delivered a speech to the General Assembly in New York on Monday to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the UN. Guterres says from eradicating smallpox to healing the ozone layer to preventing a third world war, the UN has led the way to some of humanity’s greatest triumphs:

# Cricket: Pakistan women beat South Africa by six wickets in the third and final ODI in Lahore, with the visitors clinching the three-match series 2-1. Left-arm spinner Nashra Sandhu claimed career-best figures of six wickets for 24 runs, as South Africa were bowled out for 115. In reply, Sidra Amin scored an unbeaten half-century as Pakistan cruised to victory with 19 overs to spare. This series was in preparation for the Women’s World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, commencing September 30th.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-32-cents and the euro at 20-rand-47-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-42-cents and Bitcoin trades at 112-thousand-277-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-754-dollars-18-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 65-dollars-81-cents a barrel.

# And finally: The Duchess of York has been removed as patron of a children’s charity, in the wake of an email emerging in which she called sex offender Jeffrey Epstein her “supreme friend”. Julia’s House, a children’s hospice charity serving families in the English towns of Dorset and Wiltshire, has removed Sarah Ferguson, the former wife of Prince Andrew, from her role as patron. A charity spokesperson said, following news of the email, the charity decided it would be inappropriate for her to continue as patron.

Stay tuned for more news………….