News 08:00

BULLETIN 8 August 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Home Affairs finds prima facie evidence of fraud by a Miss SA contestant’s mother
# The Auditor-general criticises the lack of accountability in municipalities
# And Taylor Swift’s concerts in Vienna are cancelled over an alleged planned terrorist attack

# The Department of Home Affairs says it has found prima facie evidence that Miss SA contestant Chidimma Adetshina’s mother may have committed fraud and identity theft. The department believes her mother may have stolen the identity of a South African woman when registering the birth. Adetshina’s participation in the pageant was met with backlash when it was revealed that her father was Nigerian and her mother Mozambican. Minister Leon Schreiber says an investigation into this matter is ongoing:

# Auditor-general Tsakani Maluleke has criticised mayors and speakers for failing to transform municipalities into accountable and transparent institutions. Earlier this year, she raised concern about material irregularities in municipalities, which amounted to 5.2-billion-rand. Speaking during a two-day national joint sitting of the council of mayors and speakers in Polokwane, Maluleke, says municipalities have yet to build institutional capabilities to deliver on their constitutional mandates. She adds that professionalising local government will go a long way in cleaning up the rot.

# Seven suspects are expected to appear in the Brits and Rustenburg Magistrates’ Courts today for alleged theft of precious metals worth 350-million-rand. The alleged stolen platinum was kept for sale in Rustenburg and Brits. Hawks spokesperson, Tinyiko Mathebula, says the suspects face charges of illegal possession of precious metals and dealing in precious metals:

# The Vienna leg of Taylor Swift’s Eras tour after two people were arrested in connection with plans for an alleged attack in the Austrian capital. The two suspects include a 19-year-old, who pledged his allegiance to the Islamic State group in July. Officials say the two suspects had undertaken concrete preparatory measures for a terrorist attack, with Swift’s shows being the focus. At least 65-thousand people per day had been expected to attend the three concerts at Ernst Happel Stadium, as well as 22-thousand fans outside the venue.

# Tennis: Four-time champion Rafael Nadal has pulled out of the US Open, saying he would not be able to give his 100-percent at Flushing Meadows in New York. The 38-year-old Spaniard did not confirm any specific injury or health concerns. Nadal played at the Olympic Games in Paris, losing in the second round to Novak Djokovic in the men’s singles, and reaching the quarterfinals of the men’s doubles with Carlos Alcaraz. He says he is still planning to play in the Laver Cup in Berlin next month.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-36-cents and the euro at 20-rand-7-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-31-cents and Bitcoin trades at 57-thousand-472-dollars-23-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-390-dollars-18-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 78-dollars-51-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….