News 08:00

BULLETIN 26 August 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Minister Lamola mourns the passing of ambassador Mahlangu
# The Board of Healthcare Funders launches a new challenge against NHI
# And Netanyahu says he regrets the tragic mishap at the Nasser Hospital

# Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, has expressed sadness at the passing of South African High Commissioner in Kenya, Mninwa Mahlangu. He passed away in the hospital on Sunday after a short illness. Mahlangu was also accredited as Pretoria’s ambassador in Somalia and permanent representative to the United Nations office in Nairobi. He also served as the Deputy Chairperson and later as Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces. Dirco spokesperson, Chrispin Phiri, says Mahlangu was a true patriot:

# The Board of Healthcare Funders has launched a new legal bid to overturn the National Health Insurance Act. It is asking the Constitutional Court to declare the legislation unlawful and invalid because Parliament failed to conduct a proper public consultation process. The Act was signed into law by president Cyril Ramaphosa in May last year. BHF’s doctor, Katlego Mothudi, told Newzroom Afrika that Parliament enacted a law without any reasonable understanding of how it would function in practice:

# The City of Cape Town says it is about the recent escalation of violence between the Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association and the Cape Organisation for the Democratic Taxi Association, in the Somerset West, Lwandle, and wider Helderberg areas. On Monday, two separate shooting incidents linked to ongoing taxi conflicts in Cape Town resulted in the deaths of three adults and left six men injured. Mayoral committee member for Urban Mobility, Rob Quintas, says these violent acts are criminal and reckless:

# Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he deeply regrets the tragic mishap at Nasser Hospital in Gaza. At least 20 people, including five journalists working for the international media, were killed in an Israeli double strike on the hospital. The latest deaths bring the number of journalists killed in Gaza since the start of the war in October 2023 to nearly 200. Netanyahu says military authorities are conducting a thorough investigation. He adds that Israel values the work of journalists, medical staff and all civilians.

# Cricket: Former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly will coach Pretoria Capitals in the fourth season of the SA20. This is the 53-year-old’s first stint in such a role, replacing former English batter Jonathan Trott, with former Proteas allrounder Sean Pollock as assistant coach. Ganguly became an administrator after his retirement in 2008 and served as president of India’s governing body, the BCCI, from 2019 to 2022. He was previously also a mentor for Indian Premier League side Delhi Capitals. The next SA20 starts on 26 December.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-59-cents and the euro at 20-rand-47-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-68-cents and Bitcoin trades at 109-thousand-193-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-372-dollars-97-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 67-dollars-88-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….