News 08:00

BULLETIN 30 August 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# A US court rules many of Donald Trump’s tariffs are illegal
# The MK Party raises red flags over the procurement of the Hitachi Energy tender
# And rugby: The Springbok Women make tactical changes ahead of their Italy clash

# A US appeals court has ruled that most tariffs issued by US President Donald Trump are illegal, setting up a potential legal showdown that could upend his foreign policy agenda. In a 7-4 decision, the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit rejected Trump’s argument that the tariffs were permitted under an emergency economic powers act, calling them invalid as contrary to law. It says imposing tariffs is not within the president’s mandate, but a core Congressional power. The ruling will not take effect until 14 October to give the administration time to take the case to the Supreme Court.

# The DA says former Johannesburg Property Company CEO Helen Botes must still be held accountable, despite the National Prosecuting Authority declining to prosecute her. The party says the Special Investigating Unit’s findings of corruption were ignored and has written to Parliament demanding a full inquiry. The DA’s Belinda Kayser-Echeozonjoku says officials who misuse public funds must face justice, vowing to recover stolen money and ensure no one is above the law:

# The MK Party says the City of Cape Town’s decision to award a major power transformer tender to Hitachi Energy is deeply troubling. The party has raised concerns about compliance with procurement laws, fairness in broad-based black economic empowerment, and due diligence, given Hitachi’s past misconduct. MK spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela says parliamentary questions have been submitted to seek clarity on possible irregularities and whether the tender could be cancelled should it be found unlawful.

# The South African National Parks has confirmed that the second phase of the reopening of Silvermine Gate 1 and most trails in the Silvermine area will commence from 1 September 2025. This follows the reopening of Silvermine Gate 2 and parts of Tokai in July, after fires damaged two-thousand-800 hectares earlier this year. Upper Tokai, including Levels 4 and 5, will also reopen. However, some routes remain closed for safety and rehabilitation. SANParks urges visitors to adhere to signage and ranger instructions.

# Ans finally rugby news:

# The Women’s World Cup resumes in England today, with Canada taking on Wales at the start of the second round. Scotland faces Fiji, the hostesses play Samoa and USA will come up against Australia. The Springbok Women play Italy tomorrow, following their convincing victory over Brazil in their first match, while Ireland and Spain will face off. New Zealand faces Japan, while France competes with Brazil. The group matches will be completed with the third round next weekend, followed by the play-offs.

And staying on the topic, Women’s coach Swys de Bruin has tweaked the squad for Sunday’s World Cup match against Italy in York. Nadine Roos will start at fullback, with Unam Tose at scrumhalf, while forwards remain unchanged. Chumisa Qawe and Eloise Webb will make their tournament debuts. De Bruin says the squad is aiming for a win to reach a top-ten world ranking and secure a playoff spot:

Stay tuned for more news………….