News 08:00

BULLETIN 20 Augustus 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Advocate Madonsela criticises Ramaphosa’s objection to his appointment as evidence leader
# General Mkhwanazi says prisons are the breeding grounds for gangs
# And, the US and Canada say they are finalising a trade deal

# Advocate Thandazani Madonsela says president Cyril Ramaphosa’s apprehension about his appointment as the Impeachment Committee’s evidence leader is not grounded in fact. Ramaphosa has objected to Madonsela serving as the evidence leader on the basis of a conflict of interest, citing his previous decision to remove him from the Judicial Service Commission in 2022. He also says Madonsela recently advised the ANC on matters linked to the impeachment inquiry. Madonsela says he had disclosed the engagement with the ANC and that the committee decided to elect him, having full knowledge of this.

# KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner, Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, says South Africa’s correctional facilities are breeding grounds for crime and gangs. He briefed Parliament’s portfolio committee on Police yesterday as part of a summit on gang-related violence. The summit brought together victims of gang-related violence, civil society organisations, community-based organisations and individuals working daily to combat gang violence. Mkhwanazi says the problem extended beyond inmates, pointing to the recent arrest of a correctional official:

# The Western Cape government says 82-percent of its livestock herd has been vaccinated against foot-and-mouth disease. Nearly 480-thousand vaccine doses have been administered to commercial and subsistence livestock across all districts. The response is aimed at protecting farmers, jobs, food security and the province’s agricultural economy. MEC for Agriculture, Economic Development and Tourism, Ivan Meyer, says 28 outbreaks are still active, while eleven have been resolved:

# President Donald Trump says the US has reached “a very fair” trade deal with Canada. Trade negotiators met yesterday after Trump paused the implementation of 50-percent tariffs on a range of Canadian goods. Canadian prime minister Mark Carney says they are now moving towards an agreement that includes securing the best terms in each of the country’s most important strategic sectors. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer says the deal eliminates “some of the irritants” that America has had with Canada:

# Rugby: South African URC Player of the Season, Embrose Papier, won two major honours at the Bulls’ annual awards. Following an outstanding 2025-2026 campaign, the scrumhalf was named the Players’ Player of the Year and Senior MVP/Player of the Year. Loose forward Jeandré Rudolph won the 2025 Currie Cup Player of the Year and Forward of the Year in the Champions Cup. Winger Cheswill Jooste was recognised as Newcomer of the Year. On the women’s side, the Bulls Daisies’ Camelitha Malone won two awards, including Players’ Player of the Year.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-9-cents and the euro at 18-rand-80-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-91-cents, and Bitcoin trades at 68-thousand-899-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-495-dollars-33-cents a fine ounce, and Brent crude oil is quoted at 93-dollars-16-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….