News 08:00

BULLETIN 26 August 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma retracts her vote-buying claims against Ronald Lamola
# BOSA demands action against those responsible for deaths caused by municipal infrastructure failures
# And Paul McCartney, Elton John and Donald Trump lead tributes for Dolly Parton

# ANC National Executive Committee member Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has retracted comments she made on the African Renaissance Podcast against minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola. She accused Lamola and ANC secretary general Fikile Mbalula of participating in vote-buying during the party’s 2017 and 2022 National Conferences respectively, which they have both denied. Dlamini-Zuma alleged that a circulating audio recording directly implicated Lamola, but now says, following clarification, she apologises for her comments. She adds that concerns regarding the influence of money in the ANC’s leadership contests must be addressed.

# Build One South Africa leader, Mmusi Maimane, has called on president Cyril Ramaphosa to act against those responsible for the deaths of over 100 South Africans, as a result of municipal infrastructure failures across the country. The incidents include the Hammanskraal cholera outbreak and the Usindiso building fire. Maimane says he is requesting clear timelines and specific dates for when Ramaphosa will take the necessary action in response to these deaths that have occurred under his administration:

# Acting Police minister Firoz Cachalia has commended investigators for progress in the probe into a series of killings in Knysna in the Western Cape. Cachalia visited the town following the murders of former Knysna mayor Aubrey Tsengwa and two other men in separate incidents last week. Police Ministry spokesperson Kamogelo Mogotsi says four suspects are in custody and face charges of conspiracy to commit Tsengwa’s murder, while the investigation into the other two killings continues:

# Tennis: Italy’s world number six Flavio Cobolli and Swiss teammate Belinda Bencic defeated American Serena Williams and Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz, 5-4, 4-1 in a high-quality showdown to reach the semifinals of the US Open Mixed Doubles Championship. Top seeds Serbia’s Novak Djokovic and Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka suffered defeat to Britain’s Henry Patten and Czech Katerina Siniakova. The married couple, Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina and Frenchman Gael Monfils, the Russian pairing of Mirra Andreeva and Andrey Rublev and Czech Republic’s Karolina Muchova and Jakub Mensik also advanced to the semifinals.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 15-rand-91-cents and the euro at 18-rand-56-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-70-cents, and Bitcoin trades at 79-thousand-43-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-648-dollars-71-cents a fine ounce, and Brent crude oil is quoted at 87-dollars-56-cents a barrel.

# And finally, tributes are pouring in following the passing of country music legend Dolly Parton at the age of 80. He team has confirmed that she died following a brief battle with cancer. Beatles legend Paul McCartney called Parton a magnificent star, while Elton John dubbed her a giant of an artist who was irreplaceable. Beyoncé thanked Parton for her heart, generosity, and humour. US president Donald Trump has ordered the nation’s flags to be lowered to half-staff in her honour, saying there has never been anyone like her, and never will.

Stay tuned for more news………….