News 08:00

BULLETIN 27 August 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The DA seeks a final order on the constitutional invalidity of VAT powers
# Dagga, Nyaope and abortion pills are seized in latest school raid in Gauteng
# And, four South Africans are missing following a flash flood on the  Nepal-Tibet border

# The Constitutional Court will today hear the DA’s application for confirmation of the Western Cape High Court order, which declared a section of the Value-Added Tax Act unconstitutional. The section in question allows the Minister of Finance to announce a change to the VAT rate in the budget. This follows last year’s fight over the two-percent VAT increase. The DA is also appealing the suspension of the declaration for 24 months. It argues that the minister cannot have unilateral powers to set the VAT rate.

# Electoral Commission chairperson Mosotho Moepya says traditional leaders are vital to creating conditions for free and fair elections. Speaking at the IEC’s meeting with the Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa in Gauteng, Moepya says traditional authorities help maintain discipline, respect and order in communities. He says consultations are also important while strengthening cooperation between traditional authorities and the IEC ahead of the local government elections:

# Gauteng MEC of Education Lebogang Maile says 17 schools have now been searched through police-led search and seizure operations, aimed at removing drugs, weapons and other prohibited items from schools. Five schools were searched yesterday: Baleseng Junior Secondary School, Tiyelelani Secondary School, Ngaka Maseko Secondary School, Holy Trinity Secondary School and FR Smangaliso Mkhathwa Secondary School. Maile says the latest operation uncovered nyaope, abortion pills and a substantial amount of dagga:

# At least 157 people have died, and more than 300 foreign nationals, including at least four South Africans, are missing after a massive flash flood and mudslide in Nepal. A huge wall of mud and rock collapsed into a river on the Himalayan border between Nepal and China’s Tibet, triggering the flash flood. In China, three people have been killed, and over 250 are missing. The missing foreigners are from India, the UK, the US, Australia, and Canada, as well as others from South Korea, the Netherlands, Malaysia, Portugal, and South Africa.

# Golf: South Africa’s Stals Swart, who is searching for his maiden Sunshine Tour title, leads the Sunbet Challenge Wild Coast by two shots on six under par after the opening round in Port Edward, Eastern Cape. Eight players are tied for second on four under par, including South Africans Rupert Kaminski and Keagan Thomas as well as Ireland’s Liam Grehan. Defending champion, Australia’s Austin Bautista, signed for a two-under-par 68. Swart says he is pleased with how he is playing:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 15-rand-94-cents and the euro at 18-rand-58-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-67-cents, and Bitcoin trades at 78-thousand-875-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-634-dollars-76-cents a fine ounce, and Brent crude oil is quoted at 88-dollars-84-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….