News 08:00

BULLETIN 31 August 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Nomvula Mokonyane urges ANC members to accept the party’s candidate lists
# Feroz Khan is reportedly back in hospital, days before his next Madlanga Commission appearance
# And, America and Iran exchange strikes for the first time since late July

# ANC First Deputy Secretary-General, Nomvula Mokonyane, has urged party members to accept the candidate lists for the November local government elections. Disgruntled ANC members demonstrated their dissatisfaction during the Free State’s manifesto launch, accusing the party of factionalism and expressing unhappiness over the selection of candidates in certain wards. Mokonyane says organisational discipline is key to the party’s centralism, stressing the importance of the Integrated Development Plan:

# Suspended deputy Crime Intelligence head, Feroz Khan, has reportedly been readmitted to hospital, nearly two months after he was shot and wounded in Houghton, Johannesburg, on 28 June. Khan’s latest hospitalisation comes at a critical time, as he was subpoenaed to appear before the Madlanga Commission this week. He was also served with a further Rule 3 notice recently requiring him to answer additional questions from the commission. The Madlanga Commission spokesperson, Jeremy Michaels, says they have not been officially informed about Khan’s health status.

# The South African Federation of Trade Unions has condemned the failure of government to recruit a single one of the ten-thousand additional permanent labour inspectors. In February, president Ramaphosa said government would recruit an additional ten-thousand labour inspectors during the year to enforce labour and immigration laws and address employers’ illegal employment practices. SAFTU’s Asive Dyani says six months later, not one of these permanent inspectors has been recruited:

# US forces struck two Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island, aimed at preventing Tehran from launching more sea mines into the Strait of Hormuz. Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps says the attack killed and wounded several people. In retaliation, Iran launched missile and drone strikes against two US air bases in Jordan. The strikes come as Iran and Oman continue discussions over a proposed arrangement to restore maritime traffic through the Strait. Sunday’s attack marked the first known American strikes on Iran since late July.

# Cricket: Proteas fast bowler Lutho Sipmala has been ruled out of the ongoing T20 International tri-series in Namibia after sustaining a left hamstring injury. The 28-year-old sustained the injury while bowling during his second over of the first match against the hosts on Friday. He subsequently missed the second game against Zimbabwe on Saturday. All-rounder Andile Simelane has been named as his replacement. Sipmala is the second South African to be ruled out of the tri-series, after Jason Smith sustained a groin injury.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-17-cents and the euro at 18-rand-74-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-90-cents, and Bitcoin trades at 77-thousand-760-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-421-dollars-67-cents a fine ounce, and Brent crude oil is quoted at 92-dollars-35-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….