News 09:00

BULLETIN 17 August 9 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Minister Barbara Creecy urges PRASA to prioritise passenger rail system repair
# The DA welcomes the withdrawal of the nuclear procurement gazette
# And, Rugby: The Boks can reach many milestones in Perth today

# Transport minister Barbara Creecy has called on the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa to focus on restoring its passenger rail system to full capacity. Following the board’s decision to end Group Chief Executive Officer Zolani Matthews’ contract, Creecy expressed support for the move, for stable leadership. Ministry spokesperson Collen Msibi says the minister commended Group CEO Hishaam Emeran for his progress in reopening over 75-percent of rail corridors after significant vandalism:  

# Newly sworn-in Johannesburg mayor Dada Morero has vowed to ensure improved service delivery as his executive team hits the ground running. Elected for a second term, after a brief 25-day stint in 2022, Morero assured residents of change, vowing to push the carriage until 2026. He called for the implementation of the District Development Model to drive the city’s progress:

# The DA welcomes the withdrawal of the nuclear procurement gazette of two-thousand-500 megawatts, calling it a victory for public participation and the rule of law. This follows Electricity and Energy minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa’s decision to retract the gazette after concerns were raised about inadequate public involvement in the process. The DA’s Kevin Mileham pledges to continue monitoring the issue closely through parliamentary oversight: 

# Rugby: The Springboks could reach many milestones in today’s Rugby Championship Test against Australia in Perth. Eben Etzebeth, who starts on the bench, could join Bryan Habana on the overall Springbok list of 124 Tests, and just three behind Victor Matfield’s record of 127. Kwagga Smith is playing in his 45th Test. The Boks hope for their fourth successive victory over the Wallabies for the first time in over 50 years. South Africa’s starting line-up have played a total of 332 Tests.

# And finally for those who are considering a holiday with a difference: North Korea is set to reopen its borders to international tourists later this year. Nearly all tourists have been shut out of the country since 2020 due to strict Covid restrictions, but the border into Samjiyon, and possibly the rest of the country, is set to open. North Korea has been building what it calls a “socialist utopia” in the Samjiyon. New apartments, a ski resort and commercial, cultural and medical facilities have been built as part of a project to create a highly-civilised mountain city.

Stay tuned for more news………….