News 09:00

BULLETIN 21 August 9 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The government continues to strengthen its partnership with the UN
# A Correctional Services union is concerned about incarcerated mothers
# And the search is continuing for six people after a tornado sank a luxury yacht

# Minister in the Presidency for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Maropene Ramokgopa, says the United Nations has been an important partner to South Africa in addressing challenges and meeting the Sustainable Development Goals. The minister held bilateral discussions with a delegation of the UN in South Africa. The ministry’s spokesperson, Litha Mpondwana, says the discussions reaffirmed the ongoing collaboration and partnership between the government and the UN:

# The South African Correctional Services Workers Union has called on the Department of Correctional Services to fulfil its legal obligations to provide proper care for incarcerated mothers and their children. This follows claims that an inmate mother at East London’s West Bank Correctional Centre, in the Eastern Cape lacks essential supplies for her baby. The union’s Alude Jizana says they are committed to upholding the human dignity of inmates and protecting the rights of their children: 

# The Freedom Front Plus in Gauteng says the economic plans put forward by premier Panyaza Lesufi will fall short of turning the province’s struggling economy around. The party was responding to the premier’s state of the province address. The FF Plus’, Anton Alberts, says Gauteng’s dire economic situation requires a watershed moment where proven economic policies are implemented at once:

# Six of the 22 passengers who were on board the British-flagged sailing yacht, the Bayesian, are still missing, including British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch and his daughter. The yacht sank during a violent storm in southern Italy on Monday. Officials say a team of specialist divers are working to open a passage on the vessel to reach the cabins where they hope to find the bodies of the six missing individuals. The Italian coastguard has confirmed that a body recovered on Monday was that of the vessel’s chef, Recaldo Thomas.

# Soccer: Manchester City duo Phil Foden and Khadija Shaw have been voted men’s and women’s PFA Player of the Year respectively. Foden scored 19 goals in 35 top-flight appearances in 2023-2024, as City won a historic fourth successive Premier League. At 23 he became the youngest player to have won six league titles. Shaw was the Women’s Super League top scorer last season with 21 goals in 18 games. Chelsea’s Cole Palmer was named Young Player of the Year, with Manchester United midfielder Grace Clinton winning the women’s prize.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-79-cents and the euro at 19-rand-79-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-18-cents and Bitcoin trades at 59-thousand-364-dollars-70-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-516-dollars-69-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 77-dollars-6-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….