News 09:00

BULLETIN 1 September 9 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# AfriForum welcomes the SIU probe into Eskom contracts
# Paul Mashatile welcomes a 5-billion-rand New Development Bank Loan for Transnet
# And motorsport:  Lando Norris takes pole for Italian Grand Prix

# AfriForum says the special investigating unit’s investigation into alleged corruption in nine Eskom contracts, is a crucial step toward accountability. The investigation follows president Ramaphosa’s recent proclamation, empowering the unit to probe irregularities in the power supplier’s operations. However, AfriForum’s Charné Mostert stresses this is the beginning of a broader battle against corruption at Eskom:

# Deputy president Paul Mashatile has welcomed the New Development Bank’s five-billion-rand loan agreement with Transnet, announced at its ninth annual meeting in Cape Town. The loan will fund Transnet’s freight rail sector renewal, focusing on infrastructure, locomotive, and wagon fleet overhauls. He emphasised the critical role Transnet plays in the South African economy:

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# The DA in Gauteng claims residents’ safety is at risk as the province remains a hub for serious crimes. DA Community Safety spokesperson Crezane Bosch highlighted that the latest crime statistics reveal Gauteng contributed 26.3-percent of contact crimes nationwide between April and June 2024. She has raised concerns about the effectiveness of current crime prevention strategies:

# China and the Philippines have accused each other of ramming coast guard vessels in a disputed area of the South China Sea. The Philippines has claimed a Chinese ship directly and intentionally rammed into its vessel, while Beijing has accused the Philippines of deliberately crashing into a Chinese ship. Yesterday’s collision near the Sabina Shoal is the latest incident between the two countries over various islands and zones in the South China Sea. Within the past two weeks, there have been at least three other incidents involving ships belonging to the two countries.

# And motorsport: Lando Norris is in pole position for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza this afternoon. The McLaren driver now has a great chance to further cut Max Verstappen’s Formula One championship lead. Norris trails Verstappen by 70 points in the drivers’ standings and has his teammate Oscar Piastri next to him in the front row. McLaren is now only 30 points behind Red Bull in the constructors’ championship. George Russell is on the second row for Mercedes, alongside Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc, with Carlos Sainz and Lewis Hamilton fifth and sixth, and Verstappen seventh.

Stay tuned for more news………….