News 09:00

BULLETIN 20 August 9 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The ad-hoc committee on police corruption is closer to adopting its terms of reference
# Numsa is going to strike against Macsteel’s ‘unjustified’ retrenchments
# And the UN says conflict-related sexual violence is on the rise

# Parliament’s ad hoc committee, tasked with investigating allegations of police corruption, says the final version of the terms of reference sent to members within the next two days. This will enable them to review the document before its formal adoption. The formation of the committee stems from allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. Among the items agreed for inclusion in the terms of reference is that Mkhwanazi will be the first person to appear before the committee. The committee further agreed that it will procure external legal support.

The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa says it does not accept that retrenchments at Macsteel are justified. The steel-producing company last month announced that it has entered into a process of restructuring, which may affect a number of its operations and employees. Numsa’s spokesperson, Phakamile Hlubi-Majola, says they will embark upon strike action, as Macsteel’s hostile management sabotaged the consultation process:

# Eastern Cape acting Police Commissioner, Thandiswa Kupiso, has condemned the brazen attack on a National Prosecuting Authority officer and his family in Tiryville, Kariega. This is reminiscent of the killing of Gqeberha prosecutor Tracy Brown last month. According to a police report, the prosecutor and his family arrived at their home in the early hours of Monday morning. Police spokesperson, Nobuntu Gantana, says while they were in the prosecutor’s car outside the gate of their property, they were approached by four people:

# There were more than four-thousand-600 reported cases of conflict-related sexual violence in 2024, marking a 25-percent increase from 2023. This is according to the United Nations. Sexual violence against children increased by 35-percent in the past year. The highest number of cases was recorded in the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Somalia, and South Sudan. Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Pramila Patten, says food insecurity also heightened the risk of sexual violence:

# Soccer: Liverpool winger Mohamed Salah has won the Professional Footballers’ Association men’s player of the year award for a record third time. The Egyptian scored 29 goals and provided 18 assists as the Reds won the Premier League title last season. PFA women’s player of the year award went to Arsenal midfielder Mariona Caldentey, who scored 19 goals in all competitions in her first season with the Gunners. Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers and Arsenal’s Olivia Smith scooped the men’s and women’s young player of the year awards, respectively.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-70-cents and the euro at 20-rand-60-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-86-cents and Bitcoin trades at 113-thousand-64-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-318-dollars-43-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 65-dollars-45-cents a barrel. 

Stay tuned for more news………….