News 09:00

BULLETIN 26 August 9 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The Government says it has zero tolerance for violence and drugs in schools
# BOSA submits three names to Ramaphosa for consideration as ambassador to Washington
# And rugby: Erasmus is expecting a tremendous test against the All Blacks

# Government has condemned all forms of violence in schools, which it says undermines learning, safety, and the future of children. Last week, a Gauteng school principal was stabbed while trying to break up a fight between learners from West Ridge High and Hoërskool Roodepoort. In Klerksdorp, North West, several pupils from Hoër Tegniese Skool were suspended after a viral video showed them attacking a teacher. Government spokesperson Nonkululeko Mtshali says schools must be safe spaces, and teachers must be respected:

# Build One South Africa says it remains concerned with the continuing absence of a South African Ambassador to the US. The party has written to president Cyril Ramaphosa with a set of credible candidates for the position. They are, African Continental Free Trade Area secretary general, Wamkele Mene, corporate governance expert, doctor Reuel Khoza, and Wits School of Governance head and member of the President’s Economic Advisory Council, professor Mzukisi Qobo. BOSA says the current vacuum at the helm of the country’s mission in Washington is untenable.

# The Freedom Front Plus in Gauteng says it views Emfuleni Municipality’s decision to apply to have more of its Eskom debt written off as political theatrics aimed at the 2026 local government elections. The municipality owed the power utility eight-billion-rand, but after applying for the debt relief programme, Treasury wrote off two-billion-rand of this debt. Now it wants another two-billion-rand written off. The FF Plus’ Gerda Senekal says Eskom’s latest statement shows that the initial two-billion-rand has not yet been written off:

# US president Donald Trump says he wants to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, possibly this year. Since Trump’s January inauguration, Kim has ignored the US president’s repeated calls to revive the direct diplomacy he pursued during his 2017-2021 term in office, which produced no deal to halt North Korea’s nuclear programme. Trump, who met Kim three times in his first term, hailed his relationship with the totalitarian leader, saying he knew him better than anybody:

# Rugby: Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus says they are under no illusions about the massive challenge of facing the All Blacks in New Zealand. South Africa face the All Blacks at Eden Park in Auckland on September 6th, before moving to Wellington a week later. The Bok coach has named a 36-man group for the two Tests, retaining almost the entire squad that featured in the opening two rounds of the Rugby Championship against Australia. Erasmus says every match against the All Blacks is epic, given the rivalry between the teams.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-61-cents and the euro at 20-rand-48-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-69-cents and Bitcoin trades at 110-thousand-121-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-375-dollars-54-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 67-dollars-92-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….