News 09:00

BULLETIN 30 August 9 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# President Ramaphosa says efforts are being made to strengthen the police service
# The Niger junta says a mutiny has been contained
# And rugby: Rassie fires back at Rennie after the Boks win

# ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa says efforts have been made by government to strengthen the police service in the country. Police crime statistics recorded a decline in serious contact crime during the first quarter of the 2026/2027 financial year. While addressing the media during the ANC election trail campaign in Orlando West, Soweto yesterday, Ramaphosa says South Africans should applaud the police for reducing crime levels:

# Eskom says South Africa’s electricity supply continues to strengthen as it delivers sustained structural and operational improvements across its generation fleet. Eskom’s year-to-date Energy Availability Factor has increased to 67.87-percent, its highest level since 2020. The power utility spokesperson, Daphne Mokwena, says average unplanned outages have been reduced by six-thousand-873-megawatts over the past three years, declining from 16-thousand-130-megawatts to nine-thousand-257-megawatts:

# Cosatu is calling on the Department of Employment and Labour and National Treasury to expedite the recruitment of the pledged ten-thousand labour inspectors. The Federation is deeply concerned by delays in government honouring this progressive commitment announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa in the State of the Nation Address in February this year. Cosatu’s spokesperson, Matthew Parks, says it is a massive undertaking requiring significant financial allocations, building upon the Department’s current two-thousand-392 labour inspectors and a total departmental headcount of ten-thousand:

# Niger’s military government says it has regained control of key sites in the capital, Niamey, after mutinous soldiers attacked the airport and presidential palace. Dozens of soldiers were reportedly killed or arrested after hours of gunfire and explosions. State television, which was briefly taken off air, later showed footage of detained troops. The government says the situation is now calm, although the fate of military leader General Abdourahamane Tiani remains unclear. The apparent mutiny is the latest challenge to the junta, which seized power in a 2023 coup.

# And now sports news:

# Rugby: Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has praised New Zealand’s improvement but hit back at All Blacks coach Dave Rennie after he complained about South Africa’s scrummaging. Erasmus says it is the first time the Springboks have been accused of “walking around” in the scrum, adding that the All Blacks had several head-contact incidents that South Africa did not complain about. He also praised Rennie’s coaching, saying New Zealand are now on a different level from last year. The 33-26 victory in Cape Town levelled the series at one-all.

# And finally cricket: Dewald Brevis smashed an unbeaten 75 off just 32 balls as South Africa bounced back with a seven-wicket victory over Zimbabwe in the T20 tri-series in Windhoek. Zimbabwe made 144 for eight after the Proteas’ spinners, led by captain Bjorn Fortuin and Prenelan Subrayen, slowed their progress. Brevis then took South Africa to victory in the 14th over, with 38 balls to spare. His innings included seven fours and six sixes. The win puts South Africa back on track after their opening defeat by Namibia.

Stay tuned for more news………….