News 11:00

BULLETIN 22 August 11 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Analysts doubt the MK Party’s longevity
# Trump says the Obamas are getting personal
# And rugby: The All Blacks’ assistant coach quits

# The MK Party risks becoming a one-election wonder if it fails to build structures and draft party policies. This is according to independent political and election analyst Wayne Sussman, who says the party has lost momentum after the May general elections. University of KwaZulu-Natal senior politics lecturer, Zakhele Ndlovu, says the lack of proper structures, the cult of personality around former president Jacob Zuma, and the purging of leaders have come to define the party. He adds that some of the challenges facing MK originated from how it was formed.

Meanwhile Zuma will today outline the party’s strategic vision at a media conference in Sandhurst, Johannesburg. The party says his address will delve into key organisational issues and the party’s direction amidst the current political climate. Zuma aims to clarify the party’s future trajectory and its role in the evolving political landscape. He has been officially expelled from the ANC yesterday for failing to meet the appeal deadline. 

# The IFP has placed its Youth Brigade national chairperson and member of Parliament, Sanele Zondo, on special leave. This follows after his wife, who was reported missing last week, was found safe, and accused Zondo of domestic abuse. He has denied the allegations. IFP national spokesperson Mkhuleko Hlengwa says the relevant law enforcement agencies must deal with these allegations. He adds that they take the allegations of abuse extremely seriously and want to assure the public it has committed to prioritising this matter.

# American Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has described the Democratic National Convention in Chicago as a charade. He spoke in North Carolina at his first outdoor rally since the assassination attempt at him in Pennsylvania last month. The former president stood behind bullet-proof glass while he addressed supporters. Trump fired back at his predecessor Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle’s criticism of him at the convention:

# Rugby: Leon MacDonald has resigned as New Zealand’s assistant coach with immediate effect, ahead of the back-to-back Rugby Championship Tests against South Africa. The other assistants, Scott Hansen and Tamati Ellison, will take up extra responsibilities in MacDonald’s absence. All Blacks head coach, Scott Robertson, says he has been involved in honest conversations over the past few weeks over differing views with MacDonald’s approach in his role as the attack coach:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-92-cents and the euro at 19-rand-99-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-47-cents and Bitcoin trades at 60-thousand-728-dollars-70-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-509-dollars-12-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 75-dollars-99-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….