News 11:00

BULLETIN 23 August 11 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The EFF says the credibility of South Africa’s statistics is at stake
# Kamala Harris says now is the time for a ceasefire in Gaza
# And cricket: The first-ever women’s Test at Lord’s will be played in 2026

# The EFF is calling for greater accountability from Statistic South Africa, saying it is essential that the public can trust the data that informs national policies. On Tuesday, Stats SA issued a report in which it said that Census 2022 data on employment, income, mortality, and fertility would not be published due to concerns over the quality thereof. The EFF says it has consistently highlighted the critical needs of Stats SA, emphasising that without proper support, the institution cannot fulfil its mandate effectively.

Meanwhile the DA slams the 2022 Census as a national scandal and asks for a re-run. National spokesperson Willie Aucamp criticises the 2.3-billion-rand census, calling its compromised data a threat to socio-economic planning. He says the DA plans to question StatsSA in a parliamentary portfolio committee meeting today, seeking a thorough review:

# The Consortium for Refugees and Migrants in South Africa is calling on the United Nations Human Rights Council to investigate the stampede at the Tshwane refugee reception centre in Pretoria. A Malawian national died and more than 20 people were injured in Tuesday’s incident. The police have since opened an inquest docket for investigation. The refugee advocacy group says the involvement of the UN will ensure that the investigators act on the state’s obligations to protect refugees and persons seeking asylum in South Africa without discrimination.

# US vice president Kamala Harris has vowed to stand up for Israel’s right to defend itself but added that the bloodshed in Gaza is devastating. She accepted the Democratic nomination for president on the final night of the party’s convention in Chicago. The war in the Middle East has been the main focus of a series of protests outside the convention this week. Harris says now is the time to get a hostage and ceasefire deal done:

# Cricket: The first-ever women’s Test to be played at the hallowed grounds of Lord’s in London will see England and India do battle in 2026. This will be England’s first home Test since the Ashes series in 2023, when Australia beat them at Trent Bridge. That was played over five-days compared to the usual women’s format of four days, but BBC Sport reports the length of the Lord’s Test hasn’t been confirmed. The famous stadium was opened in 1814 and hosted 130 Tests since 1884.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-96-cents and the euro at 19-rand-99-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-57-cents and Bitcoin trades at 61-thousand-120-dollars-39-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-492-dollars-77-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 77-dollars-19-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….