News 11:00

BULLETIN 17 August 11 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Close to a thousand suspected illegal miners were arrested in July
# The NSRI is still searching for the missing pilot along Durban’s North Coast
# And rugby: The SA U18s down England with superb second-half blitz

# A total of 999 suspects, illegal miners of different nationalities, were arrested across the country during nationwide Vala Umgodi operations in July. Police spokesperson Vincent Mukhathi says they are facing charges including murder, attempted murder, theft of minerals, unlawful possession of explosives, unlawful possession of firearms, and the unlawful possession of gold:

# The SACP says the muddled response of the government towards the SANDF chief, General Rudzani Maphwanya’s trip to Iran, is not only concerning but problematic as well. During the trip, Maphwanya pledged common goals with Iran, supported its Gaza position, and called for deeper strategic alignment. Defence minister Angie Motshekga confirmed that she approved Maphwanya’s trip, while the Presidency said the visit was ill-advised, and his comments did not reflect the country’s foreign policy stance. The SACP says it rejects the government’s attempt to appease Western imperialist forces.

# The National E-hailing Federation of South Africa is calling on government and the Transport Department to root out all non-compliant and criminal elements within the public transport sector. There has been an ongoing battle between the taxi and e-hailing industries. On Wednesday, an e-hailing driver was killed at Maponya Mall in Soweto when two e-hailing cars were set alight, allegedly by taxi operators. The federation’s spokesperson, Tella Masakale, says the strength of the transport sector lies in unity and regulation:

# The National Sea Rescue Institute says there are no new developments in the ongoing search along Durban’s North Coast for missing South African Airways and aerobatic pilot Andrew Blackwood-Murray, age 61, from Johannesburg. The institute’s spokesperson, Craig Lambinon, says the search and recovery operation, led by Police divers, is ongoing. He says advanced technology and advanced search technology continue to be deployed in the ongoing search:

# The Canadian government has intervened in the Air Canada strike, forcing both parties to the bargaining table as hundreds of flights were suspended this weekend. Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu ordered binding arbitration between the airline and the Canadian Union of Public Employees, which represents more than ten-thousand Air Canada flight attendants, hours after a strike began on Saturday morning. Hadju said in a statement that, despite significant support from the government, the parties have been unable to resolve their differences promptly. Around 500 flights a day are affected.

# And rugby: The SA Under-18s defeated England by 69-24 in their final match of the U18 International Series at Paarl Gimnasium yesterday to gain their third victory in a row and finish the series unbeaten. The youngsters quickly raced onto a 21-3 lead before adding a penalty goal, but then conceded two tries to the English, to end the first half with 24-17. But the SA U18s took back control of the match in the second half and added a further seven tries, of which skipper Markus Muller added two.

Stay tuned for more news………….