News 12:00

BULLETIN 4 August 12 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# President Cyril Ramaphosa says all channels of communication remain open to engage with the US on trade
# The ANC admits to weak municipal leadership amid a governance crisis
# And tennis: Swiatek and Rune are knocked out of the Canadian Open

# President Cyril Ramaphosa says the United States’ decision to impose a 30-percent tariff on South African imports highlights the urgency to adapt to increasingly turbulent headwinds in international trade. The tariff hike threatens export capacity in strategic sectors, including automotive and agroprocessing. In his weekly newsletter, the president emphasised that the country’s exports do not compete with American producers nor pose a threat to US industry. Ramaphosa says government has been engaging the US to enhance mutually beneficial trade, adding that the foremost priority is protecting export industries.

# The ANC says the quality of some of its deployees, especially in municipalities, leaves a lot to be desired. Only 41 out of 257 councils received a clean audit in the 2023/2024 financial year. According to the Auditor General, 99 municipalities had an unqualified audit opinion with findings on performance information and compliance. Speaking on the sidelines of the ANC’s national executive committee meeting in Johannesburg, Electricity and Energy minister Kgosientso Ramokgopa said they are rethinking how they deploy people to some of the major metros.

# Western Cape Education MEC, David Maynier, says his department is concerned that 57 incidents of burglary and vandalism were reported at 46 schools during the winter holiday period. He says this is a significant increase from the same period last year, when 45 incidents affecting 39 schools were reported. Maynier says school properties are at particular risk of burglary and vandalism during school holidays, which is why the department subsidised holiday security at 424 schools in high risk areas during the holidays:

# Members of the Progressive Forces of South Africa are staging a picket outside the Pretoria High Court today. The court is hearing a dispute over the burial of former Zambian president Edgar Lungu, who died in South Africa in June. His death sparked a dispute between his family and the Zambian government over whether he should be buried locally or repatriated. Progressive Forces national organiser, Bonang Sepoloane, says they oppose a South African burial, stating that the move disrespects Zambia’s sovereignty, citing political and diplomatic concerns.

# Tennis: Wimbledon champion Iga Swiatek of Poland has become the latest seed to be knocked out of the Canadian Open in Montreal. The second seed was stunned by 19th-ranked Dane, Clara Tauson. American Madison Keys advanced to her eighth quarterfinal of the season with victory over Czech Karolina Muchova. In the men’s tournament in Toronto, Taylor Fritz battled past Czech Jiri Lehecka, while Denmark’s Holger Rune suffered a surprise exit as he was beaten by Australian Alexei Popyrin.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-99-cents and the euro at 20-rand-79-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-88-cents and Bitcoin trades at 114-thousand-764-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-358-dollars-85-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 69-dollars-17-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….