News 12:00

BULLETIN 16 August 12 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The EFF says the Marikana massacre revealed the naked truth of South Africa’s post-apartheid reality
# A political analyst believes Shivambu’s departure could lead to the EFF’s decline
# And, rugby: Elrigh Louw expects a huge response from the Wallabies

# The EFF says the Marikana massacre revealed the naked truth of South Africa’s post-apartheid reality, that black lives are expendable in the pursuit of profit. Today is the 12th anniversary of the massacre in which police gunned down 34 mineworkers at the Lonmin platinum mine near Rustenburg in North West. The EFF says the mineworkers who survived continue to toil in exploitative conditions, fighting the same battle for a living wage.

# The departure of Floyd Shivambu from the EFF could have significant implications for the party’s future and its position in South African politics. This is according to political analyst Levy Ndou. The EFF’s deputy president and founding member resigned yesterday to join the MK Party. His departure comes after the EFF was dislodged as the third-largest political party in the country. Ndou says Shivambu’s absence could lead to the EFF’s decline, as he was a major force in providing political and ideological clarity in the party.

# KwaZulu-Natal premier Thamsanqa Ntuli says the provincial government is committed to using strategic investments like the one-billion-rand in Durban port to drive economic growth and job creation. He participated in the naming and christening ceremony of five new tugboats that will enhance operations at the port of Durban. The premier says the province is prepared to be the preferred logistics and transport hub:

# Western Cape MEC for Infrastructure, Tertuis Simmers, says his department is aware that roadworks on the N2 in the Souothern Cape are causing frustration for commuters. Road users are urged not to use the Seven Passes Road between George and Wilderness to bypass the roadworks on the N2. Sections of this historical road were washed away due to heavy rainfall, also damaging drainage infrastructure which pose the risk of collapse. Simmers says it will take some time to fix the road:

# Rugby: Springbok number eight Elrigh Louw says they expect a massive onslaught from Australia in the second round of the Rugby Championship in Perth tomorrow. The Boks demolished the Wallabies 33-7 in Brisbane last weekend. Louw is one of five players who retained their places in the Springboks’ starting line-up and is set to make a second start for the world champions. He says Australia will sharpen up their game, but it is important that they just execute their game to the best of their ability.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-96-cents and the euro at 19-rand-74-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-14-cents and Bitcoin trades at 58-thousand-558-dollars-90-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-460-dollars-69-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 80-dollars-78-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….