News 12:00

BULLETIN 22 August 12 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Analysts believe the MK Party risks becoming a one-election wonder
# AfriForum is concerned about security at Defence Force bases
# And, rugby: All Blacks assistant coach Leon MacDonald 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.

# AfriForum is calling on Defence minister, Angie Motshekga, to immediately address the critical vulnerabilities that are jeopardising national security. This comes amidst security breaches at South African National Defence Force bases. AfriForum’s Jacques Broodryk says crumbling security fences, inadequate entrance control, and the overall lack of maintenance at bases are making these terrains vulnerable to unauthorised access and criminal activities:

# Stakeholders with an interest in the national minimum wage are invited to make representation of possible adjustments. The current rate of minimum wage as announced in February is 27-rand-58-cents per hour. National Minimum Wage Commission chairperson, Imraan Valodia, says written representations will be forwarded to the minister of Employment and Labour, Nomakosazhana Meth, together with the commission’s report, to decide on the 2025 determination. The closing date for submissions is the 30th of September.

# 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:

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-90-cents and the euro at 19-rand-95-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-45-cents and Bitcoin trades at 60-thousand-910-dollars-35-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-504-dollars-77-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 76-dollars-1-cent a barrel.

# And, from the fifth of September, The Sphere in Las Vegas will be the home of V-U2, an immersive concert film that will give attendees a full showcase of the band U2’s visually stunning performance. The band initially kicked off its residency at the state-of-the-art venue a year ago, playing for more than 700-thousand fans for 40 dates through March. MSG Entertainment says the concert film was created specifically for The Sphere and will utilise the venue’s technologies to create an experience that is only possible in this next-generation entertainment medium.

Stay tuned for more news………….