News 12:00

BULLETIN 25 August 12 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Ramaphosa says economic diplomacy is an important part of the country’s foreign policy
# Naledi Pandor says the ANC has forgotten that it exists to serve the people
# And Tatjana Smith wins big at the SA Sports Awards

# President Cyril Ramaphosa says South Africa’s economic diplomacy is centred on securing market access, attracting investment and promoting sustainable development. He participated in the ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development in Japan last week. In his weekly newsletter, Ramaphosa says given the global trade disruptions and mounting tariff pressures, participating in forums like the conference is key to the country’s economic diplomacy efforts. He adds that South Africa continues to advocate for an international trade regime that is fair, equitable and rules-based.

# ANC veteran and former minister Naledi Pandor says the party has lost its glory and has forgotten that it exists to serve the people. She spoke at the Gertrude Shope Memorial lecture in Pretoria. Shope died in May this year at the age of 99. Pandor says citizens are looking at the ANC with disdain, horror and shame. She added the party can still renew itself and arrest the decline by appointing the right leaders:

# Cape Town police have launched a manhunt for three suspects after three people were shot and killed in Eerste Rivier yesterday morning. Preliminary information reveals that three unknown armed men entered the premises in Daventry Street where the three victims were sitting in the yard, and opened fire, fatally shooting them. The suspects fled the scene on foot. Kleinvlei police have registered three counts of murder.

Moving abroad:

# US vice president JD Vance says Russia has made significant concessions in talks to end its war with Ukraine. Russian Foreign minister Sergey Lavrov has maintained that any security guarantees for Ukraine would have to involve Moscow and its biggest ally, China, alongside the US, UK, and France. In an interview with NBC, Vance said more sanctions against Russia are possible to pressure the Kremlin toward peace, but those decisions would be made on a case-by-case basis:

# Swimmer Tatjana Smith, who clinched four Olympic medals, won sportswoman and sports star of the year at the South African Sport Awards. She retired after last year’s Paris Games. Sportsman of the year went to cyclist Alan Hatherly. Para athletes Simoné Kruger and Mpumelelo Mhlongo were named sportswoman and sportsman of the year with a disability, respectively. The four-by-100-metres men’s relay team won team of the year following their silver medal in Paris. Smith says representing the country has been special:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-52-cents and the euro at 20-rand-51-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-67-cents and Bitcoin trades at 111-thousand-630-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-364-dollars-16-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 67-dollars-43-cents a barrel. 

Stay tuned for more news………….