News 13:00

BULLETIN 14 August 1 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Transnet seeks 35-billion-rand for infrastructure upgrades
# Airlink and Qatar Airways expand their codeshare agreement
# And Bavuma, Marx and Simbine are nominated for Sport Star of the Year

# Transport minister Barbara Creecy has announced Transnet is seeking 35-billion-rand from National Treasury for infrastructure upgrades until 2030. She told Bloomberg the funds were essential for enhancing port efficiency and stabilizing operations. Creecy says the capital would primarily fund new rail corridors and advanced port coordination software. The request is in addition to the 13-billion-rand Transnet has already received from the Budget Facility for Infrastructure, including 11.2-billion-rand to repair iron and coal corridors and improving the efficiency of the Durban container terminal.

# National Coloured Congress leader Fadiel Adams does not understand why he was arrested instead of being asked to provide a warning statement. He stands accused of fraud and defeating the ends of justice in the Pinetown Magistrate’s Court in KwaZulu Natal. The case has been postponed to 11 September, while he will testify before the Madlanga commission next week. Adams accuses Parliament of becoming involved in disputes over his parliamentary laptop:

# South African airline Airlink and Qatar Airways are expanding their codeshare partnership from 31 August, with Airlink adding its 4Z code to Qatar-operated flights. The agreement will allow Airlink to market Doha as its first long-haul destination, with codeshared flights from Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban. The partnership will later extend to more destinations across Qatar Airways’ global network. Qatar Airways owns a 25-percent stake in Airlink, acquired in 2024.

# Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, has dismissed the idea that settlements were an obstacle to peace. The UN Security Council has sounded the alarm over rising settler violence, demolitions and displacement of Palestinian civilians in the occupied West Bank. All Israeli settlements there have no legal validity and constitute a violation of international law. Danon says his country has Biblical, historic and legal rights to the land:

On to sports news:

# Proteas cricket captain Temba Bavuma, Springbok hooker Malcolm Marx and Olympic silver medallist sprinter Akani Simbine were nominated for Sport Star of the Year at the South African Sport Awards. Laura Wolvaardt, Kira Bester and Prudence Sekgodiso are up for Sportswoman, and Christiaan Maas, Pieter Coetzee and Kevin Lerena for Sportsman. The Protea men’s Test cricket side, the four-by-400-metres men’s relay team and the Eisenhower Trophy golf team are up for Team of the Year. The ceremony takes place in North West next Sunday.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-16-cents and the euro at 18-rand-67-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-86-cents and Bitcoin trades at 62-thousand-817-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-351-dollars-10-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 89-dollars-94-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….