News 15:00

BULLETIN 27 August 3 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Cape Town Tourism urges national stability as the leadership battles in the sector escalate
# Rugby: Fourie du Preez thinks Faf de Klerk should face the All Blacks
# And research shows teeth can help solve forensic mysteries

# Cape Town Tourism warns national leadership battles in the tourism sector are putting jobs and economic growth at risk. The warning comes as South African Tourism faces turmoil with a dissolved board and suspended CEO, Nombulelo Guliwe. Cape Town Tourism’s CEO, Enver Duminy, says the city continues to deliver results, with tourism supporting over 106-thousand jobs and generating more than 24-billion-rand in visitor spending last year:

# Civil society watchdog Free SA has denounced the Basic Education Department’s Basic Education Laws Amendment regulations, calling them a deeply undemocratic power grab. The organisation says the draft rules would give provincial heads of department sweeping powers to override school governing bodies on admissions, feeder zones, and language policies. Free SA warns this undermines parental rights and community decision-making, turning education into a politicised battleground. It is urging parents and communities to formally object before the deadline.

# Electricity and Energy deputy minister Samantha Graham-Maré has urged public and private entities to help recruit 500 unemployed graduates for training as Energy Performance Certificate practitioners. Since its 2020 launch, seven-thousand-411 buildings have registered and three-thousand-986 certificates were issued. Gauteng leads with one-thousand-740, followed by the Western Cape with one-thousand-593. Graham-Maré says the EPC Skills Development Programme will equip graduates with data analysis skills and boost the creation of green jobs:

# Rugby: Legendary former Springbok scrumhalf Fourie du Preez believes Faf de Klerk should wear the number nine jersey in the Rugby Championship Tests against the All Blacks. De Klerk is on injury standby while Grant Williams, Morné van den Berg and Cobus Reinach were included for the two matches in New Zealand. Du Preez says De Klerk’s experience would have been invaluable against the Kiwis after his starring role in the Boks’ famous victory in Wellington in 2018, and his settled half-back partnership with Handré Pollard.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-77-cents and the euro at 20-rand-57-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-85-cents and Bitcoin trades at 111-thousand-259-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-375-dollars-35-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 66-dollars-61-cents a barrel. 

# And finally: Research at the University of the Western Cape is showing how dental measurements can aid in identifying deceased people when traditional methods fail. Postgraduate researcher Krishka Ramchuran found that distances between teeth—canines, premolars, and molars, can estimate stature, offering a valuable tool for forensic investigators. Her study underscored the growing role of forensic odontology in South Africa, helping provide closure to families and supporting criminal investigations.

Stay tuned for more news………….