News 16:00

BULLETIN 20 August 4 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The speaker submits an affidavit on the legal challenges to John Hlophe’s designation to the Judicial Service Commission 
# Solidarity warns against the presidential health compact
# And, cricket: A Samoan batter smashes the T20 world record of 39 runs in a single over

# The speaker of the National Assembly, Thoko Didiza, has submitted an affidavit to the High Court concerning legal challenges to John Hlophe’s designation to the Judicial Service Commission. The designation, made by Parliament in July, has been contested due to Hlophe’s past removal as a judge for gross misconduct. Spokesperson Moloto Mothapo says the speaker mantains her neutral stance, noting that the decision to designate Hlophe was a political one made by Parliament, and the matter now awaits the court’s judgment:

# Trade union Solidarity has urged organisations to reject the presidential health compact and demand the repeal of the National Health Insurance Act. The union warns that the government is using the compact to falsely claim private sector support for the NHI, which they believe is unworkable. Solidarity’s Theuns du Buisson says key groups like Business Unity South Africa and the South African Health Professionals Collaboration already oppose the compact:

# A Kenyan man who police claim has confessed to murdering and dismembering 42 women has escaped from a Nairobi police cell, along with a dozen other detainees. Police described 33-year old Collins Jumaisi as a vampire and psychopath. He was arrested last month after the horrific discovery of mutilated bodies in a garbage dump in a slum in the Kenyan capital. The other 12 detainees who had also escaped from the police station were all Eritreans.

# Cricket: A Samoan batter set a new international T20 record for the most runs scored in an over – 39 –  during a World Cup qualifier against Vanuatu in Apia. Darius Visser smashed six sixes, while the hapless bowler, Nalin Nipiko, also bowled three no-balls. The 28-year-old, who lives in Sydney, Australia, went on to score 132 runs off just 62 balls and helped Samoa to 174. Visser then took a wicket and Vanuatu was restricted to 164 for nine to hand Samoa a ten-run victory.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-79-cents and the euro at 19-rand-72-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-15-cents and Bitcoin trades at 60-thousand-693-dollars-79-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-524-dollars-96-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 77-dollars-77-cents a barrel.

# And finally, the University of Pretoria academic Taneshka Kruger is calling on the Southern African Development Community region to collaborate and tap into the partners’ mutual dedication to address the multifaceted challenges posed by malaria. World Mosquito Day is commemorated today. Kruger says the mosquito is the deadliest animal in the world, killing more than 700-thousand people each year:

Stay tuned for more news………….