News 16:00

BULLETIN 21 August 4 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Chief justice Raymond Zondo honours his predecessor’s leadership and legacy
# The families of two South African engineers unlawfully detained in Equatorial Guinea urge Parliament to act
# And, cricket: The women’s T20 World Cup has been moved to the UAE because of political turmoil in Bangladesh

# Chief justice Raymond Zondo paid tribute to his predecessor’s exceptional leadership and enduring legacy during a special sitting of the Constitutional Court. As he prepares to retire at the end of the month, justice Mandisa Maya is set to succeed him. Reflecting on his 27-year judicial career, Zondo acknowledged the significant contributions of former chief justice Mogoeng Mogoeng, noting his impactful tenure and challenging circumstances. He conveyed his appreciation for the recognition he received throughout his judicial career:

Maya commended Zondo for reviving a women’s mentorship programme in the judiciary, originally launched by the South African Chapter of the International Association of Women Judges. According to Maya, the programme, which had been neglected, now aims to enhance female representation on the bench, reflecting Zondo’s strong commitment to gender equality in the judiciary:

# The families of two South African engineers unlawfully imprisoned in Equatorial Guinea on drug charges, Frik Potgieter and Peter Huxham, have urged Parliament’s International Relations Committee to prioritise their release. This follows a United Nations ruling declaring their detention illegal. The families expressed frustration over the lack of diplomatic action and called for urgent government intervention. During today’s meeting, committee chair Supra Mahumapelo agreed to address the matter, inviting the minister and the department to account for their efforts to secure the men’s release:

# Botswana health officials have intensified screening for Mpox at the country’s entry points, as cases have been confirmed in South Africa. While Botswana has not reported any cases, Health minister Edwin Dikoloti assured the public that surveillance systems have been enhanced, particularly at borders and airports. Dikoloti announced that travellers will undergo self-assessment, and suspected cases will be further investigated. He emphasised Botswana’s bid to seek vaccines to bolster its defenses against the rapidly spreading disease.

# Cricket: This year’s T20 World Cup for women had been moved to the United Arab Emirates because of political turmoil in Bangladesh. This follows after prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s rule was overthrown after weeks of protests that led to the death of over 400 people. The International Cricket Council believes Bangladesh would have staged a memorable tournament, but the governments of several participating teams warned their citizens from travelling to Bangladesh. The tournament will take place from the third to the 20th of October.

# And, the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-82-cents and the euro at 19-rand-82-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-24-cents and Bitcoin trades at 59-thousand-317-dollars-98-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-511-dollars-76-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 77-dollars-35-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….