News 17:00

BULLETIN 1 August 5 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Full flight capacity will return as FlySafair resumes its normal operations after the pilots’ strike
# Firoz Cachalia says an inquiry will influence president Cyril Ramaphosa’s police leadership decision
# And swimming: Coetzé adds silver and Corbett wins bronze at the World Aquatics Championship

# FlySafair has confirmed the end of the pilots’ strike following a formal agreement with trade union Solidarity. The airline will now return to full flight capacity, which is expected to help lower ticket prices. Pilots demanded salary adjustments and a new roster system that includes more rest time and better leave benefits. FlySafair’s chief marketing official, Kirby Gordon, says the return to normal operations will help stabilise airfares and make travel more affordable:

# Acting Police minister Firoz Cachalia says the findings of the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry will be consequential and influence president Cyril Ramaphosa’s decision on the Police Ministry’s leadership. Cachalia was appointed this morning as Senzo Mchunu takes special leave. Speaking outside the Union Buildings, he clarified there’s no constitutional provision for an acting minister and pledged full commitment to the role for as long as he holds office:

KwaZulu-Natal premier, Thamsanqa Ntuli, has meanwhile commended the political killings task team and provincial police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi for their relentless efforts in tackling crime and safeguarding communities. This follows a series of major arrests in the murder cases of ANC Youth League secretary general, Sindiso Magaqa, DA councillor Nhlayenza Mdlovu, and KwaDukuza Municipal official Nokulunga Happiness Mashabane. The premier’s spokesperson, Lindelani Mbatha, says the arrests are a clear message to criminals that there is no hiding place:

# South Africa’s manufacturing sector has shown signs of recovery for the first time in nine months. The Absa purchasing managers’ index rose to 51 points in July, up from 49 points in June, indicating slight growth in factory activity. New sales orders jumped to 56 points, driven mainly by stronger domestic demand. Absa and the Bureau for Economic Research caution that the recovery remains fragile, with employment and future outlooks weakening. The sector also faces risks from new 30-percent US tariffs, which may affect exports.

# Swimming: South Africa’s Pieter Coetzé added a silver medal in the 200-meter backstroke at the World Aquatics Championship in Singapore to his gold in the 100-meter. It was a good afternoon for the South Africans with Kaylene Corbett sharing the bronze medal in the 200-meter breaststroke. Coetzé set another African record in the final but that was not good enough to prevent Hungarian Hubert Kos from winning the gold medal in a new European record time.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-1-cent and the euro at 20-rand-86-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-99-cents and Bitcoin trades at 115-thousand-557-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-350-dollars-18-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 71-dollars-34-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….