News 17:00

BULLETIN 19 August 5 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Cosatu backs the National Union of Mineworkers’ legal challenge over Eskom’s restructuring
# The Forum for South Africa calls for the disbandment of NSFAS
# And rugby: Over one-thousand tickets are still available for the Ellis Park Test

# Union federation Cosatu says it fully supports the National Union of Mineworkers’ legal challenge against the Eskom restructuring task team’s phase one report. The federation is opposing any move towards privatisation of the electricity grid and is demanding guarantees that the utility workers will not lose their jobs or bargaining rights. Cosatu’s Zanele Sabela says the government must first deal with Eskom’s financial problems, including more than 120-billion-rand owed by municipalities:

# The Forum for South Africa says the National Student Financial Aid Scheme must be disbanded and replaced with a new, transparent, accountable, and professionally managed student funding model. The Public Protector’s report into NSFAS found deficiencies in governance, administration and funding coordination. Forum leader, Tebogo Mashilompane, says South Africa cannot continue to inject billions of rand into a system that continues to fail both students and taxpayers:

# Pakistan’s government is challenging a Supreme Court order to move jailed former prime minister Imran Khan to a private hospital for medical treatment. The court ordered the 73-year-old to be transferred from Adiala prison to Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad within two days, amid concerns over his deteriorating health. The government says the decision goes beyond the law, arguing convicted prisoners should receive treatment in jail or at a public hospital. Khan’s lawyers say he has suffered significant vision loss in his right eye.

# Rugby: Between one- and two-thousand tickets are still available for Saturday’s first Test between the Springboks and the All Blacks in Johannesburg, despite a ‘Sold Out’ sign being posted on the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry Facebook page early in June. Available tickets for the match at Ellis Park cost from one-thousand-650 – to four-thousand-rand each. The high prices earlier sparked a debate over affordability, prompting SA Rugby to announce a review of prices next year. None of the Boks’ Nations Championship Tests sold out.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-15-cents against the rand and the euro at 18-rand-80-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-96-cents and Bitcoin trades at 64-thousand-793-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-438-dollars-12-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 92-dollars-37-cents a barrel.

# And finally: Beninese music icon Angélique Kidjo has made history as the first African musician and first black African artist to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The five-time Grammy winner was honored in Los Angeles, marking a milestone in her more than four-decade career. Kidjo’s star is the two-thousand-854th in the recording category. The singer, actress and activist has helped taking African music to global audiences, while inspiring generations of younger African artists. She says Africa remains the core of all music in the world.

Stay tuned for more news………….