News 18:00

BULLETIN 11 August 6 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The Justice Ministry proposes tougher penalties for illegal mining
# ActionSA demands a NPA certificate for the Lily Mine families
# And, Donald Trump wants conflict compensation from Iran as part of any peace negotiations

# The Justice and Constitutional Development Ministry has proposed tougher laws to combat illegal mining, including fines of up to 100-million-rand and prison sentences of up to 30 years for offenders. The draft General Mining Laws Amendment Bill would also make it a criminal offence to assist illegal mining operations. Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi says the changes are aimed at tackling organised crime linked to illegal mining and protecting affected communities, infrastructure and the economy:

# Investigating Directorate Against Corruption advocate Drushantha Ramsamy says claims were made that SAPS Brigadier Dineo Mokwele’s father, senior Hawks member, Brigadier Mapome Mohajane, had faced bribery charges. Ramsamy told the Madlanga Commission that this fueled perceptions that Crime Intelligence boss Dumisani Khumalo appointed Mokwele as a favour to her father. Ramsamy says former IDAC head Advocate Andrea Johnson described the crime intelligence investigation as part of State Capture:

# ActionSA is calling on the National Prosecuting Authority to issue a nolle prosequi certificate to the families of the three Lily Mine workers who died in 2016. The party’s Matthew George says the certificate would allow the families to pursue a private prosecution after the NPA decided not to institute criminal proceedings. He says the Mbombela Magistrate’s Court in Mpumalanga, in an inquest, supported the families’ call for accountability. He adds the families have waited more than a decade for justice.

# US president Donald Trump has fired back at Iran over its demand for compensation, saying Tehran should instead pay reparations for deaths and damages. Iran has issued a new list of demands it says Washington must meet before it allows ships to move freely through the strategically-important Strait of Hormuz. Trump says he has instructed his representatives to put the compensation request firmly into any future negotiations with Iran:

# Soccer: Argentinian star Lionel Messi’s legal team is reportedly preparing legal action against local media outlets over alleged privacy violations during the farewell ceremony for his late father, Jorge, who died over the weekend. Reports say the family objected to media coverage surrounding the private ceremony in Rosario. Messi, who recently returned home to say goodbye to his father, has previously asked for discretion regarding his family’s private affairs. The reported legal action could target outlets accused of crossing those privacy boundaries.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-19-cents against the rand and the euro at 18-rand-68-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-86-cents and Bitcoin trades at 64-thousand-69-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-385-dollars-94-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 90-dollars-58-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….