News 18:00

BULLETIN 20 August 6 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Correctional Services meets its inspection target amidst challenges
# The EFF’s Sinawo Tambo is to replace Floyd Shivambu in Parliament
# And, rugby: Kitshoff, Hendrikse and Moodie are back in the Springbok group to face the All Blacks

# The Judicial Inspectorate for Correctional Services has met its target for prison inspections. Addressing Parliament’s portfolio committee on Correctional Services, director Thembelihle Nhlanzi-Ngema highlighted ongoing issues, including deteriorating infrastructure, excessive solitary confinement, and insufficient education. She also notes concerns over the use of force and unaffordable bail, emphasising the need for reforms:

# EFF leader Julius Malema has reassigned former deputy president Floyd Shivambu’s powers after he defected to the MK Party. Sinawo Tambo will replace Shivambu in Parliament, while Nazier Paulsen will take over from Mzwanele Manyi, who also defected. Marshall Dlamini became the EFF’s new chief whip. The deputy president role will be filled at the EFF’s internal leadership contest in December.

# The Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa has rejected the Health Department’s payment of a uniform allowance, following a Special National Executive Committee meeting. Deputy general secretary Khaya Sodidi argues that the one-time payment of just over three-thousand-rand is insufficient for nurses to purchase proper uniforms. He warns of potential protests if the department fails to meet this demand:

# Rugby: Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has included Steven Kitshoff, Jaden Hendrikse and Canan Moodie in the squad for the Rugby Championship Tests against New Zealand. Erasmus has also recalled Jasper Wiese, André Esterhuizen and lock Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg. The Bok coach has opted to increase the squad from 33 to 37 players for the two sold-out Tests against their archrivals. Locks Franco Mostert, Lood de Jager and Jean Kleyn are still injured. Morné van der Berg and Johan Grobbelaar were left out of the group.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-86-cents and the euro at 19-rand-82-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-26-cents and Bitcoin trades at 60-thousand-242-dollars-96-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-526-dollars-8-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 78-dollars-15-cents a barrel.

# And, the 42-year-old elephant, Charlie, has been relocated from the Pretoria Zoo to the Shambala private reserve in Limpopo. The move, facilitated by the EMS Foundation’s Towards Freedom Programme and the Pro Elephant Network, marks the first time an elephant from the zoo has been released back into nature. Captured in Zimbabwe at age two, Charlie spent 40 years in captivity. His new journey will be closely monitored by experts, and the zoo’s elephant exhibit is now permanently closed.

Stay tuned for more news………….