News 18:00

BULLETIN 2 July 6 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Fikile Mbalula calls for an evidence-based section 89 inquiry into president Ramaphosa
# The Agriculture Department welcomes a new cohort of veterinarians to help fast-track market access 
# And, Soccer: Minister Gayton McKenzie says Pitso Mosimane is the right candidate to succeed Hugo Broos

# ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula says Parliament’s section 89 inquiry into president Cyril Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala matter must be guided by evidence and proper legal process. Mbalula told the media the ANC believes the process should not be rushed, urging the National Assembly to wait for the September court ruling before proceeding further. He said any inquiry must rely on tested evidence presented under oath to protect the integrity of the constitutional process:

# The Department of Agriculture has welcomed a new cohort of veterinarians to its Import and Export Unit. This as South Africa is steadily working to regain access to key international markets and strengthen agricultural trade. The department’s spokesperson, Prince Mtsweni, says the veterinarian’s expertise will unlock new export opportunities and support the reopening of markets affected by the Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak:

# Public Service Commission Commissioner, Anele Gxoyiya, says the non-payment of invoices by government departments within 30 days remains a concern and violates the Public Finance Management Act. According to the National Treasury, the number of invoices older than 30 days and not paid by national and provincial departments at the end of the third quarter of the 2025/2026 financial year stood at 90-thousand-856, with a rand value of 15.5-billion-rand. Gxoyiya says the non-payment of invoices is counterproductive to the government’s vision of economic development, job creation and poverty alleviation.

# Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko announced a day of mourning in the Ukrainian capital for tomorrow after at least 18 people were killed and more than 90 injured when Russia launched hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles this morning. Multiple explosions shook central Kyiv as thousands of residents rushed to bomb shelters and underground metro stations. City officials say some people were still trapped inside damaged residential buildings. The attack was the deadliest since May when 24 people were killed in a strike on an apartment block.

# Soccer: Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, has praised Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos for restoring pride in the national team. South Africa’s World Cup journey came to an end on Sunday with a 1-0 defeat to co-hosts Canada in Los Angeles after the team reached the knockout rounds for the first time in its history. McKenzie says Pitso Mosimane is the right candidate to succeed Broos:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-23-cents against the rand and the euro at 18-rand-61-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-71-cents and Bitcoin trades at 61-thousand-940-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-133-dollars-82-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 70-dollars-92-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….