News 18:00

BULLETIN 13 July 6 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# A legal expert says the National Prosecuting Authority faces the burden of proof in the Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala trial
# SALGA urges Treasury to review the municipal funding cuts
# And tennis, huge improvements for Wimbledon finalists in WTA world rankings after Wimbledon

# Dubazana Attorneys founder, Nthabiseng Dubazana, says the National Prosecuting Authority must prove its case against businessman Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala beyond reasonable doubt after his plea agreement collapsed. Matlala rejected a proposed 12-year sentence in the 288-million-rand SAPS-Medicare24 tender fraud case. Dubazana says the trial will begin afresh, with previous admissions under the plea deal excluded. She adds the State must now independently prove every element of the alleged offences in court.

# The South African Local Government Association Gauteng has urged National Treasury to engage directly with municipalities before withholding equitable share allocations. The association warns that withholding funds could weaken service delivery by limiting municipalities’ ability to provide basic services and meet financial obligations. SALGA’s Motatala Madiba says enforcement measures should be fair, evidence-based, and responsive to each municipality’s circumstances. He says they pledge support to help municipalities strengthen financial management, improve compliance, and ensure sustainable service delivery.

# A total of 383 suspects were arrested for various offences in Mamelodi and Silverton during a multidisciplinary crime prevention operation over the weekend. Police spokesperson, Marinda Austin says the suspects were arrested for crime ranging from murder, attempted murder, assault and rape. She says a total of 67 undocumented foreign nationals were detained and handed over to immigration officials for further processing:

# The National Energy Regulator has published the reasons for its decision to redetermine Eskom’s Generation Regulatory Asset Base following a court ruling. The High Court in Pretoria in December last year ordered Nersa to redetermine the value of the Eskom RAB and the allowable revenue in respect of depreciation, and then adjust the allowable revenue and Eskom average tariff for the 2026/2027 and 2027/2028 tariff years. Nersa’s spokesperson, Charles Hlebela, says they approved Eskom’s additional allowable revenue of 54-thousand-734 million-rand in February this year:

# Tennis: Newly-crowned Wimbledon champion Linda Nosková improved five positions to seventh in the latest WTA world rankings. Her Czech compatriot whom she beat in the final, Karolina Muchová, advanced three places to sixth, while last year’s champion, Iga Swiatek of Poland, dropped five places to eighth after losing in the third round. Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus is still number one, followed by Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan, Americans Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff, and Russian Mirra Andreeva. American Amanda Anisimova is ninth and Elina Svitolina of Ukraine tenth.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-37-cents against the rand and the euro at 18-rand-68-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-91-cents and Bitcoin trades at 62-thousand-271-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-43-dollars-24-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 78-dollars-36-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….