News 14:00

BULLETIN 15 July 2 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Matlala requests his testimony before the Madlanga commission to be postponed
# Ninety-one undocumented foreigners are among 105 alleged illegal miners arrested in Mpumalanga
# And canoeing: It’s the young guns versus the oldies at the Berg River Marathon

# Controversial businessman Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala has asked the Madlanga commission to postpone his testimony for two weeks. During a heated exchange with commissioner Sesi Baloyi, his lawyer, Annelene van den Heever, argued Matlala cannot testify until investigators provide documents linked to failed plea negotiations. She says testifying now could undermine his constitutional rights and criminal defence, insisting the outstanding material is needed before he can be properly advised:

# Ninety-one out of a total of 105 people arrested during a multi-disciplinary illegal mining operation in Mpumalanga are undocumented foreign nationals. The suspects were apprehended at various hotspots across the province for alleged illegal mining, contravening immigration laws and possessing suspected gold-bearing material. The operation, involving police and other law enforcement agencies, forms part of ongoing efforts to dismantle illegal mining syndicates and strengthen public safety.

# Cosatu joins its affiliate, the National Union of Mineworkers, as it condemns De Beers’ decision to halt production for two years at its Venetia Mine in Limpopo, and issue a Section 189A notice threatening the livelihoods of one-thousand-214 workers. Cosatu spokesperson, Zanele Sabela says the company has long been aware of the challenges facing the diamond industry, including depressed prices and rising demand for synthetic diamonds:

Moving abroad:

# China’s National Bureau of Statistics says there are more external instability and uncertainty factors that have contributed to the economy growing at a slower-than-expected pace in the second quarter. Gross domestic product figures show the world’s second-largest economy grew by 4.3-percent, which falls short of expectations for 4.5-percent. This comes off the back of a stronger-than-expected five-percent growth in the first quarter. The bureau also notes an imbalance between strong supply and weak demand in the domestic economy.

# Canoeing: The old and the new are facing off in this year’s Berg River Marathon that kicked off in Paarl in the Boland this morning. Paddlers have to row for a gruelling 240-kilometres over four days to Velddrift on the West Coast. Two under-23s who performed well in the Western Cape river racing season, Neriyah Dill and Joshua Glyn-Cuthbert, are regarded as favourites in the women’s and the men’s race, respectively. Fourteen-time champion and defending champion, Hank McGregor, has not entered, which opens up the men’s race.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-38-cents and the euro at 18-rand-69-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-91-cents and Bitcoin trades at 64-thousand-631-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-and-27-dollars-65-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 84-dollars-66-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….