News 15:00

BULLETIN 20 July 3 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Keir Starmer delivers his final speech as the UK prime minister before Andy Burnham takes over
# The Free Market Foundation joins the court challenge aganst the Expropriation Act
# And rugby: The Boks welcome back a few key players for their clash against Argentina

# Keir Starmer delivered his final speech as UK prime minister and leader of the Labour Party outside 10 Downing Street in London today, before handing the reigns to incoming Andy Burnham. Starmer reflected on his record as PM before wishing his successor well, saying Burnham has his full support. He adds politics will always be a team sport, and thanked the British people for the opportunity to serve:

Back home:

# The defence representing Witness K has urged the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court not to reveal her identity, arguing she testified in camera before the Madlanga commission. The state says her identity must be confirmed, claiming it cannot verify she is the same witness. The inspector of the Johannesburg Metro Police’s VIP protection unit appeared alongside suspended Ekurhuleni Metro Police deputy chief Julius Mkhwanazi. Both face charges linked to the alleged theft of precious stones worth 14.9-million-rand following an Independent Police Investigative Directorate investigation.

# The president of the Judicial Officers Alliance of South Africa, Neelan Karikan, says judicial incapacity proceedings against Free State Judge Lepona Lekale intended to be inquisitorial rather than adversarial. Lekale has been absent from the bench since 2018 due to ill health. Karikan told the SABC the tribunal must consider whether reasonable workplace accommodations, including technology, can enable the judge to continue serving before judicial incapacity is declared:

# The Free Market Foundation joined the legal challenge against the Expropriation Act after being admitted as a friend of the court in a High Court application brought by AfriForum and the Institute of Race Relations. The foundation’s Martin van Staden argues the act’s provision allowing property to be expropriated for zero compensation is unconstitutional and undermines property rights. He says legislation cannot override constitutional protections and will ask the court to declare the disputed section of the act invalid.

# Rugby: The Springboks will welcome back several regulars, including captain Siya Kolisi, Eben Etzebeth, Lood de Jager and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, for next month’s one-off Test against Argentina in Buenos Aires. The Boks have claimed bonus-point victories over England, Scotland and Wales at the start of the inaugural Nations Championship. Coach Rassie Erasmus says the squad will be split, leaving a group in South Africa to prepare for the All Blacks’ visit:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-44-cents and the euro at 18-rand-80-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-16-cents and Bitcoin trades at 64-thousand-839-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-and-31-dollars-63-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 84-dollars-77-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….