News 07:00

BULLETIN 21 July 7 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Minister Tau says the change in global geopolitics is an opportunity to rebuild the defence industry
# Donald Trump warns of strong retaliation against Iran for the killing of US troops
# And rugby: The president of SA Rugby says recent victories reflect the depth of South African rugby

# Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Parks Tau, has called for a coordinated approach to revitalise South Africa’s defence industry, saying the industry sits at the frontier of manufacturing precision, systems engineering and technology sovereignty. He delivered the keynote address at the Defence Industry Lekgotla at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research in Pretoria yesterday. Tau acknowledged that the industry has experienced significant decline over the past three decades, owing to defence budget cuts in South Africa:

# Business Leadership South Africa says South Africa’s economy has become more resilient to global shocks because of improved fiscal discipline, economic reforms and a stronger financial sector. In her weekly newsletter, the organisation’s CEO, Busisiwe Mavuso, said the country’s stable currency during the recent conflict between Israel and Iran shows the benefits of these reforms. Mavuso has urged the government to accelerate structural reforms in energy, transport and infrastructure to make South Africa more resilient to future global challenges.

# Gauteng Transport MEC, Kedibone Diale-Tlabela, has reaffirmed government’s commitment to maintaining a constructive and transparent partnership with the taxi industry, while strengthening governance within the operating licence system. The provincial taxi industry has accused the MEC of delaying the issuing of operating licences needed to keep taxis on the road. Diale-Tlabela says the current review of the licensing model is a necessary governance intervention, informed by concerns raised within the industry itself:

# US president Donald Trump has warned of strong retribution for the deaths of American troops caused by Iran. This comes after an American service member was killed in northern Iraq on Saturday, while two others died during strikes in Jordan on Friday, bringing the number of troop fatalities to 17. In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated that every time Iran kills an American soldier, they will pay for that killing many times over. He added that he has communicated his instructions to top military brass.

# Rugby: SA Rugby president Mark Alexander says recent victories of the Springboks, Blitzboks and the Junior Boks reflect the depth of their structures, the excellence of coaching and the resilience of the players. The Springboks won consecutive World Cups, the Blitzboks won the Sevens Championship this season, and the Junior Boks have secured back‑to‑back Junior World Championship titles. SA Rugby General Manager of High Performance, Dave Wessels, says the Junior Boks are benefiting from proper school structures:

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-50-cents and the euro at 18-rand-82-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-16-cents and Bitcoin trades at 65-thousand-422-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-29-dollars-46-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 86-dollars74-cents a barrel.

# And finally: The Neurological Association of South Africa urges the public to recognise the warning signs of stroke and seek immediate medical help, ahead of World Brain Day on Wednesday. The association warns that an estimated two-million brain cells can be lost every minute during a stroke. The organisation’s Patty Francis says South Africa faces a shortage of neurologists and unequal access to specialist care, while up to 90-percent of strokes are linked to preventable risk factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol.

Stay tuned for more news………….