News 11:00

BULLETIN 22 July 11 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Minister Godongwana calls an urgent Public Investment Corporation general meeting amid a board exodus
# Trump says the US military’s next target is Iran’s underground nuclear facility
# And rugby: Victor Matfield says the rejuvenated All Blacks will face a stern test against the Springboks

# Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana has called an urgent general meeting of the embattled Public Investment Corporation for next week, where the remaining five non-executive directors will face a vote for their removal. This comes after four more board members resigned yesterday, bringing to six the number of non-executive directors to quit. The PIC, which manages more than 3.6-trillion-rand in assets, has suspended its CEO, Patrick Dlamini. The remaining five board members, including chairperson David Masondo, will reportedly make a presentation at the meeting before the vote.

# Union federation SAFTU rejects government’s decision to accept a 24.78-billion-rand Development Policy loan from the World Bank. It is aimed at easing infrastructure bottlenecks that have contributed to a decade of meagre economic growth. SAFTU’s general-secretary, Zwelinzima Vavi, says the loan forms part of a broader programme that seeks to deepen neoliberal restructuring through market liberalisation, commercialisation of public services and increased private-sector participation in strategic public infrastructure:

# The DA in Gauteng has called on MEC for Roads and Logistics, Kedibone Diale-Tlabela, to urgently resolve tensions with taxi associations. The Gauteng National Taxi Alliance and the South African National Taxi Council have threatened to strike if their demands are not addressed within seven days. They have cited delays in issuing operating licences and poor consultation on transport policies. The DA’s Evert du Plessis says Diale-Tlabela should not use the release of operating licences for political grandstanding:

Moving abroad:

# US president Donald Trump has threatened to strike a complex known as Pickaxe Mountain, believed to be an underground nuclear site where Iran is suspected of building an undeclared enrichment facility. It was declared to the United Nations’ International Atomic Energy Agency in 2020 as a future facility to assemble the centrifuges that make nuclear fuel. Trump says he is committed to stopping Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon:

# Rugby: Springbok legend Victor Matfield insists the rejuvenated All Blacks will be tested by the Springboks’ aggressive defence in the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series next month. Under new coach Dave Rennie, New Zealand has scored at least five tries in each of their three Nations Championship victories over France, Italy and Ireland. Matfield says the Bok team is at such a level that it’s very difficult for anyone to put them under pressure. He adds facing the world champions will be the ultimate test for the All Blacks.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-48-cents and the euro at 18-rand-80-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-4-cents and Bitcoin trades at 65-thousand-867-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-113-dollars-95-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 90-dollars-46-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….