News 08:00

BULLETIN 27 July 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The DA says the head of IDAC’s resignation underscores the need for an independent anti-corruption body
# Over 300-thousand people are forced to flee due to the wildfires in France and Spain
# And at the Commonwealth Games: Team SA adds another three medals

# The DA says Investigating Directorate Against Corruption head, Andrea Johnson’s request to be released from her post with immediate effect comes at a time when serious questions have been raised through the Madlanga Commission’s proceedings. Johnson’s testimony came under scrutiny at the commission last week. The DA’s Glynnis Breytenbach says public confidence in institutions tasked with combating corruption depends on transparency, accountability, and the willingness of those entrusted with public responsibilities to be held to the highest ethical standards:

# Government has expressed concern about incidents involving individuals conducting unauthorised identity checks on foreign nationals and businesses, while falsely claiming to be officials from the Department of Home Affairs. Integrated operations involving the police, the Border Management Authority, the Department of Home Affairs, the Hawks and other law enforcement agencies continue to target criminal networks that exploit migration vulnerabilities. Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, Mmamoloko Kubayi, says those involved in intimidation, extortion and other illegal activities will face the full might of the law:

# Acting Police minister, Firoz Cachalia says the police don’t have the primary responsibility for enforcing immigration laws; however, they continue to work with relevant departments to support law enforcement efforts. To date, law enforcement authorities have registered 354 cases of arrests and prosecutions against individuals who are in contravention of the law related to the issue of migration. Cachalia says no additional training requirements have been added for police officers to enforce immigration laws:

# More than 300-thousand people have been displaced by wildfires in France and Spain, as firefighters battle to contain raging fires. This comes as temperatures are expected to soar this week. Fires have ravaged the Gironde region and advanced towards Bordeaux, at the heart of the country’s winelands. Nearly 220-thousand people have been evacuated from several towns, the country’s biggest evacuation since World War Two. In Spain, at least one person has died as fierce wildfires burn, with more than 100-thousand people evacuated from the regions around Madrid and Ávila.

# Commonwealth Games: South Africa’s Pieter Coetze stormed to another gold medal and another Games record, this time in the 200-metres, to add to his 50-metres heroics. He won in one-minute-54.22-seconds with England’s Oliver Morgan and Luke Greenbank coming in second and third, respectively. Aimee Canny won silver in the women’s 100-metres breaststroke and Olivia Nel secured bronze in the women’s 100-metres backstroke. In netball, South Africa made it two wins from two with an emphatic 96-42 victory over Tonga. South Africa’s medal tally currently stands at nine.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-72-cents and the euro at 19-rand-6-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-32-cents, and Bitcoin trades at 65-thousand-213-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-89-dollars-82-cents a fine ounce, and Brent crude oil is quoted at 93-dollars-21-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….