News 07:00

BULLETIN 10 July 7 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Judges Matter says Hlophe’s election to the Judicial Service Commission undermines its credibility
# The rain predictions in the Western Cape have been upgraded to a level 8 warning
# And cricket: India beats the Protea women in the third T20 to level the series

# Judges Matter has slammed the election of MK Party member and impeached former Western Cape judge president John Hlophe to the Judicial Service Commission. He is part of a six-member team selected from five political parties that will serve in the JSC. This is the same body that made adverse findings of gross misconduct against Hlophe which led to his impeachment. Judges Matter says Hlophe’s election undermines the credibility of the commission and the integrity of the judiciary.

# Union federation Saftu accuses the government of neglecting vulnerable communities during natural disasters, citing poor infrastructure in informal settlements. The federation criticises the government’s failure to plan and allocate resources, highlighting disparities in support between affluent suburbs and impoverished townships. Saftu’s Mogoshadi Maserumule calls for immediate action to build resilient infrastructure and provide housing to protect communities from future calamities:

# Civil society organisations and stakeholders from eight African countries convened in Boksburg to discuss gender-based violence prevention. This meeting comes as the United Nations declared femicide a human rights crisis, noting that one in three women and children face violence. UN regional coordinator Nelson Muffuh emphasised the need for community conversations to raise awareness about the devastating impact of femicide, stressing that every preventable death is a tragedy. He has also called for improved reporting mechanism to safeguard the victims.

# The Western Cape government is on high alert as the South African Weather Service has upgraded rain predictions to a level eight warning for Cape Town, Drakenstein, and Stellenbosch today. Anticipated 40 to 60 millimetres rainfall, possibly reaching 100 millimetres in mountainous areas, raises flood, mudslide, and rockfall concerns. National Sea Rescue Institute spokesperson Craig Lambinon says people reliant on ventilators are seeking refuge and charging facilities at their station as severe weather has cut off Struisbaai:

# A court in Moscow has issued an arrest warrant in absentia for Yulia Navalnaya, the wife of late Russian opposition politician Alexey Navalny. She is accused of being part of an extremist organisation. The 47-year-old currently lives outside Russia but would face immediate arrest if she were to return. Navalnaya slammed the arrest warrant calling president Vladimir Putin a killer and a war criminal and saying he belongs in prison.  Navalnaya has vowed to continue the work of her late husband.

# Cricket: India eased to a ten-wicket win over South Africa in the third and final Women’s T20 in Chennai to end the series one-all. Indian seamer Pooja Vastrakar claimed four wickets as the Proteas were dismissed for 84. In reply, Smriti Mandhana scored an unbeaten 54 as the hosts reached the target in 10.5 overs, surpassing its previous best win in 54 balls in 2021 against South Africa. The Proteas will now turn their attention to the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh in October.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-14-cents and the euro at 19-rand-63-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-20-cents and Bitcoin trades at 57-thousand-766-dollars-80-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-367-dollars-78-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 84-dollars-58-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….