News 15:00

BULLETIN 15 July 3 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The minister of Police calls for a collective effort to enhance national security
# President Ramaphosa highlights initiatives for emissions targets
# And, Olympics: The ATM pledges support to Luxolo Adams over his exclusion from Team SA

# Police minister, Senzo Mchunu, calls for a collective effort to enhance national security, strengthen gun control measures, and improve resources for police members. He was briefing the media on the ministry’s priorities and called for collaboration with community policing forums, private security, community-based organisations, and various stakeholders to combat rising crime rates. Mchunu urges all South Africans to work together to create safer environments and a secure nation:

# President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced several initiatives to meet emissions targets. This includes the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme, which has attracted over 209-billion-rand in investments. Ramaphosa says updating the Integrated Resource Plan and launching the Just Energy Transition Investment Plan with over one-trillion-rand in investments, are also underway. He says these initiatives aim to boost green energy and economic diversification while ensuring an inclusive low-carbon transition:

# The Gauteng government aims to curb tender corruption by automating bid adjudication processes, ensuring transparency and merit-based contract awards. Finance MEC Lebogang Maile emphasises the importance of transparency in tender adjudication to prevent fraud and corruption. He is advocating for an automated procurement system to reduce human interference. The initiative seeks to transform the supplier base by prioritising new players previously disadvantaged, aiming for open decision-making on all tenders to eliminate secrecy in awarding contracts.

# China posted lower than expected growth in the second quarter, with all eyes on how top officials gathering for a key meeting in Beijing might seek to tackle the country’s deepening economic malaise. Official statistics showed the economy grew by only 4.7-percent in the second quarter of the year, the slowest rate since early 2023. Trade tensions with the US and the European Union, which have sought to limit Beijing’s access to sensitive technology as well as putting up tariffs to protect their markets from cheap, subsidised Chinese goods, are also dragging growth down.

# Olympics: The African Transformation Movement is calling on Sport, Arts and Culture minister Gayton McKenzie to urgently intervene in the Luxolo Adams matter. The sprinter is threatening legal action against Athletics South Africa after he was cut from Team SA for the Paris Games. He was the casualty after Wayde van Niekerk opted out of the 400 meters to focus on the 200 meters and the relays instead. ATM’s spokesperson, Zama Ntshona, says Adams has been unfairly treated:

# And, the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-22-cents and the euro at 19-rand-89-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-66-cents and Bitcoin trades at 62-thousand-521-dollars-41-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-416-dollars-90-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 84-dollars-86-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….