News 06:00

BULLETIN 18 July 6 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Zuma’s ANC disciplinary hearing is postponed as he wants it open to the public
# The opening of Parliament will take place in the Cape Town City Hall tonight
# And today is Nelson Mandela International Day

# Former president Jacob Zuma’s ANC disciplinary hearing has been postponed to next week Tuesday. He did not attend the virtual disciplinary hearing with controversial ANC member Tony Yengeni representing him. Zuma is facing disciplinary action after he was charged with misconduct for publicly stating he intended to vote for the MK Party in the general election. The MK Party says the former president wants the hearing only to be physical and it should also be opened up to the public.

# Tonight’s opening of Parliament will take place in the Cape Town City Hall. The venue had been used regularly since the devastating fire in the parliamentary complex in January 2022, although the swearing-in of Members of Parliament and cabinet members took place in the bigger Cape Town International Convention Centre. National Assembly speaker Thoko Didiza says City Hall had been selected as part of cost-containing measures. President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to deliver his address at 7 pm.

# The two suspects in the murder of former high jump world champion Jacques Freitag could make their first appearance in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court today. The former lawyer and his long-time girlfriend were apprehended in Mpumalanga earlier this week after they disappeared after being questioned. They were brought back to Pretoria, with their legal representative expecting the state to oppose their bail applications. Freitag’s body was found in the capital two weeks after he was last seen at his mother’s house in Bronkhorstspruit.

# King Charles announced his government’s commitment to enhancing the National Health Service for all. The king ruled the NHS will provide care irrespective of patients’ ability to pay. In his State Opening of Parliament address at Westminster, the King promised to reduce waiting times, focus on preventive care, and improve mental health services. He said the government aims to ensure timely and comprehensive healthcare access for all citizens:

# Olympics: The Springbok Sevens team gives themselves a fighting chance to secure a medal in Paris. The Blitzboks qualified at the last moment after no one still gave them a chance. They left for the French capital yesterday. Former captain Siviwe Soyizwapi says they have worked incredibly hard to put themselves back into the race for a medal. The Blitzboks face the All Blacks, Ireland, and Japan in Pool A in the tournament, starting at the Stade de France on Wednesday.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-20-cents and the euro at 19-rand-91-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-68-cents and Bitcoin trades at 64-thousand-490-dollars-58-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-458-dollars-50-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 85-dollars-23-cents a barrel.

# And in closing: Today is Nelson Mandela International Day, a day where individuals and communities worldwide are urged to dedicate 67 minutes to serving others. This year’s theme is, It’s still in our hands to combat poverty and inequality. The Nelson Mandela Foundation is collaborating with the United Nations to host 17 TEDx talks based on the Sustainable Development Goals at the Gordon Institute of Business Science in Johannesburg today. The foundation’s, Gushwell Brooks, says everyone has a shared responsibility in shaping a better future:

Stay tuned for more news………….