News 17:00

BULLETIN 2 July 5 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The National Agricultural Marketing Council warns the fuel levy hike is set to hurt the agriculture sector
# SASSA continues to review the grants of targeted beneficiaries
# And Rugby: Another comprehensive victory for the Lions in Australia

# The National Agricultural Marketing Council has warned that fuel levy increases will strain South Africa’s agricultural sector. The council says fuel makes up 13-percent of input costs, and the hike will raise production, transport, and food prices. It says despite a diesel rebate scheme, smallholder farmers and rural workers may struggle most. The council calls for expanded rebates, better infrastructure, and alternative energy investment to ease the pressure.

Meanwhile, Southern African Agri Initiative executive director, Theo de Jager, says the recent US trip was about offering a value proposition to stop economic migration by ending poverty and hunger in Africa through agriculture. De Jager says agriculture can create wealth faster than any other sector, however, investment requires security, production financing, and policy certainty. He warned that threats like land expropriation without compensation and farm attacks scare off much-needed capital:

# The South African Social Security Agency says it will continue to review social grants of targeted beneficiaries suspected to have other alternative sources of income that were not disclosed to the agency. SASSA’s spokesperson, Andile Tshona, says these targeted beneficiaries are expected to present themselves at a SASSA local office. He says their eligibility will be reviewed to ascertain whether or not they remain eligible for the social grant they initially applied for:

# Ukraine summoned a US diplomat, urging its key ally not to cut or delay critical military aid after the White House said it was halting some weapons shipments. Kyiv said it had not been told about the halt to aid, which could thwart its ability to fend off escalating Russian air attacks. Moscow revelled in the decision, saying it could bring the end of the war closer. Kyiv has long feared halts to US aid after president Donald Trump criticised the billions of dollars in support and weapons sent by his predecessor, Joe Biden.

# Rugby: The Reds started bravely, but eventually wasn’t a match for the British and Irish Lions in Brisbane. The visitors won 52-12 after scoring eight tries to the hosts’ two. Among the try scorers were South African-born winger Duhan van der Merwe, Scottish centre Huw Jones, who played for the Stormers, and Welsh captain Jac Morgan, who was named man of the match. The Lions also pummeled Western Force 54-7 in the first tour match in Perth, and plays the Waratahs in Sydney on Saturday.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-68-cents and the euro at 20-rand-82-cents. One British pound costs 24-rand-4-cents and Bitcoin trades at 107-thousand-508-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-343-dollars-83-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 67-dollars-53-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….