News 18:00

BULLETIN 2 July 6 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
# The jury deliberates a racketeering conspiracy charge against Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs in his sex trafficking trial
# And canoeing: An 85-year old aims to complete his 52nd Berg River Marathon

# The National Agricultural Marketing Council has warned that fuel levy increases will strain South Africa’s agriculture sector. The council says that fuel makes up 13-percent of input costs, and the hike will raise production, transport, and food prices. It says that 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.

# Deputy Transport minister Mkhuleko Hlengwa says government is focused on fixing the entire transport ecosystem, including roads, rail, aviation, and maritime safety. Speaking during the Transport budget vote debate in Parliament, Hlengwa confirmed the department is working to stabilise the Road Accident Fund and introduce the long-delayed road accident benefit scheme. He also announced that the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences system will begin in 69 municipalities from December this year:

# A New York jury is deliberating on a racketeering conspiracy charge against music mogul Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs in his federal sex trafficking trial. The jury reached verdicts on four of the five charges faced by Combs. They have already agreed on two sex trafficking counts and two transportation-for-prostitution charges, but remains deadlocked on a racketeering conspiracy charge. Judge Arun Subramanian urged jurors to continue deliberating, reminding them not to abandon their beliefs.

# Canoeing: If Jannie Malherbe from George makes it through the four days from Paarl to Velddrif from today to Saturday, he will have finished a record 52 Berg River Marathons at the age of 85. There will be a bittersweet element to taking the record. The current joint holder on 51 finishes is the late Giel van Deventer, a close friend of Malherbe’s who lost his life on the Breede River in 2022. Malherbe says he and Van Deventer paddled together for many years – he sold him his first canoe.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-67-cents and the euro at 20-rand-78-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-97-cents and Bitcoin trades at 107-thousand-863-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-336-dollars-73-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 67-dollars-11-cents a barrel.

# And finally: The University of the Western Cape says mental health challenges are on the rise in South Africa, including among university students. Professor Matete Madiba says the country is confronted with a mental health paradox that despite widespread psychological distress, only a small fraction of students actually access mental health services. She says the majority of people are adapting, organising, caring, and building meaning in the midst of adversity and constraint:

Stay tuned for more news………….