News 18:00

BULLETIN 3 July 6 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# A Hawks investigator survives an alleged SANDF‑orchestrated hit
# A French air traffic controller strike strands thousands of passengers
# And rugby: Owen Farrell receives a shock call-up to the British and Irish Lions in Australia

# The Randburg Magistrate’s Court in Gauteng has heard that a Hawks investigator leading the probe into the murder of colleague Frans Mathipa, was himself the target of an assassination attempt in December. Thirteen Defence Force soldiers are accused of orchestrating the assassination of Mathipa and the kidnapping of two Ethiopian nationals linked to Isis. Mathipa was gunned down on the N1 near Hammanskraal in August 2023. The accused’s identities may not be revealed pending an identity parade, and the names of the investigator and the prosecutor may not be published.

# Employment and Labour minister Nomakhosazana Meth has warned that uncertainty over South Africa’s continued access to the African Growth and Opportunity Act could threaten thousands of jobs. Delivering her budget speech in Parliament, Meth said losing preferential trade access to the US market would severely impact key sectors such as automotive manufacturing, steel, textiles, and agriculture, many of which employ youth, women, and rural workers:

Meanwhile, metalworkers union Numsa has confirmed that Mercedes-Benz South Africa has implemented a scheduled one-month lay-off at its East London plant in the Eastern Cape from 24 June to 30 July. Spokesperson Phakamile Hlubi-Majola says this is part of annual production adjustments, not linked to US tariffs under the African Growth and Opportunity Act. She says workers will receive wages and attend training during the shutdown:

# Today’s strike action by French air traffic controllers has led to the cancellation of hundreds of flights, leaving tens of thousands of passengers in the lurch at the start of the summer season. France’s civil aviation authority says airlines needed to revise their schedules, including at Paris’ Charles de Gaulle airport — one of Europe’s busiest travel hubs. AFP news agency reports that Europe’s largest airline, Ryanair, says it had been forced to cancel 170 flights today and tomorrow, impacting over 30-thousand passengers.

# Rugby: Former England captain Owen Farrell has received a shock British and Irish Lions call-up after utility back Elliot Daly was ruled out of the Australian tour with a fractured arm. The 33-year-old, a three-time Lions tourist and son of coach Andy Farrell, earned the last of his 112 Test caps at the 2023 World Cup and hasn’t played for nearly nine weeks. The flyhalf is a proven international performer and when the initial 38-man squad was announced his father indicated he could be an injury replacement.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-54-cents and the euro at 20-rand-62-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-91-cents and Bitcoin trades at 110-thousand-320-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-325-dollars-13-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 68-dollars-61-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….