News 14:00

BULLETIN 9 July 2 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Solomon Makgato is appointed as acting divisional commissioner for crime intelligence
# The police commissioner confirms security has been beefed up outside the KwaZulu-Natal commissioner’s home after death threats
# And rugby: The All Blacks will face France in the remaining Tests without captain Scott Barrett

# National police commissioner Fannie Masemola announced that the head of the Hawks in the Western Cape, Solomon Makgato, has been appointed as acting divisional commissioner for crime intelligence. This follows the arrest of Dumisani Khumalo and six others over fraud allegations last month. Masemola says they have full confidence in Makgato, and trust that his leadership will enhance efficiency and maintain stability within crime intelligence:

Masemola also says security has been beefed up outside KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi’s home in Durban following death threats. Mkhwanazi accused minister of Police, Senzo Mchunu, of directly interfering with investigations into political assassinations and organised crime by disbanding the elite political killings task team. Masemola says he never authorised the letter to disband the task team:

# The Freedom Front Plus says America’s announced trade tariffs of 30-percent, with a likely underlying geopolitical motivation, are by implication also a direct attack on the economic benefits that South Africa derives from AGOA. Jaco Mulder of the FF Plus says the tariffs are also a response to South Africa’s growing diplomatic and economic ties with countries which are seen by the US as outcast pariah states or adversaries:

# Gaza’s civil defence agency says 20 people, including at least six children, were killed in two Israeli air strikes overnight. The Israeli military says it was looking into the report. The bombings came as Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu met US president Donald Trump in Washington and discussed the ongoing campaign to defeat Hamas in Gaza. Afterwards, he restated Israel’s aims to secure the release of all hostages taken during the Palestinian militants’ attack on 7 October 2023, and the elimination of its military and governing capabilities.

# Rugby: All Blacks captain Scott Barrett will miss the remaining two Tests against France after suffering an injury in the first match. He left the field half-way through the encounter in Dunedin which New Zealand won 31-27. 2023’s World Player of the Year, Ardie Savea, will captain the hosts. Assistant coach Scott Hansen says Barrett’s absence is a big loss, but he trusts the squad’s depth. The second Test will be played in Wellington on Saturday and the final one in Hamilton next weekend.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-82-cents and the euro at 20-rand-88-cents. One British pound costs 24-rand-22-cents and Bitcoin trades at 108-thousand-815-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-288-dollars-68-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 69-dollars-89-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….