News 11:00

BULLETIN 11 July 11 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The DA says the mega state-owned entity will be a vehicle for grand-scale ANC corruption
# Parliament is concerned by the killing of public officials
# And rugby: The Springbok Women have an Eastern Cape flavour for their second Test against Canada

# The DA objects to the ANC creating a new mega state-owned entity, saying this will be a vehicle for grand-scale corruption. It will reportedly cost South African taxpayers over 600-million-rand to set up the entity, which will manage all other state-owned companies. The DA’s Darren Bergman says the concerns around the National State Enterprises Bill, which seeks to centralise all SOEs under one holding company overseen by the president, are warranted:

# The EFF says the failure to resolve gender-based violence and child maintenance cases is not only due to incompetence, but also to the deliberate corruption and neglect within the police service. According to statistics, over 33-percent of women over 18-years-old have experienced physical violence. As of February 2024, there were 170-thousand incomplete child maintenance applications across the country. The EFF says too many women and children are left without justice, as police officials abuse their power, stall investigations, or protect perpetrators.

# Parliament’s select committee on Appropriations has strongly condemned the targeted killing of public officials who, in the execution of their duties, uncover and report acts of corruption. An ANC councillor in Tshwane, Thabang Masemola, was killed on Tuesday, while Ekurhuleni’s Corporate and Forensic Audit Department head, Mpho Mafole, was gunned down last week. Committee chairperson, Tidimalo Legwase, says the killing of Mafole specifically is a cowardly act aimed at intimidating those working to clean up the public sector. She has called for urgent measures to protect whistleblowers.

Moving abroad:

# The United Nations says the imposition of sanctions on special rapporteurs sets a dangerous precedent. This comes as UN special rapporteur for the West Bank and Gaza, Francesca Albanese, has been sanctioned by the US. Secretary of State Marco Rubio says the sanctioning of Albanese is for directly engaging with the International Criminal Court in its efforts to prosecute American or Israeli nationals. UN spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, highlights the independent mandate and role of the special rapporteurs:

# Rugby: The Springbok Women side to play Canada in Gqeberha tomorrow will have a distinct Eastern Cape flavour after coach Swys de Bruin made several changes to his match-23. He opted to move both Byrhandrѐ Dolf and Eloïse Webb from the bench into the starting team, with Dolf, who hails from Uitenhage, starting at fullback and Webb, a Nelson Mandela University alumnus from East London, running out at flyhalf. Meanwhile, Nadine Roos has been moved from fullback to scrumhalf in a move that will see her much closer to the action.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-80-cents and the euro at 20-rand-80-cents. One British pound costs 24-rand-11-cents and Bitcoin trades at 117-thousand-610-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-331-dollars-95-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 68-dollars-37-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….