News 09:00

BULLETIN 14 July 9 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The EFF says minister Mchunu should have been removed
# Four suspects are killed in a shootout with the police in Joburg
# And Ukraine kills Russian agents suspected of assassinating an intelligence officer

# The EFF has criticised president Cyril Ramaphosa’s decision to place minister of Police Senzo Mchunu on special leave, saying this was a cowardly deflection, designed to shield the minister. The president’s decision follows allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi against the minister, fellow police officers, and other state officials. The EFF says this decision allows Mchunu to continue drawing a full ministerial salary, while Ramaphosa unlawfully bloats the Cabinet by appointing someone not lawfully entitled to serve in that role.

Meanwhile, ActionSA says government inaction has allowed the deep rot within SAPS to worsen, further eroding the integrity of law enforcement leadership. Ramaphosa has established a judicial commission of inquiry to probe Mkhwanazi’s allegations. ActionSA’s spokesperson, Matthew George, says it notes that Mchunu has been placed on special leave, effectively a paid holiday:

# Four suspects were shot and killed during a shootout with police in Riverlea, Johannesburg, on Sunday. Gauteng police spokesperson, Tintswalo Sibeko, says they received intelligence about a planned business robbery at a shopping centre. She says when the members attempted to stop the suspects, they opened fire, leading to a shootout. Sibeko says three suspects were fatally shot during the exchange, and a fourth was declared dead by paramedics at the scene, despite not sustaining any visible injuries:

# Ukraine’s Security Service has admitted to killing agents of Russia’s Federal Security Service on Sunday, suspected of shooting dead a senior Ukrainian intelligence officer. Colonel Ivan Voronych was shot several times in a Kyiv car park last Thursday, in what authorities say was an apparent assassination. According to reports, Voronych was involved in covert operations in Russia-occupied territories of Ukraine. Ukraine’s Security Service says the agents were tracked down and liquidated after they resisted arrest.

# Golf: World number 158 Chris Gotterup denied Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy a second Scottish Open title. The American registered a closing 66 to win by two shots, the biggest win of his career. McIlroy shared second place with England’s Marco Penge. Denmark’s Nicolai Højgaard, along with Gotterup, earned one of the final spots for next week’s Open Championship, with a closing 64 that secured him a share of fourth place. Gotterup says it was a pleasure playing against McIlroy:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-94-cents and the euro at 20-rand-95-cents. One British pound costs 24-rand-17-cents and Bitcoin trades at 121-thousand-3-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-355-dollars-70-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 69-dollars-79-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….