News 09:00

BULLETIN 15 July 9 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# President Ramaphosa will soon decide on minister Nkabane
# The GOOD Party says South Africa needs a mixed energy plan
# The EU warns trade with the US could be wiped out

# The Presidency says the matter involving Higher Education and Training minister, Nobuhle Nkabane, remains a top priority on president Cyril Ramaphosa’s action item list. The minister is accused of corruption, misconduct, and misleading Parliament over the Sector Education and Training Authorities board appointments. This has sparked public outrage and legal and parliamentary scrutiny. Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, says the president has been given a report on the matter, and the issue should come to some form of conclusion soon.

# GOOD Party says South Africa is lagging behind its BRICS partners and the world in shifting to cheaper, safer renewable electricity sources. Researchers believe pollution from the country’s coal-fired power stations is estimated to cause around two-thousand premature deaths each year. GOOD’s National Youth chairperson, Kaden Arguile, says electricity from wind and solar sources is cheaper and safer for citizens. He adds that the long list of international climate treaties that South Africa has formally signed cannot be backtracked on:

# Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has encouraged Capetonians to engage with the City’s Long-Term Plan for the next 25 years, with public participation open until 12 September. The plan includes sweeping reforms to services, infrastructure, and the regional economy. The mayor’s spokesperson, Lyndon Khan, says Cape Town’s Vision 2050 has two main goals in mind: to create a metro of opportunities for all, and to create a metro that is future-fit for the challenges of the next 25 years:

# The European Union has warned that its trade with the US could be wiped out if president Donald Trump follows through on his threat to impose a 30-percent tariff on imports on the 27-nation bloc. The EU-US bilateral trade relationship represents nearly 30-percent of global goods and services trade. Trump has repeatedly rebuked the EU for what he sees as unfair trading practices. EU Trade Commissioner, Maroš Šefčovič, says they have approached the talks with America in good faith and constructively:

# Tennis: Online abuse against players almost quadrupled during the first week of Wimbledon compared to the same period last year. BBC Sport reports one-thousand-902 abusive messages were sent to players on public accounts compared to 511 in 2024. Two-time champion Carlos Alcazaz of Spain says he got cruel social media messages after losing to Italian world number one, Jannik Sinner, in Sunday’s final. Women’s losing finalist Amanda Anisimova says she was scared to look at her phone after her 6-love, 6-love loss to Poland’s Iga Swiatek.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-88-cents and the euro at 20-rand-88-cents. One British pound costs 24-rand-2-cents and Bitcoin trades at 117-thousand-296-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-360-dollars-22-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 68-dollars-24-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….