News 08:00

BULLETIN 25 July 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The DA says the derailed Omotoso prosecution demands a new commitment to reform the NPA
# Five cash-in-transit are killed in a shootout with police in Joburg
# And, the US Deputy Attorney General has interviewed Ghislaine Maxwell

# The DA says restoring the National Prosecuting Authority’s capacity to send criminals to jail is central to making South Africa safe for its citizens and eradicating gender-based violence. Earlier this week, the Eastern Cape High Court ruled that the NPA is not entitled to clarification on the court’s acquittal of Nigerian televangelist Timothy Omotoso on charges of rape. The DA says this will hamper the NPA’s case in the Supreme Court of Appeal, and may lead to yet another resounding loss in the fight against gender-based violence.

# The EFF has raised concerns that South Africa’s high cost of electricity could destabilise the country’s economy. Party leader Julius Malema says rising power tariffs place an unbearable burden on households, small businesses, and the manufacturing sector, leading to community protests. Malema warns that this could lead to increased unemployment, reduced economic activity, and further entrench inequality. He calls for an urgent shift toward more affordable energy alternatives:

# Five cash-in-transit robbery suspects were killed during a shootout with police in Crown Mines, Johannesburg, yesterday afternoon. Police spokesperson Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi stated that they acted on intelligence about an imminent cash-in-transit heist, and the suspects’ vehicle was identified near the M1/M2 highway split. She says that upon seeing the police, the suspects sped off, initiating a high-speed chase. Nevhuhulwi adds that as the chase ensued, the suspects started shooting at the police, who retaliated:

# US Deputy Attorney General, Todd Blanche, met with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein’s accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell, in Tallahassee, Florida, yesterday, where she is serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking. The meeting came on the backdrop of public backlash over president Donald Trump’s administration’s perceived lack of transparency, surrounding documents related to Epstein’s case. Maxwell’s attorney, David Oscar Markus, says he is thankful that Blanche had come to ask his client questions:

# Cricket: England ended day two of the fourth Test against India on 225 for two in their first innings, trailing the visitors by 133 runs at Old Trafford in Manchester. Captain Ben Stokes claimed his first five-wicket haul since 2017, as India, resuming the day on 264 for four, were ultimately bowled out for 358. Openers Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley led the charge with a commanding 166-run partnership as England seized control of the match. The hosts lead the series 2-1.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-63-cents and the euro at 20-rand-70-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-78-cents and Bitcoin trades at 116-thousand-014-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-361-dollars-80-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 68-dollars-66-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….