News 07:00

BULLETIN 30 July 7 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# There are no guarantees that South Africa will secure a US trade deal by August
# The Constitutional Court will hear the MK Party’s challenge to president Ramaphosa’s Mchunu decision today
# And rugby: The cheapest tickets for the 2027 World Cup will cost more than a thousand rand

# The Department of International Relations and Cooperation director-general, Zane Dangor, says there are no guarantees that South Africa will secure a favourable trade deal with the US by Friday. Dangor spoke at the Kgalema Motlanthe Foundation seminar in Sandton and warned that demands around domestic policies like black economic empowerment are clouding the process. He expressed concern that the US is pressuring South Africa to curtail its sovereignty to secure the deal:

# The Constitutional Court is today set to hear an urgent application by the MK Party, challenging president Cyril Ramaphosa’s decision to place Police minister Senzo Mchunu on special leave, and appoint Firoz Cachalia as acting minister. The MK Party argues that Ramaphosa acted outside the bounds of the Constitution when he suspended Mchunu and installed Cachalia, who is not a cabinet minister. Ramaphosa, in his response, argued that his power to appoint and dismiss ministers includes the discretion to place them on special leave.

# The National Council of Provinces will consider the Appropriation Bill and the Eskom Debt Relief Amendment Bill today. The two bills were adopted by the National Assembly last week. The Appropriation Bill provides for the appropriation of funds from the National Revenue Fund for the 2025/2026 financial year. The Eskom Debt Relief Amendment Bill introduces interest payments on loans provided to the power utility, instead of the original interest-free loan structure. The NCOP needs to approve the Appropriation Bill to pave the way for the finalisation of the budget process.

# Eastern Cape police have arrested three suspects in connection with the murder of Emalahleni Municipality’s chief whip, Xoliseka Lali. The 43-year-old was shot dead by unknown suspects at his rented apartment in South East Village, Westbourne in Komani. Police spokesperson, Nobuntu Gantana, says the suspects have been formally charged with murder and will appear before the Queenstown Magistrate’s Court today:

# British prime minister Keir Starmer says the UK will recognise Palestine as a state in September, unless Israel takes substantive steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza, and to reach a ceasefire. Around 140 countries formally recognise a Palestinian state, and last week, France pledged to do so at the United Nations meeting in September, becoming the first G7 country to do so. Starmer says the UK’s goal remains a safe and secure Israel alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian state:

# Rugby: World Rugby promises a bigger, bolder and more accessible World Cup than ever in Australia in two years’ time. The tournament has been extended from 20 to 24 teams which will be divided into six groups of four teams each. World Rugby’s chairperson, Brett Robinson, says tickets will go on sale in February, with a million tickets being made available at the lowest price at the equivalent of one-thousand-167-rand and 230-rand for kids. Sydney will host the semifinals, as well as the final on 13 November 2027.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-85-cents and the euro at 20-rand-64-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-84-cents and Bitcoin trades at 117-thousand-859-dollar. Gold sells at three-thousand-324-dollars-59-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 71-dollars-61-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….