News 06:00
BULLETIN 28 July 6 am
Good morning. I am……..
In this bulletin:
# President Ramaphosa says liberation movements are under siege
# Snuki Zikalala blasts the US Bill against ANC members
# And World University Games: Team SA secures 19 medals in Germany
# President Cyril Ramaphosa says there is a renewed offensive against transformation, progressive policies, multilateralism, and a re-weaponisation of global institutions. In his capacity as the ANC president, he addressed a gathering of liberation movements from across southern Africa in Johannesburg on Sunday. Ramaphosa said competition for public positions and resources has undermined the ability of liberation movements to respond to the needs of people adequately:
# ANC Veterans’ League leader Snuki Zikalala has rejected the proposed US Bilateral Relations Review Act, calling it groundless. Speaking to SABC News, Zikalala condemned the legislation targeting top ANC members for possible sanctions, arguing it stems from South Africa’s support for Palestinians and ties with countries like Iran, China, and Russia. He emphasised the need for dialogue and alliance with US Democrats to preserve bilateral cooperation:
# Public Works and Infrastructure minister Dean Macpherson has suspended all Expanded Public Works Programme fund transfers to Matjhabeng Municipality in the Free State, following reports of inflated salaries paid to politically connected individuals. A City Press exposé revealed former councillors and office bearers were earning over 31-thousand-rand monthly, far above the programme’s intended stipend. Macpherson has called for a full investigation. He vows to reform the EPWP to eliminate corruption and ensure it benefits unemployed South Africans, not political elites.
# The DA in Johannesburg is demanding a full investigation into all contracts and procurement processes during Kenny Kunene’s time as Transport mayoral committee member. Kunene resigned as MMC and was placed on suspension by the Patriotic Alliance after visiting businessman Katiso ‘KT’ Molefe, linked to DJ Sambodi’s murder. DA’s Belinda Kayser-Echeozonjoku told Newzroom Afrika there were concerns about alleged corruption in the Johannesburg Roads Agency, Metro Trading Company, among others:
# Oxfam says the airdrops of aid and a trickle of trucks won’t undo months of engineered starvation in Gaza. Israel, Jordan, and the United Arab Emirates dropped aid into Gaza over the weekend, a method sharply criticised by humanitarian groups as expensive, inefficient, and dangerous. Israeli forces have killed over a thousand people seeking food in recent months. Oxfam says what is needed is the immediate opening of all crossings for full, unhindered, and safe aid delivery across all of Gaza, along with a permanent ceasefire.
# World University Games: Team South Africa secured 19 medals, including six gold, five silver, and eight bronze, at the FISU World University Games in Germany, finishing seventh overall on the medal table. The bulk of the team’s medals came from swimming and athletics. Nineteen-year-old speedster Bayanda Walaza ended the games with three medals, winning gold in the 100 and 200 metres and silver in the four-by-100 metres relay. Japan topped the medal table with 79, followed by China and the USA.
# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-74-cents and the euro at 20-rand-85-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-82-cents and Bitcoin trades at 119-thousand-285-dollar. Gold sells at three-thousand-335-dollars-20-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 67-dollars-47-cents a barrel.
Stay tuned for more news………….