News 06:00

BULLETIN 8 July 6 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The Basic Education minister warns against disruptions in the third term
# Gautrain’s services could be disrupted as NUMSA starts with an indefinite strike
# And more Democrats urge Biden to end his re-election bid

# Minister of Basic Education Siviwe Gwarube is appealing to stakeholders to intensify efforts aimed at creating a conducive environment for teaching and learning in this third term. Schools are reopening tomorrow, the last quarter before learners sit for their final examinations. Gwarube has also appealed to communities to support schools and refrain from causing disruptions, as this could have a devastating impact on learning outcomes:

# Two senior SABC executives have been dismissed with immediate effect for concealing a multimillion-rand advertising revenue share agreement with an external service provider. Spokesperson Mmoni Seapolelo confirmed the termination of group chief operating official Ian Plaatjies, and group executive for video entertainment, Merlin Naicker. They were found guilty of hiding a 7.5-percent revenue share clause in a 35-million-rand contract with Discovery Digital. The SABC board acted on recommendations from an independent report following the discovery of this concealment during contract drafting.

# Gautrain services could be disrupted today as members of the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa will embark on a strike over wages. The union is demanding a 13-percent wage increase, a 60-percent contribution to medical aid costs by Bombela Operating Company, which operates the service, and a housing allowance of two-thousand-rand per employee per month. Numsa’s spokesperson, Phakamile Hlubi-Majola, says wage talks have deadlocked:

# More Democrats are calling on US president Joe Biden to end his re-election bid. Angie Craig became the fifth Democrat in Congress to publicly call for the party leader to step down, citing concerns about his ability to take on former president Donald Trump. Craig and others, including Lloyd Doggett, Raúl Grijalva, Seth Moulton, and Mike Quigley, expressed doubts about the 81-year-old’s campaign effectiveness and debate performance. Despite the criticism, Biden has resisted calls to step aside.

# Rugby: Junior Springbok coach Bafana Nhleko has made seven changes to his team to take on England in a must-win match in the World Rugby Under20 Championship in Athlone tomorrow. Likhona Finca will make his debut at right wing, while tighthead prop Herman Lubbe is set to earn his first Junior Bok cap off the bench. Having lost against Argentina, the hosts must beat England to stand a chance of making the semifinals. Only the group winners and the best second-placed team from the pool matches go through.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-17-cents and the euro at 19-rand-67-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-27-cents and Bitcoin trades at 55-thousand-80-dollars-15-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-387-dollars-18-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 86-dollars-41-cents a barrel.

# And finally: The eldest son of the late former apartheid-era president and Nobel Peace prize winner FW de Klerk, Jan de Klerk, has passed away from a heart attack. He was one of De Klerk’s three children with his first wife, Marike. The FW de Klerk Foundation says Jan, a farmer, was one of the pioneering forces of South Africa’s first government of national unity 30 years ago. FW de Klerk died at the age of 85 from cancer. 

Stay tuned for more news………….