News 06:00

BULLETIN 8 July 6 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Donald Trump imposes a 30-percent tariff on South African exports
# The ANC defends the Higher Education minister over the SETA controversy
# And cricket: The Proteas are in a dominant position in the 2nd Test against Zimbabwe

# US president Donald Trump has imposed a 30-percent tariff on South African exports to America, which will take effect on August 1st. In a letter written to president Cyril Ramaphosa and posted on Trump’s Truth Social, he says the tariff is far less than what is needed to eliminate the trade deficit disparity America has with South Africa. Trump says there will be no tariffs if South Africa or companies within the country decide to build or manufacture products within the US. Many other world leaders are receiving similar letters.

Meanwhile, Ramaphosa has criticised Trump’s comments threatening BRICS members with penalties. Trump has threatened an additional ten-percent tariff on countries that align themselves with what he says are “anti-American policies of BRICS.” This comes as BRICS members have expressed to move beyond a US-led world order in finance and global governance. Ramaphosa says there needs to be greater appreciation of the emergence of various centres of power in the world:

# The ANC says Higher Education and Training minister Nobuhle Nkabane acted in good faith in appointing a voluntary advisory panel for the appointment of Sector Education and Training Authorities board chairpersons. It states there was no intent to mislead Parliament, and the error involving advocate Terry Motau’s role was acknowledged and corrected. In a media briefing, ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula said the party supports Nkabane’s decision to restart the appointment process to ensure transparency:

# The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse says the City of Johannesburg is overstepping its authority by trying to control privately owned CCTV cameras. OUTA has taken the city to the High Court in Johannesburg, challenging a new by-law that forces residents and businesses to register their cameras, pay fees, and hand over footage. OUTA’s Stefanie Fick argues allowing officials access to private footage and control over installations could undermine community safety efforts:

# Russia’s former transport minister, Roman Starovoit, has been found dead with a gunshot wound in his personal car. The report of his death comes after he was dismissed from his transport role by President Vladimir Putin. The Investigative Committee of Russia said the circumstances surrounding the death of the ex-governor of the Kursk region are being investigated, but he reportedly took his own life. Starovoit was appointed transport minister in May 2024 after spending almost five years as governor of the Kursk region bordering Ukraine.

# Cricket: Zimbabwe ended day two of the second Test on 51 for one in their second innings after being forced to follow on, still trailing South Africa by 405 runs in Bulawayo. The Proteas declared on 626 for five in their first innings with stand-in captain Wiaan Mulder, unbeaten on 367 off 334 balls. The hosts were then skittled for 170 in their first innings, with debutant Prenelan Subrayen taking four wickets, before enforcing the follow-on. Today, Takudzwanashe Kaitano will resume on 34 and Nicolas Welch on six.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-85-cents and the euro at 20-rand-95-cents. One British pound costs 24-rand-31-cents and Bitcoin trades at 108-thousand-276-dollar. Gold sells at three-thousand-336-dollars-19-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 69-dollars-3-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….