News 07:00

BULLETIN 5 July 7 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The Institute of International Affairs criticises the ANC’s foreign policy failures
# The Road Accident Fund is concerned about the high number of youth-related claims
# And Israel is studying Hamas’ latest response to the US-backed ceasefire proposal

# The South African Institute of International Affairs chairperson, Moeletsi Mbeki, has criticised the ANC’s failure to prioritise South Africa’s leadership in Africa. Speaking at an Institute for Security Studies webinar, Mbeki highlighted the country’s ineffective foreign policy under ANC dominance. Mbeki noted the policy’s economic success was due to private sector efforts, not government support. He also emphasised the need for stronger military investment and enhancing the state of South Africa’s military.

# Cape Forum strongly opposes the potential appointment of former Western Cape Judge president and MK parliamentary leader, John Hlophe to the Judicial Service Commission. They label the nomination a dishonour to the legal system. They criticise Hlophe’s attempts to influence judicial decisions favouring former president Jacob Zuma. The forum’s Heindrich Wyngaard warns that Hlophe’s appointment, alongside EFF nominee Julius Malema, could threaten the judiciary’s integrity: 

# Road Accident Fund says 44-percent of its claims come from people between the ages of 15 and 34. The claims lodged between 2020 and 2022 amounted to 43.13-billion-rand, plus 2.86-billion-rand for death-related benefits over the same period. During the same period, the number of young people whose lives were claimed by a car accident was 13-thousand-963 out of 34-thousand-946 deaths. The fund’s CEO, Collins Letsoalo, says these alarming statistics highlight the urgent need for young people to change their behaviour and prioritise road safety.

# Johannesburg mayor Kabelo Gwamanda insists the new 200-rand electricity surcharge will remain in effect, despite the massive public outcry. This will be charged on top of the 12.72-percent tariff increase that also came into effect this month. Gwamanda says the new electricity surcharge is a necessary intervention to create fairness and equality in the city’s tariffs regime:

# The Israeli government says it is studying a response from Hamas on a US-backed proposal for a phased ceasefire in Gaza. The militant group suggested amendments to the proposal last month, some of which the US said were unworkable. Israel says it will accept only temporary pauses in the fighting until it eliminates Hamas. Under a deal brokered in late November, more than 100 of the estimated 240 hostages taken by Hamas to Gaza were freed, in exchange for the release of 240 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons.

# Motorsport: Young British sensation Oliver Bearman says his Formula 1 race number, 87, is very special to him. Haas yesterday announced the signing of the 19-year-old from next year. Bearman says his father used the number before him. He was born on the eighth of May, and his brother on the seventh of August. Bearman also revealed his compatriot, seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, sent him a video nine years ago in which he encouraged him to keep pushing to make it to F1 one day.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-24-cents and the euro at 19-rand-74-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-29-cents and Bitcoin trades at 56-thousand-947-dollars-53-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-360-dollars-17-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 87-dollars-13-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….