News 07:00
BULLETIN 14 July 7 am
Good morning. I am……..
In this bulletin:
# Minister Mantashe says it’s important to boost South Africa’s fuel reserves
# OUTA warns that tariff hikes cannot solve the governance crisis
# And rugby: The Junior Boks beat England to make it to the Junior World Championship final
# Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources, Gwede Mantashe, says there is a compelling need for South Africa to have a Strategic Stocks Policy to enhance the state of readiness in the event of major oil supply disruptions. The department has published a draft policy, which proposes making it mandatory for all licensed oil and fuel wholesalers and importers to hold 21 days’ worth of stocks. The department warns that dependence on long shipping routes and specific maritime chokepoints exposes the economy to about one-billion-rand in losses every day of total fuel unavailability.
# The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse says South Africans are tired of paying more for deteriorating municipal services while poor governance goes unpunished. OUTA argues that rising tariffs cannot solve financial mismanagement, corruption and failing infrastructure. The organisation says the government must ringfence revenue collected from electricity and water, implement stricter oversight of municipal finances, and impose consequences on officials responsible for mismanagement. It added the government must improve service delivery instead of raising costs for residents.
# Union federation Cosatu says the Government Employees Medical Scheme has undermined collective bargaining by informing members directly that the Council for Medical Schemes rejected a proposal to reduce the 2026 contribution increase to 7.5-percent. The federation’s Zanele Sabela says GEMS bypassed organised labour and the Public Service Co-ordinating Bargaining Council by communicating through the media and directly with workers. Sabela insists proper bargaining processes be respected:
# The City of Ekurhuleni says it remains committed to governance and accountability. Suspended Metro Police Department deputy chief Julius Mkhwanazi and municipal manager Kagiso Lerutla appeared in court yesterday. They face charges of fraud, corruption, and defeating the ends of justice over allegations of a court impersonation scheme. Mkhwanazi is also accused of unlawfully fitting cars belonging to alleged underworld boss Vusimuzi Cat Matlala’s security firm with blue lights. Ekurhuleni spokesperson, Phakamile Mbengashe, says they support the work of law enforcement agencies:
# The British government says it will ban support for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which has been linked to death threats, attacks, and intimidation in Britain. The ban follows recent attacks on Jewish-linked sites in London. Two other groups are also being proscribed: the Islamic Movement of Companions of the Right, linked to Iran, and the Russian GRU Volunteer Corps, an international branch of Russian military intelligence. UK Foreign Secretary, Yvette Cooper, says they cannot allow the safety of citizens to be threatened:
# Rugby: Defending champions the Junior Springboks are through to the Junior World Championship final after beating England 53-37 in Tbilisi, Georgia. Kevin Foote’s charges ran in seven tries with winger Khuthadzo Rasivhaga crossing the line three times, and flyhalf Yaqueen Ahmed scoring 23 points to secure the victory. South Africa will face France in the final on Saturday evening, after the French edged New Zealand 26-22 in the other semifinal. Defeat for England and New Zealand means they will face off in the third-place play-off on Saturday.
# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-48-cents and the euro at 18-rand-76-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand and Bitcoin trades at 62-thousand-453-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-996-dollars-80-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 83-dollars-78-cents a barrel.
Stay tuned for more news………….