News 08:00

BULLETIN 27 July 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Paul Mashatile urges African unity and economic reform
# Kenny Kunene resigns as Johannesburg councillor
# And rugby: The Lions triumph over the Sharks, and the Bulls overpower the WP in their Currie Cup encounters

# ANC deputy president Paul Mashatile has urged African leaders to unite and drive economic transformation through homegrown solutions. Speaking at the Liberation Movement Summit in Johannesburg, Mashatile called for action beyond symbolism to tackle poverty and the legacy of colonialism. He highlighted the informal cross-border sector, accounting for 43-percent of Africa’s gross domestic product, as a vital opportunity for integration under the African Continental Free Trade Area and Agenda 2063:

# The Patriotic Alliance has suspended its deputy president, Kenny Kunene, who also resigned as Johannesburg councillor and mayoral committee member for Transport. This follows scrutiny over his links to businessman Katiso KT Molefe, accused of orchestrating DJ Sumbody’s murder. Kunene says he was at Molefe’s home for a media interview during a police raid. The PA confirmed his suspension, with Kunene stepping back from politics and reaffirming his loyalty to the party.

Meanwhile, ActionSA Johannesburg regional secretary, Lebo Mokoka, has welcomed the Patriotic Alliance’s suspension of deputy president Kenny Kunene and his resignation as mayoral committee member for Transport. Speaking to Newzroom Afrika, Mokoka urged mayor Dada Morero to fill the vacancy to maintain service delivery swiftly. She also downplayed Kunene’s impact, saying his contributions lacked measurable results:

# Cape Town lawyer Sarah Burger has been cleared of all charges in the 171-million Fort Hare fraud case in the East London Specialised Commercial Crimes Court after a 17-month legal ordeal. Burger, who was the whistleblower on the corruption at the university, now plans to sue the police and the National Prosecuting Authority. She expressed relief to eNCA and vowed to hold authorities accountable for undermining justice:

# A small team of British military planners and logisticians is being made available to help Jordan with air-dropping aid into Gaza. They could be deployed within the next two days. British Prime Minister Keir Stamer told the Mirror that the government was already working urgently with the Jordanian authorities to get British aid onto planes and into Gaza. The UK has also previously sent planes to directly drop aid, with UK forces having completed 11 airdrops into Gaza to deliver 110 tonnes of relief items as part of a Jordanian-led international air coalition.

# And rugby: The Lions trounced defending Currie Cup champions, the Sharks, in their opening game at Ellispark yesterday by 46-5. Winger Rabz Maxwane scored a brace of tries as the Lions crossed the tryline seven times to the Sharks’ solitary try in the second half. And in Cape Town, Western Province faced a huge onslaught in the first half by the Bulls, plus several yellow cards that put them on the back foot for most of the game, going down 48-23 to the men in blue.

Stay tuned for more news………….