News 08:00

BULLETIN 27 July 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The DA calls for heads to roll at PetroSA over the R21-billion contract scandal
# COSATU welcomes a successful AGOA Forum and calls for enhanced membership
# And, Olympic Games: The SA Sevens team are ready for the semi-final clash against France

# The DA urges Mineral and Petroleum Resources minister Gwede Mantashe to urgently  address allegations involving PetroSA’s 21-billion-rand offshore gas contract. The party is concerned about the state-owned company’s procurement and governance after claims it awarded the contract to a liquidated company, Equator Holdings. The DA’s James Lorimer insists on transparency and accountability, calling for the replacement of PetroSA’s leadership if the allegations are true:

# COSATU saus it supports extending South Africa’s membership and the crafting of a new AGOA to boost Africa’s economic development and job creation. This comes as the forum concluded in Washington D.C. Spokesperson Zanele Sabela has applauded Trade, Industry and Competition minister Parks Tau’s efforts as AGOA benefits South Africa’s mining, manufacturing, and agricultural sectors, and supports 450-thousand jobs.

# The UK’s new government will drop its challenge to arrest warrants sought by an international court’s prosecutor for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Former prime minister Rishi Sunak’s government had told the International Criminal Court it intended to submit a challenge to the request for arrest warrants for Netanyahu and defence minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes in Gaza. The UK had until yesterday to submit its questions to the court in The Hague, but the recently elected Labour government has confirmed it will not follow through with Sunak’s plan.

# Olympic Games: French authorities believe anarchists or extreme leftists may be behind yesterday’s attacks on the country’s high-speed rail network that sparked traffic chaos before last night’s opening ceremony in Paris. State-owned railway operator SNCF announced arsonists targeted installations along the railway lines connecting the capital with the west, north and east. It expects rail traffic to still be severely affected over the weekend. France has started a wide-scale investigation into the incidents, and increased security measures.

And, rugby at the Olympic Games: The South African sevens interim head coach Philip Snyman says the team is prepared for their semi-final match against France at Stade de France today. Snyman highlighted the inspiration from the Springboks’ World Cup win at the same venue. Key players like Cheslin Kolbe, Kwagga Smith, and Kurt-Lee Arendse are anticipated to motivate the team. He emphasises the need for guts, determination, and clinical defense:

Stay tuned for more news………….