News 08:00

BULLETIN 16 July 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The GOOD Party calls on president Ramaphosa to clarify the government’s US strategy
# Parliament’s Police Committee is concerned about Sibiya’s leave of absence
# And a British accidental data breach puts thousands of Afghans at risk

# The GOOD Party says president Cyril Ramaphosa must urgently update the nation on South Africa’s diplomatic strategy with the US. This follows DA claims that Ramaphosa knew for months that special envoy, former deputy Finance minister Mcebisi Jonas, had been denied a US visa. GOOD secretary-general, Brett Herron, says continuing to present Jonas as an active envoy amounts to deception and could harm South Africa’s chances of avoiding looming 30-percent trade tariffs:

Meanwhile AfriForum says the latest revelations regarding Mcebisi Jonas, reaffirm the ANC-led government’s mishandling of the diplomatic crisis with the US. AfriForum’s Ernst van Zyl says government must immediately disclose what Jonas has been busy with for the past 90 days in his role as special envoy:

# Parliament’s portfolio committee on Police chairperson, Ian Cameron, has expressed concern about what process was followed in deputy National Commissioner for Crime Detection, Shadrack Sibiya, being placed on a leave of absence. KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi has accused Sibiya of obstructing justice, stalling investigations into political assassinations and organised crime, and shielding politically connected suspects. Cameron says in policing, placing someone on leave of absence instead of suspending them for a disciplinary transgression is highly irregular.

# Thousands of Afghan people, some of whom had worked with British forces in Afghanistan, have been secretly relocated to the UK after a British official inadvertently leaked their data in 2022. The blunder exposed the personal information of close to 20-thousand individuals, putting them at risk of extra-judicial killing or serious violence by the Taliban. UK Defence Secretary John Healey told the House of Commons that almost seven-thousand Afghan nationals, affected by the breach, are being relocated to the UK:

# Golf: Defending champion American Xander Schauffele will play alongside compatriot JJ Spaun and Spain’s Jon Rahm for the first two rounds of the Open Championship starting tomorrow at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland. Home favourite Rory McIlroy has been grouped with England’s Tommy Fleetwood and American Justin Thomas, as he chases a second major win of the season. World number one American Scottie Scheffler will battle alongside compatriot Collin Morikawa and Ireland’s Shane Lowry. There are ten South Africans in the field, led by Louis Oosthuizen.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-88-cents and the euro at 20-rand-76-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-94-cents and Bitcoin trades at 117-thousand-456-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-331-dollars-46-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 68-dollars-25-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….