News 08:00

BULLETIN 22 July 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The Impeachment Committee continues with its business today
# Pali Lehohla bemoans the lack of economic growth in South Africa
# And, the US-Iran war has so far cost an estimated 615-billion-rand

# Parliament’s Impeachment Committee will convene virtually today to elect an evidence leader. The five senior advocates nominated are Zinzile Matebese, Kate Hofmeyr, Vuyani Ngalwana, Ismail Jamie, and Pule Seleka. Hofmeyr and Seleka served as evidence leaders at the Zondo Commission of Inquiry. The committee will also consider the draft terms of reference. The Western Cape High Court will on Friday rule on president Cyril Ramaphosa’s urgent interdict, seeking to halt the committee from proceeding with its work until after the review of the independent panel report on Phala Phala is heard.

# Former Statistician-General doctor Pali Lehohla says South Africa has massively underperformed economically. He delivered the keynote address at the Electoral Commission of South Africa’s thought leadership seminar in Centurion yesterday. Lehohla emphasised that unequal access to resources and opportunities continues to influence how citizens engage with the political system. He added that the country’s economic problems come from a government that is both corrupt and does not understand economic models of growth:

# Gauteng MEC for Education, Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation, Lebogang Maile, has reiterated that the provincial government maintains a zero-tolerance approach to sexual abuse, gender-based violence and all forms of violence against children. This follows the alleged sexual abuse of a learner by an educator at Karabo Primary School in Soweto. The accused remains in custody while the criminal justice process continues before the courts. The MEC’s spokesperson, Onwabile Lubhelwana, says the protection of learners remains the foremost priority:

# US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth says the US-Israel war on Iran has cost an estimated 615-billion-rand so far, with some of the money accounting for expenses, such as meals for troops, through the end of the fiscal year. This is up from a previous estimate of nearly 476.98-billion-rand in mid-May. At least 17 troops have been killed in Iran since February and nearly 100 wounded. Hegseth told the Senate Appropriations Committee that the latest funding request for his department is urgent and necessary:

# Golf: The PGA Tour, DP World Tour and the Asian Tour have announced a new multi-year partnership that will run through at least 2029. Taking immediate effect, the PGA and DP World Tours, through their existing strategic alliance, will partner with the Asian Tour to provide commercial and playing opportunities. There will also be pathways for the leading golfers in Asia to allow them playing rights from the 2027 DP World Tour season. The Asian Tour had previously been in a partnership with LIV Golf.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-44-cents and the euro at 18-rand-75-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-1-cent, and Bitcoin trades at 66-thousand-201-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-134-dollars-43-cents a fine ounce, and Brent crude oil is quoted at 89-dollars-36-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….