News 09:00

BULLETIN 1 July 9 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Saai says South Africa’s rural farm crime crisis is underestimated
# SAFTU welcomes the arrests of the Transnet executive management members for corruption
# And Netanyahu will meet with Trump next week

# The Southern African Agri Initiative says the true extent of crime on farms and in rural areas is severely underestimated, as many incidents are not reported to police. Saai’s Leon Lourens says the statistics from external stakeholders and the SAPS database revealed that only 50-percent of all livestock theft reported through organised structures are recorded in the SAPS system:

# The minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, says that to foster greater private investment for sustainable development, governments and development institutions must focus on improving governance and regulatory certainty. This includes simplifying investment-related regulations, minimising bureaucratic obstacles, and ensuring long-term policy consistency to enhance investor confidence. Lamola says strengthening legal and institutional frameworks is essential to protecting property rights, ensuring contract enforcement, and establishing transparent, predictable dispute resolution mechanisms: 

# Saftu has welcomed the long-overdue arrests of Brian Molefe, Anoj Singh, Siyabonga Gama, and Thamsanqa Jiyane, who now face criminal charges related to the rigged 93-million-rand Transnet locomotive procurement deal involving China South Rail. The federation says all four accused appeared in the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crimes Court in Ekurhuleni for alleged fraud, corruption, and contravention of the Public Finance Management Act and the Companies Act and were each granted bail of 50-thousand-rand. Saftu says the Zondo Commission found the contracts for one-thousand-259 locomotives were irregularly awarded.

# Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be meeting Donald Trump next Monday, according to US officials. The visit on 7 July comes after Trump suggested it was possible a ceasefire in Gaza could be reached within a week. Netanyahu’s visit to Washington has not been formally announced, and the officials who said it would be going ahead spoke to Sky News on condition of anonymity. However, an Israeli official in Washington has confirmed the meeting next Monday. According to the Hamas-run health ministry, 56-thousand-500 people have been killed in the 20 months of war in Gaza.

# Tennis: Carlos Alcaraz survived a major scare in his Wimbledon opener on the hottest opening day in the tournament’s history. The Spaniard had to dig deep for a 7-5, 6-7, 7-5, 2-6, 6-1 win over 38-year-old Fabio Fognini in a match of four hours and 37 minutes. During the match, the 22-year-old rushed to help a spectator who had collapsed in the stands, handing over a bottle of water as medics came to the woman’s aid. Alcaraz is bidding to become the fifth man in the Open Era to win at least three consecutive Wimbledon titles.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-69-cents and the euro at 20-rand-86-cents. One British pound costs 24-rand-32-cents and Bitcoin trades at 107-thousand-122-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-322-dollars-84-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 66-dollars-27-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….