News 11:00

BULLETIN 12 July 11 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Julius Malema rejects Mabuza’s earlier request to return to the ANC
# A judge demands evidence after Mkhwanazi alleges collusion
# And Donald Trump lays off more than a thousand diplomatic officials

# EFF leader Julius Malema has hailed the late deputy president David Mabuza as a unifier and champion of the poor. Mabuza passed away last Thursday due to breathing difficulties in the hospital following a prolonged illness. Speaking to Newzroom Afrika on the sidelines of Mabuza’s funeral in Mbombela, Malema firmly rejected Mabuza’s wish and idea of his return to the ANC, labelling the party a criminal syndicate no longer serving the people:

# EFF national spokesperson Sinawo Thambo says the party has rejected the Communications and Digital Technologies Budget, calling it legally flawed, anti-poor, and monopolistic. Thambo accuses the budget of misinterpreting the Money Bills Act by ignoring rural connectivity. He says it enables foreign interests like Starlink to bypass ownership laws, neglects the struggling SABC, and fails to deliver a state-owned telecom provider to ensure affordable digital access:

# Free State High Court Judge President, Cagney Musi, has urged KwaZulu-Natal Police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi to present factual evidence for claims that some judicial officers are colluding with criminals. Speaking to the SABC News, Musi says the vague allegations are damaging and risk eroding public trust in the judiciary. He stressed the importance of substantiated claims to protect the integrity of South Africa’s justice system:

# The US State Department began firing more than one-thousand-350 employees Friday. This comes as president Donald Trump presses ahead with an unprecedented overhaul of his diplomatic corps. The layoffs affect one-thousand-107 civil service and 246 foreign service officers based in the United States. This comes at a time when Washington is grappling with multiple crises on the world stage: Russia’s war in Ukraine, the almost two-year-long Gaza conflict, and the Middle East on edge due to high tension between Israel and Iran.

# And finally, sports news:

# Cricket: South Africa will play hosts Zimbabwe in Harare on Monday at the start of the T20 tri-series, also comprising New Zealand. Rassie van der Dussen will captain the Proteas while regular captain Aiden Markram and several other high-profile players get rested. Young batter Lhuan-dré Pretorius could make his T20 debut for South Africa after impressing in the recent Test series against Zimbabwe. After the tri-series, the Proteas will travel to Australia for a tour consisting of three T20s and three one-day games.

# And soccer: Premier League champions Liverpool have retired squad number 20 in honour of late forward Diogo Jota, who tragically died in a car accident on Thursday last week. The club made the emotional announcement yesterday, after consultations with Jota’s wife, Rute, and family. His number will no longer be used across all levels, including Liverpool FC Women and Academy. Jota joined in 2020, wore number 20, and helped deliver Liverpool’s 20th league title. The club says he will forever be remembered as Liverpool’s eternal number 20.

Stay tuned for more news………….