News 11:00

BULLETIN 16 July 11 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# ActionSA questions the role of deputy ministers following minister Mantashe’s appointment as acting minister of Police
# A truck carrying gas cylinders crashed and exploded in Magoebaskloof, Limpopo
# And US president Donald Trump orders a probe into Brazil’s alleged unfair trade practices

# ActionSA has criticised president Cyril Ramaphosa for appointing an acting Police minister, and questions the role of deputy ministers. The president has appointed Mineral and Petroleum Resources minister, Gwede Mantashe, as acting minister until professor Firoz Cachalia assumes the position at the start of next month. ActionSA’s Dereleen James says the leadership crisis within the Police Service remains volatile and poses a real and present threat to national security:

Meanwhile Activists and Citizens Forum says Mantashe’s appointment strengthens its call for Ramaphosa to resign. The forum’s Dennis Bloem says Mantashe’s appointment is an insult, adding that the country needs a president who puts the country above party political interests and puts citizens first:

# Limpopo’s Department of Transport and Community Safety is warning motorists to use alternative routes following a serious incident on the R71 near Magoebaskloof, above Ruskamp, this morning. A truck carrying gas cylinders crashed and caught fire, resulting in multiple explosions and setting the nearby plantation ablaze. The department’s spokesperson, Matome Taueatsoala, says the R71 is currently closed to all traffic until further notice:

Moving abroad:

# US Trade representative Jamieson Greer has launched an investigation into what he says are Brazil’s unfair trading practices. This comes a week after president Donald Trump threatened a 50-percent tariff on imports from Latin America’s largest economy. The investigation will focus on digital trade and electronic payment services, preferential tariffs, and anti-corruption interference, as well as intellectual property protection. Greer has accused Brazil of harming American exports by offering lower tariffs to other trade partners.

# Rugby: French captain Antoine Dupont says he is aiming to make a return to action after his country’s November Tests. The 28-year-old scrumhalf suffered a serious knee injury during a Six Nations match against Ireland on March 8th. This means he will miss the Tests against South Africa, Fiji and Australia. Dupont says he does not want to rush his return, even if it’s hard for him to miss international games. France is preparing to face New Zealand in the third Test in Hamilton on Saturday.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-89-cents and the euro at 20-rand-80-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-99-cents and Bitcoin trades at 118-thousand-69-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-337-dollars-49-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 68-dollars-20-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….