News 12:00

BULLETIN 13 July 12 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Cape Town police probe the murders of four men in Muizenberg
# DIRCO rejects a US report on South African human rights
# And rugby: Jesse Kriel backs André Esterhuizen to deliver against the Wallabies

# Cape Town police have launched a manhunt for suspects following the deaths of four men in Overcome Heights, Muizenberg, earlier this morning. Spokesperson Andrè Traut says detectives attached to the anti-gang unit are working tirelessly to determine the events that led to the incident. He says the bodies of the four men, aged between 20 and 37, were discovered in Mountain Road with fatal gunshot wounds:

# The Department of International Relations and Cooperation says South Africa rejects the US State Department’s report on human rights practices in the country. The executive summary to the US Report on South Africa states that the human rights situation in the country significantly worsened during the year, with the signing of the Expropriation Bill in December. Dirco’s spokesperson, Chrispin Phiri, says the report’s reliance on a-contextual information and discredited accounts is highly concerning:

# Australia’s prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has accused his Israeli counterpart, Benjamin Netanyahu, of being in denial over the consequences of the war in Gaza. Albanese says frustration with the Israeli government had played a role in the decision to recognise a Palestinian state at the United Nations’ General Assembly next month. Israel is under increasing pressure to end the war in Gaza, but has said recognising a Palestinian state rewards terrorism. Netanyahu says the decision taken by Australia and other allies is shameful.

# Rugby: Springbok centre Jesse Kriel says they are expecting a tough clash against Australia in their Rugby Championship opener at Ellis Park on Saturday. This is despite the Wallabies coming off a tough series against the British and Irish Lions. Kriel will link up with André Esterhuizen in the midfield while Damian de Allende is still recovering from a niggle. Thirty-one-year-old Kriel is excited for Esterhuizen to show what he can do against the Wallabies:

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-54-cents and the euro at 20-rand-56-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-78-cents and Bitcoin trades at 119-thousand-863-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-354-dollars-1-cent a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 65-dollars-51-cents a barrel.

# And finally: SANParks says its annual National Parks Week has proven to be a successful campaign that provides education and awareness about the country’s inclusive approach to conservation. SANParks will again offer free access to most of the 21 national parks under its management next month. It says it will also use this time to cultivate a sense of pride in the country’s natural, cultural and historical heritage as protected and preserved by the national parks system.

Stay tuned for more news………….