News 12:00

BULLETIN 2 July 12 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Matlala is subpoenaed to appear before the Madlanga commission
# Sixteen people die in a bus crash near Touwsrivier in the Western Cape
# And soccer: A heroes’ welcome for Bafana Bafana after a historic World Cup campaign

# Crime kingpin, Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala, has been subpoenaed to appear before the Madlanga commission next week. His testimony is expected to shed further light on allegations of corruption, political interference and the alleged influence of organised crime within law enforcement and government structures. Matlala has been implicated in the corruption of multiple high-ranking police officials in evidence presented at the commission. He recently entered a plea agreement with the state, linked to his 228-million-rand Medicare24 police tender.

# The Road Freight Association says it is concerning that anti-migrant organisation March and March plans to protest every Thursday leading up to the local government elections. The organisation is demanding that illegal foreign nationals leave South Africa and government strengthen border management security. The association’s CEO, Gavin Kelly, says the country does not need to descend into another fractured hell-hole that will chase away any future investment and growth prospects:

# South Africa’s new-vehicle market is experiencing a massive boom, with last month’s sales surging 15.3-percent year-on-year to 54-thousand -482 units, marking the strongest June performance since 2007. Data from the Automotive Business Council shows the market has hit 315-thousand-303 units for the first half of 2026, despite recent economic headwinds, including fuel price hikes and a 25-basis point repo rate hike to seven-percent in May. This put the local automotive sector firmly on track to breach the 600-thousand annual sales milestone by the end of the year.

# A bus accident has claimed the lives of 16 people while two have sustained serious injuries on the N1 near Touwsrivier in the Western Cape this morning. The Mobility Department spokesperson, Maxine Bezuidenhout, says the bus was the only vehicle involved in the crash and is believed to have overturned. She says 73 passengers, all South Africans, were on board the bus:

# Soccer: The history-making Bafana Bafana squad received a hero’s welcome at the OR Tambo International Airport in Gauteng this morning. Although Bafana lost 1-0 to Canada in the round of 32 on Sunday, it was the first time in South African history that the national team had reached the knockout stages of a World Cup. Coach Hugo Broos says the support the team has received from South Africans has been amazing:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-36-cents and the euro at 18-rand-68-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-84-cents and Bitcoin trades at 60-thousand-271-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-and-74-dollars-51-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 71-dollars-11-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….