News 13:00

BULLETIN 2 August 1 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# SAFTU calls on Ramaphosa to convene a national emergency meeting over Trump’s tariffs
# About a thousand illegal immigrants were arrested at a Barberton mine
# And swimming:  Pieter Coetzé is through to the semifinal of the 50-metre backstroke

# Saftu is calling on president Cyril Ramaphosa to convene an emergency national meeting to address the decision by US president Donald Trump to impose a punitive 30-percent tariff on South African exports. Saftu’s spokesperson, Asive Dyani says Ramaphosa must accelerate diversification of trade, making full use of the African Continental Free Trade Area and deepening economic ties with Latin America, Asia, and the Global South:

# Approximately one-thousand illegal immigrants have been arrested at a mine in Barberton, Mpumalanga, yesterday. Police spokesperson, Donald Mdhluli, says Operation Vala Umgodi began on Monday and involved collaboration between a number of law enforcement agencies. He says the successful operation has disrupted illegal mining operations and forced the illegal miners to the surface. The suspects could possibly be charged for contravening the Immigration Act of South Africa, as well as other charges relating to illegal mining and trespassing. More charges may be added as the operation and investigation continue.

# Minister of Basic Education Siviwe Gwarube is the keynote speaker at Cape Town’s Early Childhood Development Indaba, hosted by deputy mayor Eddie Andrews. The event focuses on compliance support for ECD centres in under-resourced communities. It follows a revision of the City’s Municipal Planning By-Law, aimed at easing compliance. Gwarube will also join a panel discussion to explore partnerships between accredited ECD centres and the Department of Basic Education.

# AfriForum has condemned the environmental impact study for the proposed Tenbosch Mine near Kruger National Park as flawed and opaque. At a public meeting in Marloth Park, the civil rights group criticised consultant Kimopax for failing to answer key legal questions or provide proof of Mineral Resources Department approval. AfriForum’s Lambert de Klerk says the process violates environmental laws and threatens one of Africa’s most vital ecosystems:

Swimming: The South African swimming sensation Pieter Coetzé is through to the semifinal of the 50-metre backstroke at the 2025 World Aquatic Championships in Singapore. He finished first in his heat in a time of 24.36 seconds and was the second fastest qualifier for the semifinal. Coetzé, two days ago, took the gold medal in the 100-metre backstroke and on Friday followed that up with an African record and a silver medal in the 200-metre backstroke.

# And finally: In a remote rainforest in Australia, home to deadly snakes, spiders, and creepy-crawlies, scientists have discovered a new species of stick insect they believe is the heaviest ever found in the country. The new species weighs 44 grams, about the same as a golf ball, and is 40 centimetres long. Researchers at James Cook University said the creature’s large size could be an evolutionary response to its cool, wet habitat. The new stick insect was discovered in the canopies of the mountainous Wet Tropics region of Far North Queensland, in Australia’s northeast.

Stay tuned for more news………….