News 13:00

BULLETIN 4 August 1 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# South Africa rejects the new US tariffs as unjustified and vows to defend national trade interests
# The Transport Department achieves a clean audit for the first time in 31-years
# And rugby: Andy Farrell is in pole position to stay on as the British and Irish Lions’ coach

# Government says it will defend South Africa’s national trade interests following the US’s decision to impose a 30-percent tariff on local exports. About eight-percent of South Africa’s total exports go to the US, making it the country’s third-largest trading partner. On a media briefing, International Relations and Cooperation minister, Ronald Lamola, said the tariffs disregard South Africa’s minimal 0.25-percent share of total US imports and pose no threat to US industry or national security:

# Transport minister, Barbara Creecy, and deputy minister Mkhuleko Hlengwa, say the department’s first clean audit outcome in 31-years is a step towards a fully accountable and clean administration. They have attributed the outcome to the department’s commitment to clean governance and accountability. The department’s spokesperson, Collen Msibi, says on internal controls specifically, the Auditor-General did not find any significant deficiencies, particularly in the financial management processes:

# The ANC says the quality of some of its deployees, especially in municipalities, leaves a lot to be desired. Only 41 out of 257 councils received a clean audit in the 2023/24 financial year. According to the Auditor General, 99 municipalities had an unqualified audit opinion with findings on performance information and compliance. Speaking on the sidelines of the ANC’s national executive committee meeting in Johannesburg, Electricity and Energy minister Kgosientso Ramokgopa said they are rethinking how they deploy people to some of the major metros.

# Eastern Cape Transport MEC, Xolile Nqatha, has suspended a learner transport bus driver for failing to intervene while an 18-year-old learner was being assaulted on the bus last week. In a video, the learner from David Mama Senior Secondary School in Mdantsane can be seen being beaten by three boys on the bus, while some learners were encouraging the act to continue. The department’s spokesperson, Unathi Binqose, says the lack of intervention by the driver was appalling:

# Rugby: British and Irish Lions CEO, Ben Calveley, has suggested that Andy Farrell is in pole position to lead the team again when they tour New Zealand in 2029. The 50-year-old steered the Lions to their first series triumph since 2013, but missed out on a whitewash when the Wallabies clinched a 22-12 victory in the final Test in Sydney on Saturday. Calveley says Farrell‘s impressive track record with the Lions will come into consideration when they begin the robust process to select a head coach.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-98-cents and the euro at 20-rand-81-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-91-cents and Bitcoin trades at 114-thousand-609-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-359-dollars-77-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 68-dollars-75-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….