News 16:00

BULLETIN 22 July 4 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The NPA is going to approach the SCA after the Omotoso clarification bid is dismissed
# The ATM says an underfunded Defence Force leaves South Africa vulnerable to growing threats
# And cycling: Van der Poel is out of the Tour de France with pneumonia 

# The National Prosecuting Authority will now approach the Supreme Court of Appeal following the dismissal of its application for clarification on the acquittal of Nigerian televangelist Timothy Omotoso. Omotoso and two co-accused were acquitted of 32 serious charges including rape and human trafficking. The High Court in Gqeberha ruled the state must first file an appeal application. NPA national spokesperson, Mthunzi Mhaga, told Newzroom Afrika Judge Irma Schoeman misinterpreted case law in her ruling:

The NPA will meanwhile oppose bail for one of the four accused in the 2022 murder of DJ Sumbody. The accused, including the former provincial manager of the National Lotteries Board in Gauteng, Katiso KT Molefe, appeared in the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court this morning. Police confirmed the murder weapon is linked to ten other crimes, including the murder of Armand Swart, who was wrongly identified after his company blew the whistle on a Transnet tender. The NPA’s Phindi Mjonondwane calls it a major breakthrough:

# The African Transformation Movement says the South African National Defence Force is underfunded and unprepared to deal with growing threats. The party believes the recent deployment to the Democratic Republic of Congo exposed the dangers of sending poorly equipped soldiers into conflict zones. It warns of rising threats like crime, terrorism, and illegal immigration. ATM spokesperson Zama Ntshona blames the ANC-led government of neglecting national defence, mismanaging resources, and failing to protect citizens and sovereignty:

# Cycling: Thirty-year old Dutch rider Mathieu van der Poel has pulled out of the Tour de France six days before the end of the race with pneumonia. The 2023 world champion was taken to hospital yesterday after his cold symptoms worsened. Van der Poel won the second stage of this year’s Tour but had fallen one-hour-40-minutes behind overall leader, Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia, by the end of Sunday’s 15th stage.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-58-cents and the euro at 20-rand-55-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-70-cents and Bitcoin trades at 119-thousand-315-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-387-dollars-67-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 68-dollars-1-cents a barrel.

# And finally: Team SA made history at the recent International Mathematical Olympiad in Australia, recording the best performance the country has had in over 20 years at the global competition. Five of the six learners representing the country came home with bronze medals, while the sixth earned a well-deserved honourable mention. Five of the learners are from the Western Cape, with one, Yian Xu, from Redhill High in Johannesburg, who was recognised as Africa’s top female high school mathematician. 

Stay tuned for more news………….