News 16:00

BULLETIN 9 July 4 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The prioritisation of social security is urged in the upcoming cabinet lekgotla
# Saftu advocates for affirmative policies to address historical inequalities
# And, rugby: Two French players have been arrested after an allegation of sexual assault in Argentina

# Partners in the government of national unity are advocating for the prioritisation of social security in the upcoming cabinet lekgotla. Political parties such as the UDM, PAC, and the Good Party are among those who have made this call. The meeting, involving eleven political parties, marks a significant event as it convenes to draft national policies for the next five years, a first in three decades. UDM’s Yongama Zigebe says the lekgotla should aim to protect society’s most vulnerable people:

# Union federation Saftu has called for affirmative policies to address historical inequality following the 24th annual report of the Commission for Employment Equity. The report highlights the underrepresentation of Africans and women in top and senior management positions. The report reveals 62.1-percent of top managers are white, with Africans comprising only 17.2-percent. Spokesperson Trevor Shaku stresses that despite employment equity being enacted, more efforts are needed:

# South Korean tech giant Samsung says production was not disrupted despite a three-day general strike by thousands of workers. More than five-thousand members of the National Samsung Electronics Union stopped working yesterday, as part of a long-running battle over pay and benefits. The union has more than 30-thousand members, more than a fifth of the company’s total workforce.

# Rugby: Two members of the French national rugby team were arrested in Argentina following an allegation of sexual assault. Hugo Auradou and Oscar Jegou, who featured in France’s 28-13 Test victory over Argentina on Saturday, were detained in Buenos Aires and will be taken to Mendoza where the crime allegedly took place. The arrests come a day after a racism scandal that saw French fullback Melvyn Jaminet ousted from the squad in Argentina. He was removed after a video of him making racist comments emerged on social media.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-19-cents and the euro at 19-rand-68-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-29-cents and Bitcoin trades at 57-thousand-51-dollars-490-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-359-dollars-70-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 85-dollars-36-cents a barrel.

# And finally, July’s Savings Month presents a unique opportunity for savvy savers amidst higher interest rates. Despite potential drawbacks like constrained consumer spending, FNB Cash Investments CEO Himal Parbhoo advises strategic savings planning. He emphasises balancing liquidity with long-term growth through diversified portfolios. Options like savings accounts for emergencies and higher-yield flexi notice and fixed deposit accounts cater to varying needs. Parbhoo urges South Africans to reassess savings strategies for resilience in uncertain economic times.

Stay tuned for more news………….