News 16:00

BULLETIN 2 July 4 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Theo de Jager from SAAI says the US trip offered a value proposition on agriculture
# ActionSA says the rail network is still dysfunctional in spite of billions being spent
# And Hiroshima’s mayor says Trump should visit the city before making statements about atomic bombs

# Southern African Agri Initiative executive director, Theo de Jager, says the recent trip to the US was about offering a value proposition to stop economic migration by ending poverty and hunger in Africa through agriculture. De Jager says agriculture can create wealth faster than any other sector, but investment requires security, production financing, and policy certainty. He warned that threats like land expropriation without compensation and farm attacks scare off much-needed capital:

Meanwhile, South Africa’s agricultural sector led economic growth between January and March, expanding by 15.8-percent and contributing 0.4-percentage points to overall gross domestic product. According to Stats SA the growth was driven by horticulture and animal products. Exports rose to 61-billion-rand while bovine meat exports alone jumped 31-percent year-on-year. The report indicates that agriculture now employs over 956-thousand people, highlighting its power to reduce poverty. Experts call for greater investment in infrastructure, financing, and climate resilience to sustain momentum.

# ActionSA says the rail network remains dysfunctional despite the Department of Transport allocating over 60-billion-rand to the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa over the medium term. The party says commuters continue to face unreliable service, vandalised infrastructure, incomplete signalling systems, and ongoing safety issues. During the Transport budget vote debate in Parliament, ActionSA’s Malebo Kobe criticised the 2.5-billion-rand spent on old yellow trains and the lack of support for the taxi industry:

# Hiroshima’s mayor, Kazumi Matsui, says US president Donald Trump should visit the Japannese city to see the effects of nuclear weapons. This comes after Trump likened the 1945 atomic bombings to recent air strikes on Iran. Matsui says Trump should visit the bombed area to see the reality and feel the spirit of Hiroshima, and then make statements. The United States dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, and then another on Nagasaki three days later. Shortly afterwards, Japan surrendered, ending World War Two.

# Motorsport: Cadillac doesn’t expect miracles when they make their Formula One debut next season. Team principal Graeme Lowdon says they have limitless ambition and sufficient money, but wouldn’t be surprised if they end on the bottom of the log next year. The team secured approval from the governing body in March to become the sport’s 11th team and is going all out to be ready in time. No drivers have been signed yet. Cadillac will start with Ferrari engines, but plans to make their own eventually.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-63-cents and the euro at 20-rand-77-cents. One British pound costs 24-rand-8-cents and Bitcoin trades at 107-thousand-308-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-349-dollars-96-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 67-dollars-64-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….