News 17:00

BULLETIN 22 July 5 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Ramaphosa cautions EFF leader Malema against playing the man rather than the ball
# Mashaba outlines his conditions for partnering with the ANC in Johannesburg
# And, rugby: The Boks expect three stalwarts to return from injury for the Tests in Australia

# President Cyril Ramaphosa has cautioned EFF leader Julius Malema to focus on constructive debate rather than playing him as the main man. In response to Malema’s remarks during the opening of Parliament address debate, Ramaphosa accused Malema of being misinformed about the history of the mining sector, including the National Union of Mineworkers. He emphasised a development-focused mindset for progress:

# ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba has outlined his conditions for partnering with the ANC in Johannesburg. Mashaba demands the removal of mayor Kabelo Gwamanda, the cancellation of the 200-rand electricity surcharge, the reclamation of hijacked buildings for affordable housing, and support for electing an ActionSA speaker in Tshwane. Despite previous vows to never work with the ruling party, Mashaba insisted that the partnership is key to the rooting out of corruption in Johannesburg:

# Trade, Industry, and Competition minister Parks Tau will lead a delegation to the US for the African Growth and Opportunity Act Forum this week. Themed “Beyond 2025: Reimagining AGOA for an Inclusive, Sustainable and Prosperous Tomorrow,” the forum will discuss AGOA’s future and its impact on African economies. The minister emphasises the strategic importance of the US as South Africa’s second-largest trading partner and the need for early AGOA renewal and increased US investments in Africa.

# An armed assailant entered an elderly care home in central Croatia today, killing and wounding several people. Reports say five people died immediately, while others were still receiving medical assistance. The suspect fled the scene, but he was apprehended and is now in police custody. According to television reports the shooter was born in 1973 and a former fighter from the 1991 to ’95 war in Croatia. He is a relative of one of the nursing home’s residents.

# Rugby: The Springboks will be strengthened by the return from injury of stalwarts Pieter-Steph du Toit, Steven Kitshoff and Malcolm Marx for the Rugby Championship. They are expected to be named in coach Rassie Erasmus’s group for the two-match tour of Australia, although Marx could only be available for the second Test. Erasmus says Saturday’s convincing victory over Portugal when most of the first-choice Boks were rested, gave him a good sense of the depth of his squad. The first Test will be played on 10 August.

# And, the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-26-cents and the euro at 19-rand-86-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-59-cents and Bitcoin trades at 67-thousand-591-dollars-68-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-398-dollars-11-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 81-dollars-99-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….