News 18:00

BULLETIN 20 July 6 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# A joint national inquiry will probe the criminal justice system’s response to gender-based violence and femicide
# The Forum for South Africa welcomes the Madlanga Commission’s decision to subpoena IDAC head, Andrea Johnson
# And golf, South-Africa’s Casey Jarvis moves to 63rd in the World Golf Rankings

# The Commission for Gender Equality, the South African Human Rights Commission, and the Commission for Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities have launched a joint national inquiry into the criminal justice system’s response to gender-based violence and femicide. The first phase will examine survivors’ experiences and pre-trial processes, including police investigations, victim support and prosecutions. Commission spokesperson Sphezulu Zulu says written and oral submissions from survivors, families, civil society and legal experts close on 3 August.

# The Forum for South Africa has welcomed the Madlanga Commission’s decision to subpoena the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption head, Andrea Johnson, after she failed to appear before the inquiry last Monday. She faces allegations of improper conduct after, in 2018, she allegedly shared the docket of an assault case opened against Police Crime Intelligence senior officer Feroz Khan. FOSA leader, Tebogo Mashilompane, says the issuing of a subpoena demonstrates that no individual, regardless of position or office, is exempt from accountability:

Meanwhile, the Activists and Citizens Forum has reiterated calls for the Independent Directorate Against Corruption to be disbanded following testimony before the Madlanga Commission. Spokesperson Dennis Bloem said senior investigator Brian Padayachee’s evidence exposed alleged abuses within the unit regarding the arrest of Crime Intelligence head Lieutenant-General Dumisani Khumalo and six other senior officers for fraud and corruption related to irregular appointments. He urged Justice minister Mmamoloko Kubayi to dissolve the Directorate:

# The City of Tshwane says it is reviewing the Public Protector’s preliminary findings on the enforcement of food safety regulations at spaza shops in Gauteng. The investigation was prompted after numerous food poisoning incidents in late 2024. The findings highlighted that municipalities in the province failed to impose food safety regulations. Mayoral committee member for Economic Development and Spatial Planning, Sarah Mabotsa, says the enhancement of compliance of spaza shops and other food handling businesses is important:

# Golf: South African Open Champion Casey Jarvis achieved a career-best finish in the Majors with his tied sixth place in The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale over the weekend. This result moved him to 63rd on the official World Golf Ranking. Jarvis, who qualified by virtue of his victory in the SA Open in Stellenbosch earlier this year, played a final round of 66 to finish as the leading South African on six under par – four strokes behind champion Ryan Fox of New Zealand.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-51-cents against the rand and the euro at 18-rand-84-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-21-cents and Bitcoin trades at 64-thousand-357-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-and-3-dollars-51-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 86-dollars-32-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….