News 12:00

BULLETIN 9 June 12 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The DA ramps up the fight to scrap the Road Accident Fund
# Police intensify the national Shanela Operations crackdown against organised criminal networks
# And: South Africa gears up for Africa’s biggest Aerospace and Defence showcase

# The DA says it is amping up its fight against plans being considered by minister of Transport, Barbara Creecy, to make motorists pay more to prop up the failing Road Accident Fund. She is exploring how to introduce new funding streams, with one option being to add an extra fee to annual licence disc renewals. The DA says the fund is in crisis because of years of mismanagement, corruption, waste and poor governance. It adds it is engaging Creecy with plans to replace the fund through legislative amendment.

# The Western Cape government says the reopening of the Cango Caves road in the Little Karoo remains uncertain after recent storms caused further damage to stabilisation works at a major rockfall site. The route has been closed since 6 May. MEC for Infrastructure Tertuis Simmers says specialist geotechnical teams have resumed slope stabilisation efforts following post-storm inspections. He adds safety interventions must be completed before debris can be cleared:

# The South African Police Service says it has intensified its nationwide Shanela Operations crackdown against organised criminal networks involved in illicit trade, drug trafficking, illegal immigration and other serious and violent crimes. Intelligence-led operations conducted last week resulted in the arrest of 17-thousand-587 suspects, including two-thousand-549 wanted individuals linked to serious and violent crimes. Police spokesperson, Vincent Mukhathi, says 127 unlicensed firearms were also confiscated:

# Soccer: Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos insists they will be ready to face co-hosts Mexico in their World Cup opener on Thursday, saying they have the right game plan and it just comes down to execution. South Africa heads into the fixture off the back of a draw with Nicaragua in Johannesburg on May 29, and a draw with Jamaica in Pachuca this past weekend. Broos expects his side to face an intimidating atmosphere, emphasising that Mexico is a dangerous team:

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-44-cents and the euro at 19-rand-98-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-99-cents and Bitcoin trades at 62-thousand-870-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-333-dollars-63-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 91-dollars-69-cents a barrel.

# And finally: South Africa is ready to host the 13th biennial Africa Aerospace and Defence trade exhibition and airshow at Air Force Base Waterkloof in Pretoria in September. Exhibition director Nakedi Phasha says they are looking to host no fewer than 300 exhibitors from more than 40 countries. They have invited more than 200 official delegations and are targeting 100 confirmed delegations from 100 countries. Phasha adds no fewer than 60-thousand people are expected to pass through the base between 16 and 20 September.

Stay tuned for more news………….