News 14:00

BULLETIN 9 June 2 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Julius Malema seeks a jail term for Mchunu in the contempt of court case 
# South Africa and Italy strengthen agricultural ties 
# And road running: A UP student is set to run the Comrades to help graduates break free from student debt

# EFF leader Julius Malema has filed an urgent contempt of court application against former radio personality Ngizwe Mchunu in the High Court in Pretoria. Malema is seeking an order declaring Mchunu in contempt and a six months’ prison sentence without the option of a fine. The application alleges Mchunu continued making defamatory statements towards Malema despite Friday’s court order. Mchunu accused Malema of receiving money from Nigerian drug dealers, and allegedly benefiting from the collapsed VBS Mutual Bank. The matter will be heard next Wednesday.

# The Public Servants Association says reports suggesting that the Department of Correctional Services cannot account for some parolees under its supervision warrant urgent clarification. According to reports, the country’s correctional system has lost track of nearly 28-thousand absconded parolees, including convicted murderers, rapists and armed robbers. PSA’s Claude Naicker says history has, on several occasions, demonstrated that parolees who are not effectively monitored may commit further offences:

# South Africa’s ambassador to Italy, Nosipho Jezile, says the two countries share a commitment to using agriculture as a driver of food security, job creation and rural development. She was speaking at the South Africa–Italy Agriculture Business Forum in Cape Town. Jezile welcomed discussions focused on agri-technology, water management and value-added processing. She says stronger partnerships are essential to confront climate change, food security pressures and transboundary animal diseases:

# Road running: University of Pretoria master’s student in Agricultural Plant Pathology, Qiniso Sithole, is preparing to run in Sunday’s Comrades Marathon to support the institution’s Degrees Delivered campaign. The initiative is aimed at helping graduates clear historical student debt and access the degree certificates they have already earned. Sithole says not being able to fund your studies is like not being able to fund your dreams:

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-44-cents and the euro at 19-rand-2-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-3-cents and Bitcoin trades at 62-thousand-725-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-333-dollars-18-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 91-dollars-66-cents a barrel

# And finally: The 2026 Standard Bank young artist award winners will premiere their new works at the National Arts Festival in Makhanda in the Eastern Cape. The artists will showcase theatre, dance, music, jazz and visual art, exploring themes like identity, culture, healing and heritage. Highlights include Jason Jacobs’ theatre work Kraal, dancer Lee-Che Janecke’s personal story through movement, Manana’s full-band music performance, Gabi Motuba’s jazz production ‘The Sounds of a Black Girl’, and Bronwyn Katz’s visual art exhibition on language and memory.

Stay tuned for more news………….