News 11:00

BULLETIN 7 June 11 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The DA’s federal executive council will probe Steenhuisen’s allegations
# The 2021 death of the former top cop, Sindile Mfazi, is now being investigated as a murder
# And soccer: Spain beats Portugal and Belgium ousts America to make the World Cup quarterfinals

# DA federal chairperson, Solly Msimanga, says the party’s federal executive council will investigate the impact of John Steenhuisen’s allegations about former leader Tony Leon and his public relations firm, Resolve Communications. Steenhuisen has claimed DA ministers, including Solly Malatsi, were influenced by Leon to take meetings with Elon Musk’s Starlink representatives. Msimanga told the SABC none of the DA ministers or MECs have been unduly influenced:

# The EFF says the findings of the investigation into the State Information Technology Agency substantiate its views that the problems at SITA stem from inadequate oversight, missing documentation, and a lack of assertive leadership. The investigation found serious lapses in governance, spending controls, and contract management, with more than two-billion-rand in irregular expenditure. The EFF says minister Malatsi has not fulfilled his responsibility to reform SITA. The party urges government to halt the privatisation of SITA and focus on revitalising it.

# Police have made a breakthrough in the investigation into the 2021 death of the former deputy national police commissioner for Crime Detection. Fifty-nine-year-old Sindile Mfazi’s death was initially attributed to Covid-19, but forensic tests later found traces of poison in his system. Police raided various properties belonging to police members in Centurion, Pretoria, last night. Spokesperson, Athlenda Mathe, says several high-profile individuals have been identified as persons of interest:

Moving abroad:

# The 32 members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation meet for a two-day summit in Ankara, Turkey, from today. It comes at a crucial time, with tensions with the US over Iran and Greenland. They agreed last year to invest five-percent of their gross domestic product in defence. Secretary-general Mark Rutte has outlined three core priorities for the summit: continuing to increase allied defence investment, bolstering transatlantic defence industrial production, and supporting Ukraine:

# Soccer: 2010 champions Spain and Belgium will face off in the World Cup quarterfinals. Mikel Merino’s stoppage-time goal secured a 1-0 victory for Spain in their last 16-tie against Portugal in Dallas. The defeat has resulted in Roberto Martinez stepping down as Portugal’s head coach, while Cristiano Ronaldo revealed before the tournament this would mark his last World Cup. In Seattle, Belgium thrashed co-hosts USA 4-1 thanks to a brace from Charles de Ketelaere and goals by Hans Vanaken and Romelu Lukaku.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-23-cents and the euro at 18-rand-55-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-71-cents and Bitcoin trades at 63-thousand-318-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-126-dollars-88-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 72-dollars-95-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….