News 07:00

BULLETIN 7 June 7 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# President Ramaphosa stresses the importance of stability and good governance
# All the passengers are safe following a bomb scare on board a FlySafair flight
# And tennis: Swiatek wants to clinch her fifth Grand Slam title tomorrow

# President Cyril Ramaphosa has stressed the importance of stability, accountability, transparency, integrity, community participation and good governance. This comes as the ANC is looking to form a government of national unity after failing to secure an outright majority in the general elections. Ramaphosa says the ANC notes that they have ideological and political differences with several political parties, however, they will work with any party so long as it is in the public interest:

Meanwhile, the Secretary to Parliament Xolile George commends the Electoral Commission’s transparent electoral process, ensuring fair elections and empowering South Africans. He acknowledges the slight decline in female representation in the National Assembly but reaffirms Parliament’s commitment to gender parity. George notes the significant representation of young people in the assembly, aligning with the nation’s demographic shift. He outlined preparations for the first sitting, including orientation sessions for new members, ensuring readiness to uphold democratic values:

# Airports Company South Africa says the police’s bomb squad was deployed to the Cape Town International Airport yesterday evening. This is after the crew of a departing FlySafair flight was alerted to a possible security threat aboard the aircraft. The flight was heading to Johannesburg. ACSA says passengers and crew were safely disembarked, and a thorough sweep of the aircraft was done. It adds that full compliance with all aviation safety and security protocols required by law were followed.

# The Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court sentenced the owner of SHL Wholesalers, Suhayle Ballim, to 15 years imprisonment for 39 counts of fraud. The 14-year trial revealed Ballim used his business to submit fraudulent VAT refund claims worth 16-million-rand to SARS between 2004 and 2007. Despite his attempts to delay proceedings, Ballim was convicted in May 2022. The court found Ballim showed no remorse with no intentions to repay SARS. The NPA has welcomed the sentencing.

# US president Joe Biden has called on the world to defend freedom and democracy in memory of those who sacrificed their lives on D-Day. He commemorated the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy, France yesterday. This is where nine-thousand-388 members of the US military who participated in the landings are buried. Biden warned that democracies across the globe were once again under threat, adding that bowing down to dictators is simply unthinkable:

# Tennis: World number one Iga Swiatek looks firmly on course for her fifth Grand Slam title after demolishing American Coco Gauff in the semifinal of the French Open. The Polish player demolished third-seeded Gauff 6-2, 6-4 in just over 90 minutes in a match that was expected to be very competitive. But it didn’t live up to the expectations. The defending champion will face 12th-seeded Italian Jasmine Paolini in tomorrow’s final after she defeated Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva, 6-3, 6-1, in the second semifinal.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-93-cents and the euro at 20-rand-64-cents. One British pound costs 24-rand-23-cents and Bitcoin trades at 70-thousand-790-dollars-91-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-371-dollars-35-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 79-dollars-83-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….