News 11:00

BULLETIN 19 June 11 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# It is all systems go for Ramaphosa’s inauguration at the Union Buildings
# TLU SA is concerned about the appointment of Senzo Mchunu as acting minister of Agriculture
# And tennis: Carlos Alcaraz overcomes a wobble to win the Queen’s opener

# About three-thousand guests, including domestic leaders and international heads of state, have taken their seats ahead of the swearing-in of president Cyril Ramaphosa at the Union Buildings in Pretoria. Chief Justice Raymond Zondo will preside over the ceremony which will see Ramaphosa take an oath of office, promising to uphold the Constitution. Ramaphosa’s spokesperson Vincent Magwenya earlier said the president wants to expedite negotiations with his government of national unity partners so that he can appoint an inclusive Cabinet for the seventh administration as soon as possible. 

# The agricultural organisation TLU SA says it takes note of the appointment of the current minister of Water and Sanitation, Senzo Mchunu, as acting minister of Agriculture. TLU SA CEO, Bennie van Zyl says this move immediately raises the question of whether this appointment forecasts a permanent position and whether it was truly necessary to make this decision just days before a new cabinet is appointed:

#The City of Cape Town says in the past week, the City’s Traffic Service has recorded at least five pedestrian fatalities around the city, a number of which have occurred on major arterial routes. Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, JP Smith says road safety remains one of Cape Town biggest challenges, and the number of pedestrian fatalities is quite simply alarming:

# Researchers have identified a biological signature of Parkinson’s disease they hope could lead to a simple blood test for the condition at least seven years before symptoms appear. Scientists have screened blood samples from people with Parkinson’s and detected eight key proteins or “biomarkers” common to those with the condition. Based on these proteins in the blood, artificial intelligence could identify potential Parkinson’s patients several years in advance. This means drug therapies could potentially be given at an earlier stage. Parkinson’s is the world’s fastest-growing neurological condition and affects ten-million people worldwide.

# Tennis: Carlos Alcaraz saved three set points on his way to beating Francisco Cerundolo 6-1, 7-5 as he launched his title defence at Queen’s Club on Tuesday. Spain’s Alcaraz, who lifted his third Grand Slam at the French Open earlier this month, was not at his best in his first grass-court match of 2024 but recovered from a mid-match dip to triumph. The world number two, who followed up last year’s victory at Queen’s by winning his first Wimbledon, will next face either the Brit Jack Draper or Argentine Mariano Navone.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-93-cents and the euro at 19-rand-24-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-82-cents and Bitcoin trades at 65-thousand-487-dollars-20-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-331-dollars-98-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 85-dollars-7-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….