News 14:00

BULLETIN 25 June 2 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Mmusi Maimane writes to president Cyril Ramaphosa to urgently establishes a national convention composed of all 18 Parliamentary parties
# South Africa lost 67-thousand jobs in the first quarter of 2024
# And Rugby: Rassie Erasmus announces the squad of 39 players for the Ireland and Portugal Tests

# BuildOneSA leader Mmusi Maimane says he has written to president Cyril Ramaphosa, requesting that he urgently establishes a national convention composed of all 18 Parliamentary parties. This is with a mandate to decide on the purpose, agenda and scope of a new government of national Unity. Maimane says a national convention offers the most democratic and transparent pathway to agreeing on the composition of a new national government that is values-based and delivery-based:

# South Africa lost 67-thousand jobs in the formal non-agricultural sector in the first quarter of this year. According to the Quarterly Employment Statistics survey released by Statistics South Africa, total employment in this sector dropped to 10.7-million. The trade and community services industries saw the highest number of job losses followed by the business services industry, and the mining industry. The manufacturing, transport and construction industries added jobs. Basic salaries and wages paid to employees rose by 5-percent from March 2023 to March 2024.

# Gauteng police says two operations Teka Hinkwaswo and Skoon Maak are yielding great results and making a huge impact in the Eldorado Park community. Police spokesperson, Fezeka Khobo says four suspects were arrested for murder on Sunday and one suspect was arrested for car hijacking. Khobo says police continue to make inroads in dealing with murders and car hijackings:

# The European Union formally launches accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova today, setting the fragile ex-Soviet states off on a long path towards membership that Russia has tried to block. The landmark move is aimed in particular at sending a vote of confidence in Ukraine’s future as Moscow has momentum on the battlefield almost two-and-a-half years into the Kremlin’s invasion. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky called the moment “truly historic” when the EU’s 27 countries last week signed off on starting the talks.

# Rugby: Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus named a strong squad of 39 players and an additional 14 players on a standby list for the Tests against Ireland and Portugal. Nine players who were not available for selection for the Wales Test and two uncapped players have been included. The two uncapped players are Bulls hooker Johan Grobbelaar and front rower Jan-Hendrik Wessels. Cheslin Kolbe and Lukhanyo Am are back from injury. Handré Pollard, Jasper Wiese, Siya Kolisi, RG Snyman, Marco van Staden, Kurt-Lee Arendse and Willie le Roux are also back.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-15-cents and the euro at 19-rand-47-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-4-cents and Bitcoin trades at 61-thousand-259-dollars-71-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-335-dollars-15-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 84-dollars-76-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….