News 08:00

BULLETIN 26 June 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Lauren Dickason is sentenced to 18 years for the murder of her three children
# The GOOD Party says the DA could possibly opt out of the government of national unity
# And soccer:  Bafana Bafana will face the Mozambican Mambas tonight

# South African doctor Lauren Dickason will spend 18 years in a psychiatric facility in New Zealand for the murder of her three children.   Dickason was accused of murder after strangling and smothering Liané, 6, and 2-year-old twins Maya and Karla on 16 September 2021 while her husband was out for dinner with colleagues. She pleaded not guilty to the charges but was found guilty by a jury on 16 August last year. On Wednesday, the High Court in Christchurch, New Zealand, ruled that she would serve her sentence at a mental health unit in Hillmorton Hospital.

# GOOD party secretary-general Brett Herron says his party thinks the DA might opt out of the Government of National Unity. Herron speculates the DA’s demands for the deputy president role and several key Cabinet positions may preempt a withdrawal. He described the letter from DA federal chair Helen Zille to ANC secretary-general, Fikile Mbalula as a potential act of bad faith to justify an exit if demands aren’t met. Herron noted the letter could be seen as either unreasonable demands or a standard negotiating tactic for future compromise.

# The Independent Community Pharmacy Association says the rising abuse of over-the-counter drugs in South Africa is alarming, calling it a growing public health challenge. This week the South African National Council on Alcohol and Drug Dependence is raising awareness about drug abuse. The association’s CEO, Jackie Maimin calls on the public to observe the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, to promote a world free of drug abuse:

# In commemoration of International Day against Drugs and Illicit Trafficking, the City of Cape Town says its substance abuse prevention programmes are in high demand. Key initiatives like Essentially Me and Driving My Future have reached three-thousand-768 learners, a 31-percent increase. Mayoral committee member for Community Services and Health, Patricia van der Ross calls for community involvement in building resilience in children to combat substance abuse:

# Soccer: South Africa will look to get their 2024 Cosafa Cup campaign off to a strong start when they face Mozambique in their Group A opener, in Gqeberha tonight at six. South Africa are five-time Cosafa Cup champions but were beaten in the semifinals by eventual champions Zambia in last year’s edition. Bafana Bafana will be led in the tournament by assistant coach Helman Mkhalele, who has named a strong squad for the match. Mozambique last year failed to get out of the first round after finishing behind Lesotho and Angola in their group.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-21-cents and the euro at 19-rand-51-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-11-cents and Bitcoin trades at 61-thousand-956-dollars-71-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-320-dollars-99-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 84-dollars-54-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….