News 16:00

BULLETIN 2 June 4 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Pemmy Majodina warns that infrastructure is deliberately vandalised to secure tenders
# The Higher Education Department admits to shortcomings as TVET Colleges remain underfunded
# And Cricket: Heinrich Klaasen retires from all forms of international cricket

# Water and Sanitation minister Pemmy Majodina says infrastructure is being deliberately vandalised to secure tenders. This comes as Rand Water completes maintenance in Gauteng today. The planned maintenance is aimed at ensuring long-term, uninterrupted water supply. Majodina says discussions with municipalities are ongoing and has directed municipalities to insource water tankers for emergencies only, amid efforts to curb the water tanker mafia:

# Build One South Africa urges Police minister Senzo Mchunu to urgently screen all officers against the sex offenders register within the next three months. The call comes after it was revealed that less than 0.14-percent of police personnel have undergone this check. They are also demanding a full audit of past and current personnel to identify potential offenders. BOSA’s Roger Solomons says trust in the police is impossible without proper vetting, especially amid the sexual violence crisis:

# The Department of Higher Education and Training has acknowledged it has not provided sufficient support to Technical and Vocational Education and Training colleges. This admission follows growing concerns over inadequate funding, infrastructure, and student services across the sector. Minister Nobuhle Nkabane says the department is now engaging with stakeholders to develop strategies aimed at strengthening TVET institutions, which are crucial for skills development and employment. She emphasised that TVET colleges produce graduates that are competitive in terms of the labour market.

# Britain announced it will build 12 new attack submarines as it launched a major defence review to move the country to war-fighting readiness. Prime Minister Keir Starmer warned that the threat they now face is more serious, more immediate and more unpredictable than at any time since the Cold War. He says they face war in Europe, new nuclear risks, daily cyber-attacks and growing Russian aggression.

# Cricket: Proteas batter Heinrich Klaasen has retired from all forms of international cricket. This is a blow for the country ahead of co-hosting the 2027 World Cup where he would have been a major draw card. Thirty-three-year-old Klaasen is one of the world’s most destructive batters in white-ball cricket. He is likely to maintain a presence on the global T20 circuit. He says he looks forward to spending more time with his family as this decision will allow him to do so.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-94-cents and the euro at 20-rand-47-cents. One British pound costs 24-rand-27-cents and Bitcoin trades at 103-thousand-944-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-357-dollars-33-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 65-dollars-2-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….