News 08:00

BULLETIN 4 June 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Minister Kubayi wants all extradition requests reviewed
# The DA wants the government to account for failing to prosecute state capture cases
# And the EFF says the priorities in the re-tabled Gauteng budget are misplaced

# Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, Mmamoloko Kubayi, says she is concerned at the judgment on the Moroadi Cholota extradition case. The High Court in Bloemfontein ruled that Cholota’s extradition from the US in 2024 was unlawful and unconstitutional. This is after the former Free State premier Ace Magashule’s ex-personal assistant accused the state of submitting falsified documents to American authorities. Kubayi told the SABC that she is concerned about the processes of issuing extraditions:

# The DA says it will write to Parliament’s portfolio committee on Justice chairperson, requesting that the Department of Justice and the National Prosecuting Authority account for yet another failure in prosecuting state capture cases. The High Court in Bloemfontein ruled that the extradition of former Free State premier Ace Magashule’s ex-personal assistant, Moroadi Cholota, was unlawful, and she cannot be tried in the asbestos corruption case. The DA says the NPA is creating the impression that those responsible for looting state money will never be held accountable.

# The EFF in Gauteng says the provincial government needs to play a participatory role in the economy as the over-reliance on investors is not sustainable. MEC for Finance and Economic Development, Lebogang Maile, has re-tabled the 2025/2026 financial year budget, which now stands at 172.3-billion-rand, an increase of some 886.6-million-rand from the one tabled earlier this year. EFF provincial chairperson, Nkululeko Dunga, says the priorities in the budget are misplaced:

# The US and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation says its aid distribution centres will be closed today. This comes after the Israeli Defence Forces warned residents of Gaza against travelling in areas leading to aid distribution centres, which are considered combat zones. Twenty-seven people were killed on Tuesday as they gathered to receive food at one of the GHF’s food distribution hubs in the Rafah area of southern Gaza. The IDF says its troops fired shots after identifying suspects who moved towards them, deviating from the designated access routes.

# Tennis: Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz is through to the French Open semifinals for the third consecutive year. The 22-year-old Spaniard dispatched American Tommy Paul, 6-0, 6-1, 6-4. His victory sees him become the youngest player to reach seven semifinals in men’s singles Grand Slams since compatriot Rafael Nadal in 2008. Alcaraz will face Italian Lorenzo Musetti for a place in the final, who earned a 6-2, 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 victory against American Frances Tiafoe, to reach his maiden semifinal at the clay major.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-84-cents and the euro at 20-rand-30-cents. One British pound costs 24-rand-13-cents and Bitcoin trades at 105-thousand-784-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-366-dollars-34-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 65-dollars-20-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….