News 07:00

BULLETIN 5 June 7 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# President Ramaphosa pays tribute to the jazz promoter Rashid Lombard
# Business confidence drops amid trade tensions and local challenges
# And cricket: Kagiso Rabada was suspended because he tested positive for cocaine

# President Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed sadness at the passing of renowned photographer, cultural activist, and jazz promoter Rashid Lombard. The 74-year-old died in Cape Town on Wednesday. He founded an events management company in 1997, which gave birth to the iconic Cape Town International Jazz Festival in 2000. In 2014, Lombard was awarded the prestigious National Order of Ikhamanga in Silver for his excellent contribution to arts and culture. Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, says South Africa has lost a cultural icon:

# The DA is calling for a formal performance review of Tourism minister Patricia de Lille and her department over the mismanagement of the tourism equity fund. According to the party, only 125-million-rand of the 466-million-rand allocated has been disbursed, leaving many township and rural tourism businesses in limbo. The DA’s Haseena Ismail blames poor oversight and a failed partnership with the fund’s implementing agent, the Small Enterprise Finance Agency:

# A survey by the Rand Merchant Bank, compiled by the Bureau of Economic Research indicates that South African business confidence declined in the second quarter of 2025, falling to 40 points from 45. The drop is driven by US president Donald Trump’s new tariffs and ongoing local logistical constraints. Only wholesale traders reported improved confidence, with all other sectors seeing declines. RMB says more action is needed to revive growth despite a repo rate cut to 7.25-percent.

# The Women’s Legal Centre has condemned a death threat allegedly made against Judges’ Secretary Andiswa Mengo, who accused Eastern Cape Judge President Selby Mbenenge of sexual harassment. According to eNCA, a handwritten note reading “a bullet is waiting for you” was found on her desk last Friday. Mengo’s case, now before a Judicial Conduct Tribunal, could lead to Mbenenge’s impeachment. The Centre says the threat highlights the dangers women face reporting harassment. They demand urgent protection and action from law enforcement.

# The US non-partisan Congressional Budget Office says president Donald Trump’s tax and spending bill will add 42.73-trillion-rand to the federal government’s debt over the next decade. The bill, which includes significant tax breaks and increased defence spending, was passed by the House of Representatives last month and is now under consideration in the Senate. Republican House Majority Leader, Steve Scalise, has criticised the analysis of the agency, saying it is ignoring the revenue growth that this bill will bring:

# Cricket: The South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport says Kagiso Rabada’s one-month ban earlier this year was due to testing positive for cocaine. The Proteas fast bowler returned home from his Indian Premier League stint with Gujarat Titans in April and revealed he had failed a drug test. SAIDS says Rabada had been tested in January, where the presence of Benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine, was detected. The 30-year-old will spearhead the Proteas’ bowling attack in the World Test Championship final against Australia at Lord’s next week.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-81-cents and the euro at 20-rand-35-cents. One British pound costs 24-rand-14-cents and Bitcoin trades at 105-thousand-67-dollar-10-cents. Gold sells at three-thousand-376-dollars-9-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 64-dollars-61-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….