News 06:00

BULLETIN 12 June 6 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The Finance minister says the success of the budget depends on efficient implementation
# Blade Nzimande says the National Dialogue must reflect on past mistakes
# And the co-founder of The Beach Boys, Brian Wilson, has died

# Finance minister Enoch Godongwana says the success of the 2025 budget hinges on the government’s ability to implement it effectively and efficiently. He stressed that while the budget allocates significant funds, including 490-billion-rand for infrastructure over the next three years, the real challenge lies in proper spending and oversight. Godongwana urged Parliament to ensure strict monitoring to guarantee that resources are used wisely:

# Science and Innovation minister Blade Nzimande says the upcoming National Dialogue must honestly reflect on South Africa’s past mistakes and find lasting solutions. Announced by president Cyril Ramaphosa for 15 August, the dialogue will be led by 31 eminent persons. Speaking to SABC News, he warned against it becoming an elite discussion and said it should tackle economic reform:

# The South African Social Security Agency has acknowledged concerns raised by the Universal Basic Income Coalition regarding grant verification processes. SASSA says these checks align with legal requirements and aim to prevent fraud, especially where applicants fail to report income changes. Around 58-thousand payments were delayed, not suspended, pending review. SASSA urges affected beneficiaries to update their contact details and confirms that no grants will be cancelled without proper notice and opportunity for appeal.

# Eastern Cape premier Oscar Mabuyane says the cost of infrastructure damage from recent floods remains unknown. Hundreds of residents, especially in Butterworth and Ngoma, have been displaced and relocated to temporary shelters. Power outages continue across several districts. Mabuyane said coordinated rescue teams remain on the ground, conducting aerial, aquatic, and terrestrial operations to support recovery and evacuation efforts in the hardest-hit areas:

# Cricket: South Africa ended day one of the World Test Championship final on 43 for four in their first Innings, still trailing Australia by 169 runs at Lord’s in London. Kagiso Rabada took five wickets as the Proteas dismissed Australia for 212. In reply, Mitchell Starc removed openers Aiden Markram, who departed for a duck, and Ryan Rickelton on 16. Pat Cummins claimed the wicket of Wiaan Mulder and Josh Hazlewood, that of Tristan Stubbs. Captain Temba Bavuma and David Bedingham will resume on three and eight respectively today.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-70-cents and the euro at 20-rand-37-cents. One British pound costs 24-rand-2-cents and Bitcoin trades at 108-thousand-656-dollar-50-cents. Gold sells at three-thousand-364-dollars-82-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 70-dollars-33-cents a barrel.

# And finally: Co-founder of one of the biggest rock bands, The Beach Boys, Brian Wilson, has passed away at the age of 82. Early last year, it was revealed that he was suffering from dementia. From 1962 to 1966, the Beach Boys racked up ten top-ten hits and seven more top-40 chart entries for Capitol Records, most written or co-written and produced by Wilson. The two-time Grammy Award winner wrote timeless classics, including, In My Room, God Only Knows, California Girls, and Wouldn’t It Be Nice.

Stay tuned for more news………….