News 08:00

BULLETIN 12 June 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The government is concerned by the sanctions on judges of the International Criminal Court
# Parliament is concerned by Correctional Service’s 1.4-billion-rand over-expenditure
# And cricket: the West Indies Women beat South Africa in their first ODI

# The South African government says it is concerned at the decision of the US to sanction four judges of the International Criminal Court. The sanctions are in response to the ICC issuing arrest warrants for top Israeli officials, including prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and its investigation into alleged US war crimes in Afghanistan. Department of International Relations and Cooperation’s spokesperson, Chrispin Phiri, says this sets a dangerous precedent that could embolden those who seek to evade accountability for violations of human rights:

# Parliament’s portfolio committee on Correctional Services has expressed concerns about the Department of Correctional Services’ over-expenditure, which is projected to reach 1.4 billion-rand.  The department’s year-to-date expenditure for the period ending 31 December 2024 is 21.6-billion-rand, while the projected annual expenditure is 29.2-billion-rand, against the adjusted budget of 27.8-billion-rand. Committee chairperson, Kgomotso Anthea Ramolobeng, says the department must find more effective ways to deal with costs related to the growing inmate population, infrastructure upgrades, and maintenance.

# The Polokwane High Court in Limpopo has sentenced Mologadi Magdeline Mehlape to life imprisonment after she pleaded guilty to the murder of her father, Malekutu Johannes Mehlape. He was a circuit manager at the Limpopo Department of Education. The 28-year-old was also sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment for robbery. National Prosecuting Authority regional spokesperson, Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi, says four other accused face several charges, including conspiracy to commit murder, murder, and robbery with aggravating circumstances:

# Nearly 40 Palestinians were killed by Israeli forces near food distribution sites in Gaza on Wednesday. Twenty-five were killed and dozens wounded as they approached a food distribution centre run by the US-Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, near Netzarim in central Gaza. Fourteen people were killed as they were moving towards another GHF distribution site in Rafah. Israel Foreign Ministry’s Eden Bar Tal says millions of meals are being delivered daily for free, without fuelling Hamas’s terror machine:

# Cricket: The Proteas Women suffered a four-wicket defeat, under the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method, against the West Indies Women in the first ODI in Barbados. Tazmin Brits scored 57 as South Africa posted 232 for nine in their 50 overs. In reply, chasing a revised target of 180 in 34 overs after rain interrupted play, the hosts reached the target with two overs to spare, to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. The second ODI will be played on Saturday.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-69-cents and the euro at 20-rand-37-cents. One British pound costs 24-rand-1-cent and Bitcoin trades at 107-thousand-835-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-374-dollars-19-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 68-dollars-80-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….