News 11:00

BULLETIN 14 June 11 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Thursday is declared a day of mourning in the Eastern Cape
# AfriForum Youth slams the North West University’s silence over Kill-the-Boer
# And Iran launches waves of missiles against Israel in response to the airstrikes

# Eastern Cape premier Oscar Mabuyane has declared Thursday next week a provincial day of mourning in remembrance of lives lost in this week’s devastating floods. Thus far 79 people have been declared deceased in the province. Addressing the media, the premier said the government and funeral homes are working together to support affected families, with postmortems underway and many bodies already collected for burial:

# AfriForum Youth has criticised the North-West University for postponing a key meeting on the controversial Kill the Boer chant sung on the Potchefstroom campus. The group’s Yvonne Gerber says this is the second postponement, and the university has failed to publicly condemn the chant. Gerber emphasised that students deserve a safe environment. She calls for the chant to be banned and urges the university to take moral and decisive action:

# Three suspects have been arrested in Port St. Johns, Eastern Cape, during a joint SAPS intelligence-driven operation. The police recovered unlicensed firearms and military-grade equipment. Police spokesperson, Nobuntu Gantana, says that tactical response and combat teams raided two homesteads in Tombo and Mthumbane, uncovering rifles, pistols, ammunition, and AK-47s. The suspects face multiple firearm charges and appear in court on Tuesday. Gantana says the operation disrupts criminal networks linked to violent crimes.

# Public Works minister Dean Macpherson is calling on South Africans to submit comments on the Integrated Social Facilitation Framework by next Friday. The gazetted framework aims to reduce construction disruptions and tackle the construction mafia by embedding community engagement in infrastructure projects. In a statement, Macpherson says informed participation will prevent misinformation and enhance project security. The framework stems from last year’s National Construction Summit on site disruptions held in Durban.

# Iran and Israel targeted each other with missiles and airstrikes early this morning after Israel launched its biggest-ever air offensive against its longtime foe. Israel maintains this is in a bid to prevent it from developing a nuclear weapon. Air raid sirens sounded across Israel, including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, sending residents rushing into shelters. Successive waves of Iranian missiles streaked across the skies and Israeli interceptors rose to meet them. Rescue teams were searching the rubble of apartment buildings that were destroyed in Rishon Lezion, a city outside of Tel Aviv.

# And motorsport: Nineteen former Formula One drivers are participating in the 93rd Le Mans 24-hour endurance race, starting in France this afternoon. They include Kevin Magnussen from Denmark, who is racing for BMW, Alpine’s German driver, Mick Schumacher, British driver Jenson Button of the Cadillac Hertz team Jota, and Robert Kubica of Poland for AF Corse. Ferrari won the iconic race the previous two years. Each of the teams has three drivers that alternate, with each driver not allowed to race more than 14 hours in total.

Stay tuned for more news………….