News 09:00

BULLETIN 16 June 9 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# A political analyst says the government of national unity has an identity crisis as it turns a year old
# South Africans are urged to be vigilant as new Covid-19 variant spreads globally
# And, South Africa’s Rayno Nel wins the Strongman Championship in Holland

# Political Analyst Bheki Mngomezulu says the Government of National Unity has an identity crisis. This week marks one year since the GNU was formed after the ANC dropped to 40-percent in the 2024 elections. Mngomezulu says the coalition is slow in service delivery, with weak cohesion among ministers. Speaking to SABC News, Mngomezulu warns the worst may be ahead unless leaders show political maturity. He says the shaky foundation threatens the coalition’s stability and national progress:

# South Africans are urged to remain vigilant as the new COVID-19 variant, Nimbus, spreads rapidly in the US, Asia, and Europe. Classified by the World Health Organisation as a variant under monitoring, Nimbus shows high transmissibility and new mutations. Speaking to Newzroom Afrika, Wits Medical School’s Shabir Madhi warns that while vaccines remain effective, concerns remain over limited vaccine access for high-risk individuals in South Africa:

# The Gauteng Health Department is prioritising the repair of infrastructure across hospitals as winter strains critical infrastructure. The department’s spokesperson Motalatale Modiba says 100-million-rand has been allocated to restore and maintain essential equipment. Facilities like Bertha Gxowa Hospital have already seen repairs, while others such as Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital are undergoing upgrades. He confirmed that contingency plans, including mobile units, are in place to ensure uninterrupted patient care:

# Doctors in India say 270 bodies have been recovered from the site of Thursday’s Air India crash in Ahmedabad. The London-bound flight crashed into a residential area shortly after take-off, killing all but one of the 242 passengers and crew. Vigils have been held across India and the United Kingdom. India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau is probing the crash with US and UK support. The aircraft’s black box was recovered and is expected to aid the investigation. Meanwhile safety checks have been ordered on Air India’s Boeing fleet.

# Tennis: Taylor Fritz defeated Alexander Zverev in straight sets in Stuttgart on Sunday to win his first ATP title of the season. The American eased to a 6-3, 7-6 victory despite being held up by rain early in the second set. Fritz has now won his last five meetings with Zverev and is set to climb to fourth in the world rankings, a place behind the German. Zverev is still waiting to win the first grass-court title of his career and has never even reached the quarterfinals of Wimbledon, which gets under way on 30 June.

# And finally, South African weightlifter Rayno Nel has clinched victory at the Strongman Champions League World Tour in the Netherlands, defeating 14 global powerhouses. It marks his third consecutive title. Kevin Hazeleger of the Netherlands was placed second, with Poland’s Adam Roszkowski third. Nel made history in May by becoming the first African to win the World’s Strongest Man title in the USA. In 2024, he was crowned champion at the Strongman Champions League finals in Turkey. The next showdown is set for 6 July in Kazakhstan.

Stay tuned for more news………….