News 11:00

BULLETIN 20 June 11 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Three properties belonging to the fugitive Gupta family are to be auctioned off
# Police are investigating the murder of a staff member of Walter Sisulu University
# And European Foreign ministers are set to meet with their Iranian counterpart in Geneva

# Three properties belonging to the Gupta family, including the infamous Saxonwold compound in Johannesburg, are set to go under the hammer next month. The properties were under a Gupta-owned company in business rescue, Confident Concept. Bidders are required to pay hefty deposits of 250-thousand- to 500-thousand-rand. The National Prosecuting Authority has stated it will submit another application to have the Gupta brothers extradited to South Africa to be prosecuted for allegedly conniving with political elites to loot state funds. 

# Parliament’s portfolio committee on Police says delays in consequence management in the Independent Police Investigative Directorate weaken public trust and compromise internal discipline. IPID has a case backlog of over 14-thousand involving police members, with allegations including deaths in custody, torture, and corruption. Committee chairperson Ian Cameron says the 126.3-million-rand additional funding over the medium term will hopefully significantly contribute to reducing the case backlog.

# Eastern Cape police have launched an investigation following the fatal shooting of a Walter Sisulu University staff member outside the institution’s Nelson Mandela Drive Campus in Mthatha last night. The victim was found inside a stationary vehicle. Police spokesperson, Nobuntu Gantana, says preliminary forensic analysis confirms the victim sustained multiple gunshot wounds while seated in the driver’s position:

# UK Foreign secretary David Lammy is set to meet with his French and German counterparts, as well as Iranian Foreign minister Abbas Araghchi, in Switzerland today. The talks are aimed at creating a pathway back to diplomacy over Iran’s contested nuclear programme. European Union Foreign Policy chief Kaja Kallas is also expected to attend. Over 500 people have been killed in Israel and Iran since hostilities began last week. Kallas says all sides must abide by international law, and exercise restraint:

# Olympic Games: Kirsty Coventry, who takes over as president of the International Olympic Committee on Monday, says she regards collaboration with stakeholders as the most important issue in her tenure. The former Olympic swimming champion from Zimbabwe was elected in March to succeed Thomas Bach of Germany. The 41-year-old becomes the IOC’s first female leader. Coventry says it’s important to be able to listen to everyone’s opinions, but she realises she would have to take decisions, and the responsibility that comes with the role.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-5-cents and the euro at 20-rand-79-cents. One British pound costs 24-rand-31-cents and Bitcoin trades at 104-thousand-728-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-343-dollars-88-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 75-dollars-42-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….