News 14:00

BULLETIN 23 June 2 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Deputy minister Masemola calls for inclusive reforms in local government funding
# The DA rejects the Post Office’s secret bailout plan of 3.8-billion-rand
# And tennis: Carlos Alcaraz is seen as the red-hot favourite to retain his Wimbledon crown after winning at Queens

# Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs deputy minister, Namane Masemola, says reviewing the 1998 Local Government White Paper is crucial, especially as municipalities face decaying infrastructure and dwindling revenue. Speaking in Midrand, Masemola highlighted that outdated funding models no longer meet community needs, particularly in metros with rural features. He says a new, inclusive funding approach is needed to align with modern realities, improve service delivery, and strengthen municipal capacity:

# The DA strongly rejects the South African Post Office’s request to present its 3.8-billion-rand business rescue plan behind closed doors. The party finds it outrageous that the Post Office, already propped up by taxpayers, is asking for secrecy while its business rescue practitioners rake in six-million-rand per month. The DA’s Nico Pienaar says in total, they have already been paid over 240-million-rand since 2023, with no sign of a real turnaround:

# Russia says it condemns and regrets US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites over the weekend, as Russian president Vladimir Putin was set to meet Iranian Foreign minister Abbas Araghchi in Moscow. Meanwhile, Israel is carrying out unprecedented strikes on Iran’s capital of Tehran, targeting what it calls agencies of government repression. The European Union’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, also warned it would be extremely dangerous should Iran shut down the crucial Strait of Hormuz trading route over the strikes. Around 20-percent of the world’s oil passes through this waterway.

# Tennis: World number two, Carlos Alcaraz of Spain, has emerged as red-hot favourite to retain his Wimbledon crown after winning the Queens tournament in London yesterday. His victory over Jiri Lehecka of the Czech Republic extended his winning streak to 18 matches. World number one Jannik Sinner of Italy, seen as Alcaraz’s biggest threat at the All England Club, didn’t make the transition from clay to grass successfully, losing to eventual champion Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan early in the Halle Open in German. Wimbledon starts next Monday.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-8-cents and the euro at 20-rand-75-cents. One British pound costs 24-rand-21-cents and Bitcoin trades at 101-thousand-442-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-366-dollars-24-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 76-dollars-1-cent a barrel.

# And finally: Parliament’s joint Constitutional review committee has rejected a proposal to make Swahili an official language, stating it is a policy matter rather than a constitutional amendment. It also dismissed the suggestion to merge all Chapter 9 institutions into one. These legacy proposals, submitted in 2023, were found to fall outside the committee’s constitutional mandate. Committee member Sibonelo Nomvalo says the amendment of Section 25 to allow for land expropriation without compensation remains under consideration:

Stay tuned for more news………….