News 11:00

BULLETIN 24 June 11:00

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The EFF wants to introduce a bill aimed at curbing unchecked government borrowing powers
# President Trump says the ceasefire between Israel and Iran is in effect
# And soccer: A 26-player Banyana Banyana squad is confirmed for the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations

# The EFF says it has asked National Assembly speaker, Thoko Didiza, to introduce a private member’s bill, the Public Finance Management Amendment Bill. This seeks to amend the Public Management Act, with the specific objective of regulating the executive’s power to borrow from international financial institutions. The EFF says the bill is aimed at curbing unchecked government borrowing powers and strengthening parliamentary oversight over national debt. It adds the bill is premised on the constitutional principles of transparency, accountability and sound financial governance.

Meanwhile, the Institute of Race Relations is urging Parliament to pass the Appropriations Bill which will reduce black economic empowerment premiums to nil in 82-billion-rand’s worth of public procurement. BEE premiums are the extra paid for identical goods or services based on race, which are presently capped at 25-percent for contracts under 50-million-rand. IRR’s Gabriel Crouse says the risk, however, is that Parliament passes the bill as it is, only for the law not to be implemented:

# The death toll from the Eastern Cape floods has risen to 95 as search and recovery efforts continue, assisted by the South African National Defence Force. Out of the recovered bodies, 86 have been identified and collected by their families, and processes are underway for the identification of the remaining bodies. Provincial spokesperson, Khuselwa Rantjie, says the support of government institutions and non-governmental organisations has been helpful:

# US president Donald Trump says a ceasefire between Israel and Iran is now in effect, urging both countries not to violate it. This is despite the death of four Israelis by Iranian missile strikes this morning. According to reports, Trump brokered the ceasefire through talks with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu while his team, including vice-president JD Vance, held talks with Tehran. Iranian state media also reported that the ceasefire has begun.

# Soccer: Banyana Banyana coach Desiree Ellis has named a 26-player team for the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations which begins in Morocco next Saturday. Only 14 of the selected players were in the Wafcon-winning squad three years ago. Seventeen-year-old JVW FC duo Casey Gordon and Bonolo Mokoma are the youngest members of the squad. South Africa is in Group C alongside Ghana, Mali, and Tanzania. Ellis says selecting the final team was a challenge:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-73-cents and the euro at 20-rand-59-cents. One British pound costs 24-rand-9-cents and Bitcoin trades at 105-thousand-650-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-324-dollars-30-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 67-dollars-74-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….