News 09:00

BULLETIN 28 May 9 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The EFF demands that the National Assembly speaker opposes Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala court review bid
# The DA says student debt has become a systemic funding and governance crisis
# And, a British spy chief says almost 500-thousand Russian troops have been killed in the Ukrainian war

# The EFF is demanding that National Assembly speaker, Thoko Didiza, opposes president Cyril Ramaphosa’s application to set aside the Section 89 independent panel report into Phala Phala. On Tuesday, the president filed his papers in the Western Cape High Court for the review of the report. The panel found that there is prima facie evidence that Ramaphosa may have violated the Constitution in the Phala Phala saga. The EFF argues that failing to oppose the president’s court application would undermine the authority, integrity and constitutional role of the National Assembly.

# The DA says South Africa’s post-school funding system is under severe and growing strain, with universities and Technical and Vocational Education and Training colleges facing 62-billion-rand student debt. Universities alone carry approximately 59-billion-rand in student debt, including around 29-billion-rand linked to NSFAS-funded students. The DA’s Delmaine Christians says the solution to the student debt crisis is urgent economic growth so that graduates get work, and pay back their student debt:

# The ANC Greater Joburg Region says the City of Johannesburg’s 97.1-billion-rand budget for the 2026/2027 financial year represents a bold and decisive intervention aimed at restoring the metro. The budget is up from the 89-billion-rand in the previous year. The ANC says it supports measures aimed at strengthening governance, improving revenue collection, reducing electricity and water losses and enhancing operational efficiency. It adds that the metro’s leadership must be commended for tabling a pro-poor, developmental, and reform-oriented budget that seeks to balance fiscal sustainability with the urgent needs of residents.  

# UK spy agency GCHQ director, Anne Keast-Butler, says Britain is at a moment of consequence, with the country facing increasingly brazen behaviour from hostile nations, including Russia. She revealed her office’s annual threat assessment, saying they are helping to counter reckless sabotage and assassination attempts by the Kremlin. Keast-Butler says Putin is going backwards on the battlefield, with new intelligence showing that almost half a million Russian soldiers have been killed since the conflict began:

# Cricket: Teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi powered the Rajasthan Royals to a 47-run victory over the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League eliminator match. Fifteen-year-old Sooryavanshi scored 97 off just 29 balls as the Royals posted 243 for eight in their 20 overs. In reply, Jofra Archer claimed three wickets as Sunrisers were bowled out for 196 in 19.2 overs. The Rajasthan Royals will now face the Gujarat Titans in the second qualifier on Friday, with the winner progressing to play defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Sunday’s final.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-47-cents and the euro at 19-rand-8-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-1-cent, and Bitcoin trades at 72-thousand-855-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-368-dollars-41-cents a fine ounce, and Brent crude oil is quoted at 95-dollars-56-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….