News 12:00

BULLETIN 1 June 12 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Expert links the Woolworths blasts to an extortion pattern, but terrorism is not ruled out
# Home Affairs is accelerating the rollout of smart ID cards through banks and digital systems
# And soccer: Ramaphosa says it’s been a long and difficult journey to transform Bafana Bafana’s fortunes

# The Institute for Security Studies’ Willem Els says last week’s two bomb blasts at Woolworths stores in Gauteng and the Free State highlight broader concerns about organised crime and extortion in South Africa. The first explosion took place at Woolworths Menlyn Park in Pretoria on Thursday, and the second less than 24-hours later at the Preller Square branch in Bloemfontein. The Hawks are investigating the incidents. Els says it is too early to determine the motive and who was behind the attacks, but terrorism cannot yet be ruled out.

# Business Leadership South Africa says the country is operating from a position of relative strength amid the geopolitical tensions, which is a direct reward for eight years of fiscal discipline and structural reform. Two major rating agencies, Standard and Poor’s and Moody’s, now have the country on a positive outlook. The Reserve Bank has hiked interest rates by 25 basis points in response to rising global inflation. BLSA CEO Busiswe Mavuso says the country now needs to secure oil supply sources internationally and actively pursue favourable trade deals.

# Energy regulator NERSA has completed the consideration and approval of all 176 licensed electricity distributors’ tariff applications for the 2026/27 financial year. The new tariffs for municipal and private distributors will take effect next month. NERSA’s Charles Hlebela says this is in line with the provisions of the Electricity Regulation Act, and in compliance with court orders which imposed deadlines to finalise consideration and approval of the tariff applications:

# Minister of Home Affairs, Leon Schreiber, says the department is accelerating the rollout of smart ID cards through banks and digital systems. According to the South African identity verification platform VerifyNow, impersonation fraud using green ID books has increased by 400-percent year on year in South Africa, as fraudsters use artificial intelligence to exploit the legacy identity system. Schreiber says the green ID book is highly vulnerable to fraud, identity theft and document laundering:

# Soccer: President Cyril Ramaphosa says it has been a long and difficult journey to transform Bafana Bafana’s fortunes as the national team heads off to the World Cup. South Africa is participating in the tournament for the first time since 2010. In his weekly newsletter, Ramaphosa gave credit to the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, governing body SAFA, the leagues, clubs and sponsors for their commitment to developing the sport. He says South Africans will be cheering on the team at every stage of the tournament.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-23-cents and the euro at 18-rand-93-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-86-cents and Bitcoin trades at 72-thousand-756-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-492-dollars-14-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 93-dollars-76-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….