News 12:00

BULLETIN 5 June 12 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Floods are expected to cut citrus exports by at least five-percent
# A parliamentary subcommittee agrees on the rules for the impeachment committee
# And nearly 600 environmental and land defenders were killed or had disappeared over the past three years

# The Citrus Growers’ Association of Southern Africa has warned that severe flooding in key citrus-producing regions will reduce export volumes by at least five-percent. The worst-affected areas include Patensie in the Eastern Cape, and Citrusdal and the Boland in the Western Cape. The association says damage assessments are ongoing, with some growers still unable to access orchards. Mandarin crops have been the hardest hit, while infrastructure damage has disrupted harvesting. Despite lower volumes, the association says the quality and reliability of citrus exports to international markets remains intact.

# A subcommittee of the National Assembly’s Rules Committee has agreed on rules that will guide the work of the impeachment committee. This is in line with the Constitutional Court ruling that revived president Cyril Ramaphosa’s impeachment proceedings over the Phala Phala saga. He has taken the Section 89 panel’s report under review, and emphasised he would not seek to interdict the impeachment committee’s preparatory work. Sub-committee chairperson, Doris Mpapane, says the proposed rules will be tabled before the Rules Committee for consideration next week.

Meanwhile, the Freedom Front Plus says the ANC has for too long been allowed to manipulate the Constitution to suit itself, including wanting to amend it to make expropriation without compensation possible. South Africa marks 30-years since the adoption of the Constitution. Party leader Corné Mulder says a constitution may be amended from time to time for a valid need and reason, but certain parties almost want to do away with it:

# Soccer: Bafana Bafana’s coach, Hugo Broos, says today’s international friendly against Jamaica will be a great opportunity to iron out tactics ahead of Thursday’s World Cup opener against Mexico. South Africa is winless in their last four matches. The striker position is the main issue to address after Bafana held over 85-percent of possession against Nicaragua, failing to convert 22 shots at goal. Broos says Jamaica is a good opponent:

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-29-cents and the euro at 18-rand-95-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-91-cents and Bitcoin trades at 62-thousand-591-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-462-dollars-86-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 93-dollars-92-cents a barrel.

# And finally: United Nations high commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, is calling for greater protection for environmental and land defenders as the world celebrates World Environment Day. Nearly 600 environmental and land defenders have been killed or disappeared over the past three years, or were detained in at least 55 countries. Türk says it’s shocking that people defending the future of children are prosecuted under laws designed to fight terrorism and organised crime:

Stay tuned for more news………….