News 06:00

BULLETIN 12 May 6 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# President Ramaphosa says he will not resign
# Western Cape residents are warned to exercise extreme caution during storms
# And, the accused in the White House Correspondents’ dinner shooting pleads not guilty

# President Cyril Ramaphosa says he will take the Section 89 independent panel’s report on review on an expeditious basis. Last Friday, the Constitutional Court declared Parliament’s decision not to adopt the report on the Phala Phala scandal as invalid. The panel found that Ramaphosa may have violated his oath of office regarding his actions in the break-in at his farm in Limpopo. Addressing the nation at the Union Buildings yesterday evening, Ramaphosa said he believes the panel’s report is flawed:

Ramaphosa also says that while there have been calls in some circles that he should resign, nothing in the Constitutional Court judgment compels him to resign his office. He said the court made no finding on whether there was prima facie evidence of misconduct, nor whether the alleged conduct, if established, justifies impeachment:

# Business Leadership South Africa says the government must fully assess the economic cost of new procurement regulations before implementing them. In her weekly newsletter, the organisation’s CEO Busisiwe Mavuso warned that proposed set-asides for 100-percent black-owned businesses could raise costs or delay projects, especially in specialised sectors like engineering and Information Technology, where there are few suppliers. Mavuso said while transformation is important, policies must also support economic growth, reduce red tape, and ensure value for money.

# Western Cape MEC for Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, Anton Bredell, has urged residents to remain cautious as severe weather continues to affect large parts of the province. The South African Weather Service has warned that dangerous conditions will persist, with more rain and strong winds expected in the Garden Route today. According to Bredell, contingency plans are in place to deal with the bad weather. He urged residents to avoid flooded areas, rivers, and falling debris.

# The suspect in the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner shooting last month has pleaded not guilty. Cole Tomas Allen faces four charges: attempting to assassinate president Donald Trump, transportation of a firearm with intent to commit a felony, discharge of a firearm, and assault with a deadly weapon. Prosecutors alleged Allen stormed through a security checkpoint at the Washington Hilton hotel, where the event was being held, and fired a shot at a US Secret Service agent. He was tackled by agents before he could reach the ballroom.

# Rugby: The Bulls believe former Springbok Women’s player Zenay Jordaan is the perfect architect for the Daisies’ next chapter. She had been appointed head coach of the union’s women’s team until 2029. Thirty-five-year-old Jordaan played 36 Tests for South Africa between 2008 and 2022, when she retired and moved into coaching. She had been the Daisies’ assistant coach and then co-head coach for the past two years, and the union says her appointment is a massive statement of intent for the franchise.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-41-cents and the euro at 19-rand-34-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-33-cents and Bitcoin trades at 81-thousand-805-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-753-dollars-91-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 102-dollars-54-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….