News 07:00

BULLETIN 9 May 7 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The EFF demands an urgent timeline for the Phala Phala impeachment process
# Relief and shelter efforts are continuing across the Garden Route District following heavy rainfall
# And, tennis: Sinner starts his quest for a sixth consecutive Masters 1000 title in Rome today

# The EFF calls on National Assembly speaker Thoko Didiza to urgently start the process of setting up an impeachment committee. This after the Constitutional Court ruled on president Cyril Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala matter and found that Parliament’s 2022 decision to block the independent panel report was unconstitutional. The court ordered that the report be referred for further investigation. EFF leader Julius Malema demands clear timelines and insists the impeachment process must now go ahead:

Meanwhile, the Freedom Front Plus welcomes the ruling, but has concerns about its impact on the separation of powers. The party warns the ruling may affect Parliament’s internal processes and future impeachment procedures. The FF Plus’s Corné Mulder says Parliament must remain independent and free from undue interference:

# The Garden Route District Municipality in the Western Cape says relief and shelter efforts are continuing across the district as several communities remain affected the by severe weather conditions. Spokesperson Herman Pieters says river and dam levels in the district are slowly subsiding as the water levels starting to drop. He says the South Cape Weather Service has predicted another cold front expected to reach the Western Cape on Sunday and Monday:

# Solidarity’s Trades Network is considering legal action against the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations and other bodies over long delays in issuing red seal certificates to young artisans. The network says the problem has persisted for years, despite promises to fix it, with some applicants waiting far beyond the required 21-day period even after completing training and passing trade tests. Solidarity’s Stef Pretorius warns that the delays are harming careers and incomes.

# Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has accused the US of opting for a reckless military adventure every time a diplomatic solution is on the table. Araghchi said in a post on X, Iranians would never bow to pressure. It comes a day after both sides accused each other of launching attacks in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has been controlling the Strait as well as attacking US allies in the Gulf in retaliation for the US and Israeli attacks. Some 20-percent of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas uses the crucial waterway whose blockage has send prices soaring.

# And, tennis: Jannik Sinner starts his quest today for a record-extending sixth consecutive Masters One-thousand title in his home tournament, the Italian Open. He faces Sebastian Ofner in the round of 64. The world number one already won the Paris Masters, Indian Wells, Miami, Monte-Carlo and the Madrid Open to become the first man to win five consecutive tournaments at this level. Unseeded Ofner, who is currently 86th in the world rankings, beat American Alex Michelsen in the first round.

Stay tuned for more news………….