News 07:00

BULLETIN 2 June 7 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The MK Party says the impeachment committee should be chaired by an independent person.
# The DA welcomes the IEC’s probe into donations for the ANC and Rise Mzansi
# And tennis: Serena Williams is making her long-awaited return at Queen’s Club

# The MK Party has expressed disappointment at the election of Rise Mzansi’s Makashule Gana as the chairperson of the Impeachment Committee, claiming that he lacks objectivity. Gana received 19 votes, defeating United African Transformation leader Wonderboy Mahlatse, who secured 12 votes. The committee is tasked with considering whether president Cyril Ramaphosa should face impeachment over the Phala Phala scandal. The MK Party’s John Hlophe claims that the ANC will use Gana to protect Ramaphosa:

# The DA has welcomed the Electoral Commission of South Africa’s investigation into the ANC and Rise Mzansi over funding donations. The ANC failed to declare 770-thousand-rand in donations on time. The IEC is also looking into a donation of 30-million-rand to Rise Mzansi that was converted from a loan. The DA says the Political Party Funding Act exists to ensure South Africans know who is funding political parties. It adds that parties that cannot be trusted to disclose their donors honestly cannot be trusted to govern honestly.

# KwaZulu-Natal Hawks Warrant Officer Karl Sander has denied any involvement in alleged drug thefts, telling the Madlanga Commission he was on leave when both the drug seizure and subsequent theft occurred in Port Shepstone. He also revealed that he had previously undergone a polygraph test during an investigation into the alleged theft of his coffee machine:

# The European Union says it is ready to contribute to a sustainable and peaceful resolution between the US and Iran. A draft peace agreement, mediated by Pakistan, has been going back and forth between the two countries, with US president Donald Trump stating that the focus is on Tehran’s nuclear capability. EU’s high representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, says she sees a tenuous diplomatic opening to extend the current temporary ceasefire and reopen the Strait:

# Tennis: Twenty-three-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams has announced that she is officially making her comeback to professional tennis. Nearly four years after stepping away, the 44-year-old American will restart her career at Queen’s Club in London next week, where she will play in the women’s doubles. It is widely reported that she will play alongside Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko. Williams says grass has given her some of the most meaningful moments of her career, and Queen’s Club feels like the perfect place to begin this next chapter.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-32-cents and the euro at 18-rand-98-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-95-cents and Bitcoin trades at 70-thousand-808-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-464-dollars-56-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 94-dollars-8-cents a barrel.

# And finally: South Africans whose donations continue to support patients ranging from accident victims and cancer patients to newborn babies in need of urgent care. The organisation is calling on more citizens, especially young people, to donate blood regularly, as blood cannot be manufactured.

Stay tuned for more news………….