News 07:00

BULLETIN 8 June 7 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# President Ramaphosa says the government is strengthening the country’s immigration laws
# OPEC has agreed to increase its oil output
# And tennis: Alexander Zverev secures his first Grand Slam title in Paris

# President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced reforms to strengthen the integrity, efficiency, and security of South Africa’s immigration system. This comes after the Cabinet adopted a Comprehensive Approach for Migration Management last week. Addressing the nation yesterday, Ramaphosa emphasised that government wants a South Africa where every person who enters the country does so lawfully, where immigration laws are respected and enforced, and where communities feel safe and secure:

Ramaphosa has also warned that employers who knowingly hire undocumented workers and exploit their vulnerability are breaking the law, and will face stronger penalties and far stricter enforcement. Ramaphosa says employers who hire undocumented foreign nationals undermine labour standards, fair competition, and opportunities for South Africans:

# The Department of Employment and Labour says government will continue to take action against illicit goods trade in the country. The department spokesperson, Teboho Thejane, says government has established the National Illicit Economy Disruption Programme aimed at dismantling syndicates, preventing tax evasion, and protecting public health and local industries. However, he says the authorities continue to seize counterfeit, contraband, and non-compliant items:

# The Freedom Front Plus in Ekurhuleni supports reforms that improve service delivery and increase accountability, but will oppose any process that creates more bureaucracy without tangibly benefiting communities. The party endorses the Metro Trading Services Reform programme launched by the National Treasury. The FF Plus says this programme provides metros with 54-billion-rand over six years, with the aim of helping them to get electricity supply, waste removal, and drinking and wastewater services back on track by managing them more like viable business enterprises.

# The Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries has agreed to a fourth increase in its oil output targets in as many months, as the war in Iran continues to disrupt crude flows through the Strait of Hormuz. OPEC members, including Saudi Arabia, Russia, and Iraq, have agreed to raise oil production quotas by 188-thousand barrels per day in July. The group says the decision is aimed at supporting oil market stability while also allowing members to accelerate compensation cuts amid historically high oil prices.

# Tennis: World number three Alexander Zverev is now a Grand Slam champion after winning the French Open. The 29-year-old German defeated Italian Flavio Cobolli, 6-1, 4-6, 6-4, 6-7, 6-1. Zverev, who lost his three previous Grand Slam finals, is the third German man to win a major in the Open Era. He is also the first man other than Jannik Sinner or Carlos Alcaraz to win a Grand Slam singles title since 2023. Zverev gave credit to his team:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-55-cents and the euro at 19-rand-7-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-6-cents and Bitcoin trades at 63-thousand-54-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-322-dollars-21-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 95-dollars-3-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….