News 08:00

BULLETIN 29 June 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Firoz Cachalia says the safety of the protestors and the wider public is a top priority
# Major General Feroz Khan is in the hospital after being shot in Houghton
# And, 33 people have been pulled from debris alive as rescue efforts continue in Venezuela

# Acting Police minister, Firoz Cachalia, says good planning, clear communication, and effective coordination will be critical to ensuring the safety of both demonstrators and the wider public. Anti-immigration protests will happen across the country tomorrow, calling for undocumented foreign nationals to leave South Africa. Meanwhile, government has reiterated that tomorrow will be treated as a normal working day, warning that any acts of intimidation, violence, or disruption will be met with the full force of the law. Cachalia says the government is tackling illegal immigration:

KwaZulu-Natal premier, Thami Ntuli, has meanwhile warned people who are planning to use tomorrow’s anti-immigration protests to plunge the province into chaos, reminiscent of the scenes of July 2021, will face the full might of the law. Over 300 people died during the unrest in KZN and Gauteng, where shops were looted or destroyed. Ntuli says they are working with the police to ensure there is no room for opportunism and no gap for criminality to exploit:

# Deputy Crime Intelligence boss, Feroz Khan, is in a critical condition in hospital, after he was allegedly shot in Houghton, Johannesburg, last night. According to reports, he was driving on Third Avenue when gunmen in a white Mercedes-Benz approached him. It is believed two shots were fired, and he was allegedly hit in the lower body. Khan, who, alongside Gauteng Hawks head Ebrahim Kadwa, is facing charges related to the unlawful dealing and possession of illicit precious metals, was expected to testify before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry on Wednesday.

# Days after Venezuela was struck by two powerful earthquakes, miraculous rescue stories are emerging. Acting president Delcy Rodríguez has confirmed that 33 people had been pulled from debris alive over the weekend. Among them were a baby, two 11-year-old boys, and a 60-year-old woman. At least one-thousand-430 people have died since the magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 quakes rocked Venezuela last Wednesday, and three-thousand-238 injured. Rodríguez says they have received support from 24 countries, which have sent 521 tons of supplies, 86 canine units, and over two-thousand members of search-and-rescue teams.

# Motorsport: Mercedes’ George Russell produced a composed drive to convert pole position to victory at the Austrian Grand Prix, his first win since the opening race of the season in Australia. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen held off Russell’s teammate Kimi Antonelli to finish second. Oscar Piastri was fourth for McLaren, ahead of the Ferrari of Lewis Hamilton in fifth. Russell, whose victory reduces his championship deficit to Antonelli to 40 points, says it feels great to win again:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-46-cents and the euro at 18-rand-74-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-73-cents, and Bitcoin trades at 59-thousand-785-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-69-dollars-25-cents a fine ounce, and Brent crude oil is quoted at 73-dollars-10-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….