News 08:00

BULLETIN 17 June 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Julius Malema reiterates that there is no white genocide in South Africa
# The death toll in the Eastern Cape floods rises to 90
# And the fourth batch of soldiers in the DRC is set to return home today

# EFF leader Julius Malema has once again denounced claims that there is a white genocide taking place in South Africa. During his high-level Oval Office meeting with president Cyril Ramaphosa last month, US president Donald Trump sought Malema’s arrest, accusing him of inciting violence against white farmers in the country. Speaking at a Youth Day rally in Durban yesterday, Malema said the EFF won’t allow the sovereignty of the country to be undermined:

# The death toll in the Eastern Cape floods has risen to 90, including 30 children. Post-mortems have been completed with 80 bodies having been positively identified and 77 bodies released to families. The floods have damaged infrastructure, including 58 schools and 20 healthcare centres. Minister of Social Development, Sisisi Tolashe, who engaged with affected families in Mthatha on Monday, said government spending on disaster relief must be closely monitored:

# The fourth batch of South African National Defence Force members, who were deployed in the Democratic Republic of Congo, are set to return home today. The third group of soldiers, approximately 220, returned yesterday and landed at the Bram Fischer Airport in Bloemfontein. The first group of 249 soldiers arrived on Friday, and the second group, 257 troops, arrived at the Waterkloof Air Force Base in Pretoria on Sunday. The SANDF says this phased return is part of its planned withdrawal from the mission area.

# Iran has condemned Israel’s attack on its state television channel, IRINN, calling it a war crime. The attack happened during a live broadcast, forcing a news anchor to run off camera after several explosions. The Israel Defence Forces says the building was used by the Iranian Armed Forces under the guise of civilian activity, covering up the military use of the centre’s infrastructure and assets. Iranian ambassador to the United Nations, Amir Saeid Iravani, says Iran’s strikes on Israel are in self-defence:

# Tennis: Britain’s Dan Evans claimed his first top-20 win since 2023, following a 7-5, 6-2, first-round victory over American Frances Tiafoe at Queen’s Club. Another Brit, Cameron Norrie, was knocked out by Czech teenager Jakub Mensik, 7-6, 1-6, 6-1. Qualifier Mackenzie McDonald of the US got the better of France’s Gael Monfils, 6-4, 6-4, while fourth seed Holger Rune of Denmark eased into his grass court season with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Australian lucky loser Christopher O’Connell.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-82-cents and the euro at 20-rand-60-cents. One British pound costs 24-rand-19-cents and Bitcoin trades at 107-thousand-621-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-384-dollars a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 72-dollars-70-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….