News 09:00

BULLETIN 24 May 9 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# A coalition government could help South Africa overcome its challenges
# Cosatu welcomes the ANC’s commitment to a universal basic income grant
# And, there are four dead and many still trapped following a building collapse in Spain

# Renowned futurologist, Clem Sunter, says the upcoming elections present an opportunity for a new chapter and the path forward requires collective action. South Africans go to the polls next week Wednesday in elections in which ANC could lose its majority for the first time since it swept to power in 1994. Sunter says a coalition government between the ANC and smaller parties could be best positioned to achieve a collaborative approach needed to overcome the country’s challenges:

# Cosatu has welcomed the ANC’s firm commitment to deliver a Universal Basic Income Grant, including finalising a policy and financing framework for it by the incoming Administration. South Africa, under the leadership of the ANC, has done well to ensure some sort of social relief from the state for 27-million of the most impoverished compatriots. Cosatu’s Matthew Parks says the envisaged UBIG will play a critical role in ensuring that no South African is left without any source of income: 

# Mineral Resources and Energy minister Gwede Mantashe will be meeting with the communities of Lily Mine in Mpumalanga today, to report on plans to reopen the Lily and Barbrook gold mines. The remains of three Lily mineworkers have still not been recovered, after the shipping container they were working in collapsed and fell into a sinkhole at the mine in 2016. After the incident, the mine was closed resulting in over one-thousand-500 workers losing their jobs.

# Four people have died and about 20 injured after the roof of a two-storey building collapsed on the popular Spanish island of Majorca. Several people are believed to still be trapped. According to the BBC, local police told reporters that the balcony may have collapsed due to excess weight being placed on it, but emphasised that the exact cause was still being investigated. Spain’s prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, said he was monitoring the situation closely and his government would send all the required assistance.

# Tennis: World number one Novak Djokovic is through to the semifinals of the Geneva Open. The 37-year-old Serbian defeated Tallon Griekspoor of the Netherlands, 7-5, 6-1, to set up a clash with Czech Tomas Machac in the last four. The 24-time Grand Slam champion will head to Roland Garros after this tournament in the hope of defending his title. Djokovic says Griekspoor was a tough opponent:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-47-cents and the euro at 19-rand-97-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-45-cents and Bitcoin trades at 37-thousand-732-dollars-96-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-332-dollars-82-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 81-dollars-36-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….