News 09:00

BULLETIN 20 June 9 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Parliament says IPID’s case backlog weakens public trust
# The FF Plus welcomes the crackdown on non-compliant spaza shops
# And Russia’s Economy minister says the country is on the brink of a recession

# Parliament’s portfolio committee on Police says delays in consequence management in the Independent Police Investigative Directorate weaken public trust and compromise internal discipline. This comes as the IPID has a case backlog of 14-thousand-469 involving police officers with allegations including deaths in custody, torture, and corruption. Committee chairperson Ian Cameron says the 126.3-million-rand additional funding over the medium term will hopefully significantly contribute to reducing the case backlog.

# Cosatu has commended the Public Investment Corporation for reaching a historic three-trillion-rand in assets, up from 2.7-trillion-rand last year and 1.8-trillion-rand during the Covid-19 slump. Cosatu’s Matthew Parks says the PIC must continue protecting workers’ funds while supporting economic growth, job creation, and sustainable development in South Africa:

# The Freedom Front Plus has welcomed the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department shutting down six spaza shops for failing to comply with, among other things, health regulations. The spaza shops are located in Alberton, Edenvale and Katlehong. FF Plus, Jennifer Glover, says there are many more spaza shops in the metro operating without adhering to basic health and safety regulations, thus putting the health and well-being of communities at risk:

# Russia’s Economy minister, Maxim Reshetnikov, says that based on current business sentiments, the country’s economy is on the verge of sliding into recession. Moscow this month cut interest rates for the first time since 2022, easing borrowing costs to 20-percent. The country’s economic growth slowed to 1.4-percent year-on-year in the first quarter of 2025, the lowest quarterly figure in two years. Reshetnikov says avoiding a recession would depend on policy decisions.

# Golf: World number one Scottie Scheffler hit an opening-round 62 to tie the lead with fellow American Austin Eckroat at the Travelers Championship in Connecticut. Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy also made a strong start to sit two shots back on six-under, together with Americans Keegan Bradley and Wyndham Clark. England’s Tommy Fleetwood and Norwegian Viktor Hovland also made solid starts, shooting 66 to sit four off the lead. Scheffler says he is happy with his start:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-98-cents and the euro at 20-rand-74-cents. One British pound costs 24-rand-27-cents and Bitcoin trades at 104-thousand-576-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-354-dollars-92-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 75-dollars-63-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….