News 11:00

BULLETIN 28 May 11 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# South Africa’s correctional system cannot account for nearly 28-thousand absconded parolees 
# Two people are killed in another US military strike on an alleged drug-smuggling boat in the Eastern Pacific
# And soccer: Ramaphosa approves of Bafana Bafana’s World Cup squad

# The Department of Correctional Services cannot account for 27-thousand-797 high-risk parolees who have absconded, including offenders convicted of serious crimes such as murder, rape, kidnapping, and armed robbery. An AmaBhungane investigation reveals 15-thousand-860 are archived absconders, parolees who were released between 1991 and 2004 and whom the state has failed to trace and rearrest. Gauteng has the highest number of absconders with nine-thousand-355. Spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo says they maintain a results-driven tracking and tracing capability and continue to successfully return absconded parolees to the correctional system.

# The EFF is demanding that National Assembly speaker, Thoko Didiza, opposes president Cyril Ramaphosa’s application to set aside the Section 89 independent panel’s report into Phala Phala. Ramaphosa filed papers in the Western Cape High Court on Tuesday for the review of the report. The panel found there was prima facie evidence he may have violated the Constitution in the Phala Phala saga. The EFF argues failing to oppose the application would undermine the authority, integrity and constitutional role of the National Assembly.

# ActionSA says the City of Johannesburg’s 97.1-billion-rand budget for the next financial year fails to address the lived experience of the downtrodden and the middle class. Key revenue drivers of the budget are electricity, water and wastewater, property rates, and refuse removal. ActionSA’s Mpumi Edward says the budget continues to prioritise service delivery and infrastructure investment commitments that have been repeatedly made in previous budgets:

Moving abroad:

# The US military has struck another alleged drug trafficking boat in the Eastern Pacific, killing two people. The US Southern Command says intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations. On Tuesday, the military launched another strike on a vessel suspected of transporting drugs, killing one man and leaving two survivors. Similar strikes have killed at least 194 people since last September. Legal experts and rights groups have argued that the strikes could amount to extrajudicial killings.

# Soccer: President Ramaphosa says Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has selected the best team to represent South Africa at the World Cup in Northern America. Broos named uncapped defenders Olwethu Makhanya and Bradley Cross in his final 26-player squad, which will be captained by goalkeeper Ronwen Williams. South Africa faces co-hosts Mexico in the tournament opener on 11 June. Ramaphosa has called on the players to show sportsmanship, camaraderie, professionalism, and teamwork:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-43-cents and the euro at 19-rand-8-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-4-cents and Bitcoin trades at 73-thousand-67-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-388-dollars-57-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 94-dollars-27-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….