News 11:00

BULLETIN 20 June 11 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# NATJOINTS assures South Africans of a safe and secure voter registration weekend
# Israel warns about a continued Hezbollah threat
# And golf: Wyndham Clark is in the lead at the US Open

# The National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure has put comprehensive security and operational plans in place to ensure a safe, secure and peaceful voter registration weekend. Police spokesperson, Athlenda Mathe says extensive deployments have been planned across the country, with members assigned to voter registration stations, strategic routes and identified hotspots. She says operational plans include high-visibility policing, intelligence-led operations, Public Order Policing deployments and rapid response capabilities to address any incidents that may arise:

Meanwhile, the IFP national executive committee has also been deployed to various constituencies across the country this weekend. IFP spokesperson, Mkhuleko Hlengwa says the deployments form part of the party’s efforts to mobilise eligible voters to register and ensure that their voices are heard in the upcoming local government elections in November. He says citizens play a crucial role in shaping the future of their municipalities by electing capable and accountable leaders who will deliver quality services and improve the lives of all South Africans.

# Eskom says continued gains in energy availability, stronger generation performance and declining outages are driving improved system stability to customers across the country as winter electricity demand increases. The power utility spokesperson, Daphne Mokwena says this week average unplanned outages declined to ten-thousand-640-megawatts, a significant reduction of four-thousand-622-megawatts from the 15-thousand-262-megawatts recorded over the same period last year. She says this is almost equivalent to the capacity of Kusile Power Station:

# The Institute of Management Development and Productivity SA announced that South Africa has improved its position in the 2026 World Competitiveness Yearbook, rising to 54th place out of 70 economies surveyed, compared to 64th in 2025. Productivity SA Statician Juliet Mashabela says the improvement signals progress in several key areas of government efficiency, business confidence and infrastructure management. But she added significant structural challenges continue to weigh on the country’s competitiveness and economic performance:

# Israel says Hezbollah ceasefire violation and continued attacks require ongoing operation in Southern Lebanon. Israel Defence Forces spokesperson Effie Defrin says they will continue to remove immediate threats, respond to Hezbollah’s violations, and do whatever is necessary to protect civilians. Defrin says four Israeli soldiers were killed. He stated that over recent weeks, Hezbollah has launched hundreds of explosive drones and rockets at Israeli civilians and soldiers:

# And golf: American Wyndham Clark holds a commanding four-stroke lead at 7-under par heading into the weekend at the 126th U.S. Open. Competing at the challenging Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, the American distanced himself from the field during Friday’s second round. A competitive pack of chasers, including Matt Fitzpatrick, Xander Schauffele, Tom Kim, and Sam Stevens, are tied for second at 3-under par. Meanwhile, the tournament’s strict cut line is locked in at 4-over par, eliminating several notable players from the major championship.

Stay tuned for more news………….