News 13:00

BULLETIN 23 June 1 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Banks are accused of apartheid-era tactics in the South African home repossession crisis
# All public servants are asked to relinquish their medical aids
# And rugby: Five debutants are included in the All Blacks’ squad for the home Test series against France

# Lungelo Lethu Human Rights Foundation president Nkululeko Xhelithole says South African banks still operate on apartheid-style systems amid a growing home repossession crisis. He likens it to past forced removals, criticising banks for ignoring constitutional housing rights. This follows a High Court rebuke of Standard Bank’s attempt to foreclose on the home of Zwelinzima Vavi of union federation Saftu. Meanwhile, banking law advisor, Douglas Shaw, has criticised the government for failing to reform laws that allow banks to auction repossessed homes at far below market value.

# The founder of Young Intelligent Minds of South Africa, Jeffrey Mabunda, has called on all public servants to relinquish their medical aids, and use public hospitals for medical care. He says when deputy president Paul Mashatile is sick he does not go to Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital. Mabunda says instead South Africans will hear that he is secretly receiving medical care in Russia just like in the days of former deputy president David Mabuza:

# Mashatile has in the meantime returned to South Africa after concluding a working visit to Russia. He engaged in a number of activities aimed at strengthening the bilateral trade and economic relations between the countries. Mashatile says the importance of the Global South in shaping international economic governance is undeniable. He says Africa is fast becoming a centre of global growth. The deputy president says the continent has the potential to drive the next wave of industrialisation, digital transformation, and sustainable development.

# The Workers and Socialist Party has condemned the US military strikes on Iran, saying this marks a catastrophic escalation of imperialist aggression. America bombed three nuclear facilities in Iran over the weekend, claiming it has obliterated the country’s nuclear ambitions. The party’s Mametlwe Sebei says this war is not about security, but about the US and Israeli domination of the Middle East, control of resources, and propping up prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s collapsing far-right government:

# Rugby: All Blacks coach Scott Robertson has named five debutants in his 33-man squad for next month’s three home Tests against France, while Scott Barrett returns as captain. The uncapped players are Brodie McAlister, Ollie Norris, Fabian Holland, Du’Plessis Kirifi, and Timoci Tavatavanawai. Samisoni Taukei’aho and Quinn Tupaea, who have not featured for New Zealand since 2023 and ’22, respectively, are back in the squad. Robertson says they had to balance continuity and opportunity:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-7-cents and the euro at 20-rand-71-cents. One British pound costs 24-rand-18-cents and Bitcoin trades at 101-thousand-603-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-367-dollars-19-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 75-dollars-88-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….