News 14:00

BULLETIN 2 June 2 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Minister Macpherson receives the final report on the George building collapse
# Aviation Coordination Services welcomes the approval for urgent airport security upgrades
# And cricket: Stuart Broad reportedly joins the Proteas as a consultant ahead of the WTC Final

# Public Works and Infrastructure minister, Dean Macpherson, has received the final report from the Council for the Built Environment on the tragic building collapse in George which claimed the lives of 34 individuals and injured 28 others. This report marks a critical step in the Department’s commitment to uncover the truth behind this preventable disaster. The minister says the department will now carefully study the report to develop a pathway forward to ensure that such a tragedy never happens again.

# Aviation Coordination Services has welcomed the South African Civil Aviation Authority’s approval to replace four critical Hold Baggage Screening units at OR Tambo and King Shaka International Airports. This follows a Johannesburg High Court ruling mandating the urgent upgrades amid concerns over aging equipment. ACS CEO Duke Phahla says the approved replacements aim to ensure passenger safety and operational continuity. He emphasised the importance of uninterrupted security operations:

# Russian and Ukrainian officials will meet today in Istanbul to exchange their plans on how to end the three-year war, Europe’s largest conflict since World War Two. This follows after Kyiv said it carried out one of its most successful attacks, hitting bombers parked at airbases deep inside Russia. Urged on by US president Donald Trump, Moscow and Kyiv have opened direct negotiations for the first time since the early weeks of Russia’s invasion, but have yet to make significant progress towards an elusive agreement.

# Cricket: South Africa has reportedly roped in former England fast bowler, Stuart Broad, as a consultant ahead of the World Test Championship final against Australia, which begins at Lord’s next Wednesday. According to reports, the 38-year-old will attend a training session of the Proteas next Monday, where he will help the likes of Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, and Marco Jansen. The Proteas have assembled in the UK and will face Zimbabwe in Sussex tomorrow, as part of their buildup for the final.

# Financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-93-cents and the euro at 20-rand-47-cents. One British pound costs 24-rand-27-cents and Bitcoin trades at 104-thousand-372-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-345-dollars-27-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 64-dollars-84-cents a barrel.

# And finally: South African National Parks has expressed its deepest condolences on the passing of the Greater Kruger Environmental Protection Foundation CEO, Sharon Haussmann. SANParks  spokesperson, JP Louw says Haussmann’s passing comes at a critical time in the history of conservation in South Africa, as SANParks embarks on a bold new strategic direction Vision 2040, which places collaboration, sustainability, and inclusive conservation at the heart of building resilient protected areas:

Stay tuned for more news………….