News 14:00

BULLETIN 19 June 2 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Enoch Godongwana calls for full public funding of political parties to protect democracy
# A yellow level 2 weather warning is issued for the Western Cape coast
# And countries evacuate their nationals from Israel and Iran

# Finance minister Enoch Godongwana says gaps in the enforcement of the Political Party Funding Act continue to undermine the democratic system. Speaking during day two at the Electoral Commission’s first political funding symposium in Durban, Godongwana revealed the current system forces parties to rely too much on private donors, which opens the door to corruption and undue influence. He reiterated his call for full public funding of political parties to curb private influence and ensure fair elections:

BACKLINK: This report was brought to you by the National Press Club.

# The DA in Gauteng says the provincial legislature’s presiding officials deny accountability by shielding premier Panyaza Lesufi and his executive from answering questions on service delivery issues. The officials disallowed questions related to e-tolls, lifestyle audits, economic development, and gender-based violence. The DA’s Mike Moriarty says the residents expect their government to be held to account:

# The South African Weather Service has issued a Yellow Level 2 warning for rough seas in the Western Cape. Swells from Saldanha Bay on the West Coast to Plettenberg Bay on the South Coast may reach dangerous heights until Saturday morning. Residents are urged to avoid sea activities due to risks of small vessels capsising, coastal disruptions, and localised destructions on beaches. Crews of small vessels should seek shelter in harbours, bays, or inlets.

# Governments around the world are evacuating thousands of their nationals caught up in the rapidly spiralling Israel-Iran conflict, organising buses and planes and in some cases assisting people crossing borders on foot. Foreigners have rushed to leave both countries after Israel launched an unprecedented bombing campaign last Friday, targeting Iran’s nuclear and military facilities. This sparked retaliation from Tehran. With Israel’s air space closed and the two countries exchanging heavy missile fire, many people are being evacuated via neighbouring countries.

# Soccer: Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk has been charged by the Football Association for anti-doping violations and could face up to a four-year ban. The 24-year-old was provisionally suspended by the FA in December last year after failing a drugs test while playing for Ukraine in Albania and Georgia the previous month. Mudryk has maintained his innocence, saying he believes his sample was contaminated. He has not played for Chelsea since November 28th.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-4-cents and the euro at 20-rand-70-cents. One British pound costs 24-rand-23-cents and Bitcoin trades at 105-thousand-64-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-376-dollars-26-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 75-dollars-70-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….