News 14:00

BULLETIN 15 May 2 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The ANC’s national executive committee backs Ramaphosa amid resignation and impeachment calls
# AfriForum wants clarity on the diplomatic status of the extradition efforts for the Gupta brothers
# And golf: South Africa’s Garrick Higgo recovers from a two-stroke penalty to shoot 69 in the US PGA

# ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula says the party’s national executive committee did not discuss recalling president Cyril Ramaphosa following the Constitutional Court’s ruling on the Phala Phala matter. He briefed the media after the NEC meeting. Mbalula says Ramaphosa’s resignation was never on the agenda. He reaffirmed the ANC’s full support for Ramaphosa, saying branches elected him to a five-year term, with his mandate remaining intact until the next conference in 2027:

# State-owned defence company Denel has outlined plans to restore and grow its operations during a presentation to Parliament. The group says its strategy focuses on supporting the South African National Defence Force, improving financial sustainability and expanding international partnerships. Denel aims to grow turnover by five-billion-rand over the next five years while rebuilding its reputation as a reliable defence supplier. The company also plans to diversify products, expand into new markets and strengthen governance, operational efficiency and compliance across its divisions.

# AfriForum says National Director for Public Prosecutions, Andy Mothibi, must provide clarity regarding the current status of efforts to extradite the Gupta brothers from the United Arab Emirates. Last year, the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption stated it would submit a fresh application for the extradition of Rajesh and Atul Gupta, suspected of involvement in state capture. AfriForum’s Jacques Broodryk says Mothibi must indicate what obstacles continue to hinder the extradition process:

# Golf: South African Garrick Higgo recovered from a two-stroke penalty to record a one-under-par 69 in the first round of the US PGA Championship. He was penalised for arriving seconds late from the practice putting green for his tee time, but is still only two shots behind a group of seven players, including compatriot Aldrich Potgieter, who share the early lead. Twenty-seven-year-old Higgo shot four birdies, and says he is super proud because he showed mental strength the way he kept fighting.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-61-cents and the euro at 19-rand-33-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-20-cents and Bitcoin trades at 80-thousand-505-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-552-dollars-46-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 105-dollars-43-cents a barrel.

# And finally: The Gauteng Department of Health has warned against the use of unverified and unregulated injectable substances for body enhancement and sexual performance purposes. This follows two cases in Ekurhuleni where patients suffered severe complications, including organ failure, after allegedly using unregulated products obtained through informal channels. The department’s spokesperson, Steve Mabona, says both cases are currently being investigated:

Stay tuned for more news………….