News 14:00

BULLETIN 1 June 2 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Glencore-Merafe halts its retrenchments after the power tariff relief
# Benjamin Netanyahu orders the Israeli Defence Force to attack targets in Hezbollah’s stronghold
# And rugby: The injured Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu is facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines

# The Glencore-Merafe Chrome Venture has halted planned retrenchments after energy regulator NERSA approved a discounted electricity tariff of 62-cents-per-kilowatt-hour. The new tariff is aimed at supporting struggling ferrochrome smelters facing high energy costs. NERSA approved agreements for Glencore-Merafe and Samancor Chrome, while conditions require regular progress reporting and prevent revenue losses from being passed on to other consumers. The company says the decision will help stabilise operations, protect jobs and support the phased restart of smelting activities.

# Suspended KwaZulu-Natal Hawks head Lesetja Senona will resume his testimony before the Madlanga commission on Friday. He was scheduled to appear today, but his legal team requested additional time to prepare his statement. Senona has been implicated in the 2021 theft of 541-kilograms of cocaine from a Hawks storage facility in Port Shepstone. Commission chairperson Mbuyiseli Madlanga ordered him to submit his statement by tomorrow night:

# The GOOD Party in the Western Cape has formally submitted a request to Stellenbosch municipal manager, Geraldine Mettler, for a comprehensive investigation into the operation of the GoNOW electric scooter services within the CBD. This follows numerous complaints regarding reckless and unsafe conduct associated with the operation of these electric scooters within public spaces and roads. GOOD’s Marius van Stade says public safety, accountability, and lawful governance must remain paramount:

Moving abroad:

# Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has ordered strikes on the Dahiyeh suburb of Beirut. This is a stronghold of Iranian-backed militants Hezbollah in the Lebanese capital. Netanyahu says this is in light of repeated violations of the ceasefire in Lebanon by the terrorist organisation, and attacks on Israeli cities and citizens. Israel has largely avoided striking in Beirut since the mid-April ceasefire was agreed, at the request of US president Donald Trump’s administration. The incursion in Lebanon has already claimed the lives of more than three-thousand-370 people.

# Rugby: Springbok flyhalf, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, is facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines after suffering an injury in the Stormers’ United Rugby Championship quarterfinal victory over Cardiff. Scans confirmed the 24-year-old sustained a high ankle sprain. Feinberg-Mngomezulu is facing up to three months on the sidelines, ruling him out of the Springboks’ Nations Championship matches against England, Scotland and Wales next month. He says this latest injury is a reminder that no player is immune to setbacks. The Stormers won 44-21.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-24-cents and the euro at 18-rand-91-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-85-cents and Bitcoin trades at 72-thousand-538-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-505-dollars-14-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 93-dollars-64-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….