News 14:00

BULLETIN 11 June 2 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The MK Party files an urgent Constitutional Court application to delay the first sitting of Parliament
# The Ukrainian ambassador hopes for positive results from the peace summit
# And a drink survey reveals rooibos as the top choice among South African men             

# The MK Party has filed an urgent application at the Constitutional Court to interdict the first sitting of Parliament scheduled for this Friday. Citing unresolved irregularities in the elections, the party aims to challenge the validity of the results. They argue that without their 58 members in attendance, a quorum would not be met. However, Parliament’s secretary, Xolile George, states that only 134 members are needed for a quorum. Chief Justice Raymond Zondo is expected to oversee the election of the president and the speaker of the National Assembly.

Meanwhile, the South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry has reported a significant decline in business confidence due to political uncertainty post-election. The Business Confidence Index dropped by 5.8 points in April to 108.9 points, reaching 107.8 points in May. SACCI economist Richard Downing says short-term declines were influenced by a decrease in overseas tourists and merchandise import volumes, though export volumes and new vehicle sales saw modest gains:

# The Ukrainian ambassador to South Africa, Liubov Abravitova, hopes the Ukrainian peace summit in Switzerland will yield positive results. South Africa is among 90 countries and international organisations expected to attend this weekend. Russia earlier signalled disinterest and it is unclear whether it will participate. Abravitova emphasises the summit’s importance for global stability and sustainable development. She confirmed the summit aims to agree on a path towards ending the war that started nearly 28 months ago.

# Rugby: The Bulls are the last remaining local team in this year’s United Rugby Championship, and will host Irish giants Leinster at Loftus on Saturday. Leinster is seen as favourites by many. It is a team packed with international stars that have more Test caps than the Bulls have URC caps. They are also desperate to claim silverware after losing in three successive Champions Cup finals. Leinster head coach Leo Cullen says they are excited about the challenge: 

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-70-cents and the euro at 20-rand-9-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-82-cents and Bitcoin trades at 67-thousand-192-dollars-4-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-306-dollars-4-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 81-dollars-41-cents a barrel

# And finally: Rooibos South Africa researcher Gerald Maarman says a national survey, released during Men’s Health Month, unveils fascinating insights into the beverage preferences of South African men. Conducted among more than 700 respondents, the survey captures the nuances of beverage choices among men in different settings, professions and age groups. The survey found that 46-percent of men start their day with a cup of coffee, while 30-percent opt for rooibos. Maarman says it’s encouraging to see such a significant number of men choosing rooibos to kickstart their day.

Stay tuned for more news………….