News 15:00

BULLETIN 13 June 3 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Sassa provides Eastern Cape flood victims with blankets and essentials
# The EU calls for restraint and to refrain from retaliation after Israel attacks Iran
# And rugby: The Currie Cup First Division starts tomorrow

# The SA Social Security Agency will provide support to Eastern Cape families affected by deadly floods with food, cash vouchers, blankets, and other essentials. CEO Themba Matlou confirmed the agency’s intervention through its Social Relief of Distress programme. Floods in OR Tambo and Amathole districts claimed 78 lives and displaced hundreds of people. Matlou says teams are active at three sites, serving meals and distributing vanity and baby packs. Sassa also has a plan to provide basic needs packages which includes mattresses and school uniforms to restore stability.

# Staying in the Eastern Cape: The principal of Bergview College, Jaco Pieterse is laying crimen injuria charges against EFF leader Julius Malema, ANC secretary general Fikile Mbalula, and MEC for Education Fundile Gade for falsely accusing him of raping a learner, Cwecwe. Pieterse demands accountability, saying the false claims brought threats and personal harm. AfriForum’s Barry Bateman says police found no evidence of rape and they will pursue criminal charges against those responsible:

# AfriForum has filed a Promotion of Access to Information Act application to Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi and the provincial Roads Department, seeking answers on the costs, timing, and purpose of Gauteng’s new number plates. AfriForum’s Louis Boshoff warns the initiative could become an expensive burden with minimal benefit. He questions the urgency, citing bigger infrastructure failures:

# The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, called for all sides to exercise restraint after Israeli strikes targeted Iran’s nuclear programme and military leadership. Kallas wrote on X that the situation in the Middle East is dangerous. EU officials say Kallas spoke to Israeli Foreign minister Gideon Saar this morning following the strikes. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen added her voice to the calls for calm, urging all parties to exercise maximum restraint, de-escalate immediately and refrain from retaliation.

# Rugby: The First Division of South Africa’s iconic Currie Cup competition kicks off tomorrow when Eastern Province will host SWD Eagles in Gqeberha, while the Griffons will play the Valke in Welkom. The other match will be between the Leopards and the Border Bulldogs in Potchefstroom. The six teams will play a single round, followed by the semifinals on the 19th of July, and the final a week later. A new champion will be crowned after last year’s winner, Boland Kavaliers, were promoted to the Premier Division.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-98-cents and the euro at 20-rand-67-cents. One British pound costs 24-rand-32-cents and Bitcoin trades at 104-thousand-861-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-419-dollars-46-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 73-dollars-78-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….