News 16:00

BULLETIN 14 June 4 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The DA leader confirms Cyril Ramaphosa as the government of national unity’s presidential candidate 
# A former deputy president calls on all MPs to uphold the Constitution 
# And Olympics: A Wits fencer is set to make history at the Paris Games 

# DA leader John Steenhuisen has confirmed ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa will be the presidential candidate for the government of national unity. In a media briefing, Steenhuisen said the challenges facing the country remain serious, highlighting high unemployment, crime, infrastructure decline, and endemic corruption:

Meanwhile, former deputy president Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka has urged all members of Parliament to respect the Constitution, emphasising that it cannot be compromised. Mlambo-Ngcuka stresses that the new government should prioritise the rule of law, and advised the ANC to align with cooperative parties. She also warns of potential challenges within the government of national unity, emphasising that all parties should prioritise the interests of South Africans.

# ANC Gauteng chairperson Panyaza Lesufi has been re-elected unopposed as premier of the province. In his address to the legislature, he emphasised cross-party collaboration for the province’s improvement. Lesufi, who took office in October 2022, oversaw the scrapping of e-tolls and launched initiatives like the Nasi Ispani campaign for youth employment, and crime prevention wardens. He stressed the need to enhance Gauteng’s status as an economic hub:

# MTN Business has secured a three-year contract to implement smart electricity and water technology across  257 municipalities, aiming to enhance efficiency and sustainability. CEO Charles Molapisi highlights the benefits for households, businesses, and municipalities, aligning with global trends in digital technology adoption. The contract highlights MTN Business’s role in public sector digitisation, promoting transparent utility management and ensuring constitutional rights to water and dignity.

# Olympics: University of the Witwatersrand Engineering student, Harry Saner, has qualified for the Paris Games, becoming the first South African fencer to compete in nearly two decades. His journey to become a world-class fencer started early in 2010 as a nine-year-old. Saner is the second fencer to qualify for the Olympics since 2008. Juliana Barrett qualified for the 2016 Rio Games, but was denied a chance to take part due to the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee’s selection criteria.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-34-cents and the euro at 19-rand-59-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-27-cents and Bitcoin trades at 67-thousand-216-dollars-44-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-321-dollars-37-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 83-dollars-4-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….