News 17:00

BULLETIN 28 June 5 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Nersa announces the approval of the 2024/2025 electricity tariffs
# The EFF is to appeal the Magistrate’s Court’s judgment against Marshall Dlamini
# And Tennis: Novak Djokovic is in the draw for Wimbledon

# The National Energy Regulator of South Africa completed the approval of 178 licensed electricity distributors’ tariffs for the 2024/2025 financial year. These tariffs, affecting municipal and private distributors, will be implemented from the first of next month. Nersa’s Charles Hlebela says distributors submitted tariffs based on cost of supply studies or detailed cost breakdowns, ensuring transparent and regulated electricity pricing across the country:

# The EFF has announced plans to appeal the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court’s judgment against secretary-general Marshall Dlamini. Dlamini received an 18-month suspended sentence and a six-thousand-rand fine for assaulting policeman Johan Carstens in Parliament in 2019. EFF spokesperson Leigh-Ann Mathys criticised the ruling as vindictive and an attempt to criminalise the EFF leadership. She says Dlamini will continue his parliamentary duties while the appeal proceeds:

# The Hawks, in partnership with private security firms and Transnet, have made substantial strides in curbing fuel theft and safeguarding critical infrastructure. Since December 2019, their joint operations have resulted in 218 arrests targeting perpetrators involved in tampering with essential pipelines. Briefing the media on progress made in combating crime, Hawks head Godfrey Lebeya says efforts to safeguard essential infrastructure and prosecute those involved in fuel theft crimes, are ongoing:

# Sudan is experiencing the highest levels of acute food insecurity ever recorded by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification Index. The latest report indicates that over 25 million people, more than half of the population, are facing this crisis. There is a chance of famine in 14 areas if the war, which began in April last year, escalates. These areas include Khartoum, Darfur, Kordofan, and El Gezira state. The World Food Programme has declared this the world’s largest hunger crisis.

# Tennis: Novak Djokovic will play at Wimbledon after being named in the draw today, despite concerns over his fitness following his withdrawal from the French Open. The Serb faces a qualifier, Vit Kopriva from the Czech Republic. World number one Jannik Sinner starts the tournament against 32-year old German, Yannick Hanfmann. Third seed Carlos Alcaraz also plays a qualifier, Estonia’s Mark Lajal in the first round. South Africa’s Lloyd Harris comes up against 19-year old American, Alex Michelsen, who is number 62 in the world rankings. The tournament starts Monday.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-13-cents and the euro at 19-rand-41-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-93-cents and Bitcoin trades at 61-thousand-238-dollars-51-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-337-dollars-40-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 85-dollars-34-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….