News 18:00

BULLETIN 26 June 6 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# President Ramaphosa says illegal immigration is a major national challenge
# The ANC rejects criticism of the role of the National Assembly speaker in the impeachment process
# And tennis, Jannik Sinner is optimistic about defending his Wimbledon title after surviving London’s sweltering heat

# President Cyril Ramaphosa says illegal immigration is a major national challenge affecting social cohesion, security, and public service delivery. Answering questions in the National Council of Provinces, Ramaphosa said the government is prioritising the issue and is working to strengthen border management and enforcement. He added the government will not tolerate attempts to destabilise the country:

# ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula says the party fully supports the National Assembly Speaker Thoko Dididza, as she has acted constitutionally and with proper neutrality in president Cyril Ramaphosa’s impeachment process. Following the party’s national working committee meeting, Mbalula told the media any attempt to draw Dididza into the merits of this matter is misplaced. He added the ANC believes Parliament must remain unified, functional and guided by consensus:

# Businessman Tumelo Nku has told the Madlanga Commission that the Aeroton drug incident was not the first time he shared information about possible criminal activity with law enforcement. Nku told the commission’s chair, Mbuyiseli Madlanga that he had previously exchanged information with suspended Gauteng traffic police chief Samuel Mashaba. He added that his engagement with former deputy national police commissioner Sindile Mfazi was also not his first interaction:

# Trade, Industry and Competition minister Parks Tau has signed a 232-billion-rand Country Programme agreement with African Export-Import Bank to boost trade and industrial financing for South African businesses, state-owned entities and financial institutions. The programme will support manufacturing, mineral beneficiation, energy, infrastructure and exports under the African Continental Free Trade Area. Tau says the partnership will advance industrialisation, economic transformation and regional integration. The agreement will also assist local firms access funding, expand into African markets and strengthen value chains.

# Tennis: World number one Jannik Sinner says he is optimistic of defending his Wimbledon title after surviving an exhibition match in sweltering heat in London yesterday. The Italian defeated local player Cameron Norrie in straight sets in the Giorgio Armani Classic in similar conditions that curtailed his French Open in the second round last month, when he suffered from cramps and dizziness. Sinner says he felt very good physically yesterday despite the heat of 33-degrees celcius. He will be the top seed at Wimbledon, starting on Monday.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-50-cents against the rand and the euro at 18-rand-75-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-77-cents and Bitcoin trades at 58-thousand-952-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-7-dollars-29-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 74-dollars-10-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….