Jacaranda FM Newswatch @ 15H00

0:00*** *** *** *** Johannesburg and MLA 24, Pretoria 27. *** Still easy going on the roads at the moment. Bram Fentaine, we got slow-moving traffic M1 south towards Smith Street and on the N12R 24, you'll find there's a stationary vehicle on the N12 East just after Galulis. Bull 1 South Africa is welcome national simply-speaker to court disease us decision to hold an urgent debate on the escalating Middle East crisis. As follows, the recent US attack on Iran, the debate will focus on among others the safety of South African in the region as well as the potential economic impacts on the country. The Midlunga commissions being the scene of another heated exchange, the enquiries continuing to hear evidence from North West businessman Suleiman Karim about the movement of money between himself, alleged crime, kingpin, Lucy Kent Matlala and businessman Morgan Malmela Karim's legal team saw to postpone the proceedings as Anastas Mahobuh reports.

1:02Tensions escalated after Karim's lawyer suggested that Matlanga had pre-judged their postponement application to which the commissions chaired to get exception of. *** Engaging council has nothing to do with matters being pre-judged and you know that I take very strong exception to that attitude. *** *** *** *** Although Karim's council Rafik Bana attempted to apologize, the chair rejected the apology pointing out that it's conditional. *** So I'm not accepting the so-called apology. Thank you very much. Anastas Mahobuh, for Jekar Rana News, watch in Plitorium. *** The halting MEC for Finance announced that the provincial treasury has finalized the appointments of a panel of debt collectors. This panel will primary aid halting provincial halting institutions in recovering overdue debts. He today tabled the provincial budget. We are pleased to announce that the beginning of the 2026-2027 financial year, we will roll

2:04out the budget monitoring initiative in departments and entities which will ensure that approved budgets are similarly uploaded and aligned across our platforms, creating a single source of truth. *** Brazilian presidents has urged the South African counterpart president Soroma Posa to boost defense cooperation, warning that both countries were vulnerable to foreign invasion. Both presidents have also been critical of the war against Iran, waged by the United States and Israel. On to international news, the House of Lords has backed a move to ban under 16s in the UK from social media platforms, opposition peers, also gave their support for the ban, which was carried by 261 votes to 150. And back home, when are the local government elections taking place this year? At this stage, debt has not been finalized. The Independent Electrical Commission says it's in talks with the Minister of Corporate

3:06of Governance to find a suitable debt. The polls must be held between November this year and January 2027, as the IEC's Electoral Officer Simon Mabolo. *** Discussions with the Minister of Coagta are at an advanced stage, he has been in contact with the Commission throughout the process and it is our hope that in the not-too-distant future, a date will be announced. That's your latest news, more at full.