US ban on nationals from 12 countries begins while Mashatile faces questions on VIP bodyguards.
Monday 9 June
Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie will brief the media on the repatriation of Khoi and San ancestral remains and the recovery of South African liberation fighters who died in exile.
Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Dion George is expected to sign the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Agreement at the UN Oceans Conference in Nice, France.
A US travel ban signed by President Donald Trump takes effect, barring nationals from Iran, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. Iran has condemned the ban as reflecting a “supremacist and racist mentality”, while the African Union warned of damage to educational and diplomatic ties.
John Ewing Jr. is sworn in as Mayor of Omaha, becoming the first black person to hold the office in Nebraska’s largest city. His election has been hailed by Democrats as a sign of changing electoral tides in the Midwest.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte visits the United Kingdom for talks with Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Defence Secretary John Healey.
London Tech Week opens with around 45,000 delegates from over 90 countries. Speakers include NVIDIA’s Jensen Huang, Mistral AI’s Arthur Mensch and UK Science Secretary Peter Kyle.
South African artists feature prominently at the 2025 Black Entertainment Television (BET) Awards in Los Angeles. Tyla and DJ Uncle Waffles are nominated for Best International Act, while Maglera Doe Boy, Dlala Thukzin and Amapiano DJ duo TxC are shortlisted for Best New International Act.
Tuesday 10 June
Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi opens the fourth G20 Health Working Group meeting in Johannesburg.
Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen delivers the keynote address at the National Biosecurity Summit at the University of Pretoria’s Hatfield campus.
The Ministry of Transport will meet with the Road Accident Fund board to discuss the suspension of CEO Collins Letsoalo and the prospects of restoring good governance at the entity.
The Portfolio Committee on Communications and Digital Technologies will hear from state-owned entities including Eskom, Transnet and PRASA on digital infrastructure challenges.
The National Assembly will hold a Youth Day debate on skills for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. It will also vote on a resolution of censure against the Minister of Finance for allegedly mishandling the national budget process.
Western Cape Mobility Minister Isaac Sileku will launch phase two of the Jobseeker Travel Voucher Programme in Mitchells Plain, expanding access to free Golden Arrow bus travel for unemployed residents seeking work.
The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition host an awareness session in Mbombela on the R500-million Spaza Shop Support Fund.
President Donald Trump will address troops and veterans at Fort Bragg as part of the US Army’s 250th birthday celebrations.
Argentine President Javier Milei arrives in Israel for a diplomatic visit focused on reaffirming ties and urging the release of Argentine-Israeli hostages held in Gaza.
The United Nations Population Fund releases its State of the World Population 2025 report.
Wednesday 11 June
The Cabinet is expected to meet in Cape Town.
The Portfolio Committee on Police will assess SAPS compliance with the Domestic Violence Act and measures to combat gender-based violence and crimes against children.
The Portfolio Committee on Health continues public hearings on the Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill.
The Portfolio Committee on International Relations and Cooperation will receive a briefing on conflict in Sudan and South Sudan and South Africa’s role in peacebuilding efforts.
Parliament will debate and consider the 2025 Fiscal Framework and Revenue Proposals.
Science and Technology Minister Blade Nzimande will lead South Africa’s delegation to the Belt and Road Conference in Chengdu, China, engaging on cooperation in AI, energy, transport, and traditional medicine.
By-elections take place in two wards in the Thembisile Hani Local Municipality in Mpumalanga.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk is expected to call a parliamentary confidence vote to reassert control after the surprise presidential win by Trump-aligned nationalist Karol Nawrocki – a move aimed at stiffening resolve within his pro-EU coalition in the face of a resurgent right.
Australia and South Africa face off in the ICC World Test Championship final at Lord’s. It is South Africa’s first appearance in the final, while Australia are the defending champions.
On this day in 2010, the FIFA World Cup kicked off in Johannesburg – the first on African soil. Hosts South Africa held Mexico to a 1–1 draw, with Siphiwe Tshabalala scoring with a powerful left-footed strike that became an iconic moment in South African sporting history.
Thursday 12 June
Deputy President Paul Mashatile will face questions in the National Assembly over the conduct of his VIP protection unit, including whether he has apologised to the man assaulted by his bodyguards on the N1 highway. Other questions will cover gang violence, water service failures, land reform, and the withdrawal of US HIV/AIDS funding.
The Department of Electricity and Energy will open the Africa Green Hydrogen Summit in Cape Town.
Trade union Solidarity and the Free Market Foundation will present a report that calculates the “huge cost of BEE” on the economy.
On this day in 1964, Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu and six other anti-apartheid leaders were sentenced to life imprisonment at the Rivonia Trial.
The 125th US Open golf tournament begins at Oakmont Country Club in Texas. World No 1 Scottie Scheffler leads the field with three wins in his last four starts.
Friday 13 June
Friday the 13th is considered unlucky due to associations with betrayal at the Last Supper, Norse myth, and the arrest of the Knights Templar.
The Portfolio Committee on Basic Education will be briefed by the South African Human Rights Commission on issues including school sanitation and violence against learners.
International Albinism Awareness Day will highlight the urgent need to prevent skin cancer in persons with albinism through greater access to awareness, screenings, and sunscreen.
Saturday 14 June
Washington, D.C. hosts a vast military parade marking the 250th anniversary of the US Army – an event that happens to coincide with President Trump’s 79th birthday.
On this day in 2005, President Thabo Mbeki dismissed Deputy President Jacob Zuma after Zuma’s former adviser, Schabir Shaik, was convicted of soliciting bribes from arms company Thales on Zuma’s behalf.
Che Guevara, a Marxist revolutionary and key figure in the Cuban Revolution, was born on this day in 1928.
Sunday 15 June
It is Father’s Day in South Africa. According to a recent report by Stellenbosch University, fewer than 36% of children live with their biological fathers, and nearly one in four grow up in homes without any adult men.
World Elder Abuse Awareness Day is observed globally. A recent report by NGO Ikamva Labantu found that women in Cape Town’s townships are especially vulnerable to elder abuse including economic exploitation, neglect, and gender-based violence.
The annual G7 Summit opens in Canada’s Kananaskis Valley. Ukraine President Zelenskyy is in attendance and reportedly seeking a meeting with US PresidentTrump.
The expanded 32-team FIFA Club World Cup kicks off in the US, with Inter Miami facing Egypt’s Al Ahly in the opener at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium. South Africa is represented by Mamelodi Sundowns.
The Canadian Formula 1 Grand Prix takes place in Montreal.
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Ockham Communications relies on a range of sources to compile the Ockham Observer and cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies or omissions.