June 11, 2025.

For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m

Making headlines:

Ramaphosa calls for caution, cooperation amid winter conditions, assuring govt’s full attention

Sacci reports business confidence up slightly, month-on-month, but strongly, year-on-year

And, Sudanese army retreats from Libyan border after alleging Haftar attack

President Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed sadness at the loss of lives in incidents in the Eastern Cape that have been linked to severe weather conditions, calling for caution, care and cooperation during severe winter conditions.

Six bodies were recovered near Mthatha and another near Tsolo in the Eastern Cape, in incidents arising from flooding. Ramaphosa noted another incident, where three children were rescued while several of their fellow learners went missing after the vehicle in which they were travelling to school was swept away by floodwaters near Mthatha.

He offered his condolences to bereaved families, affected communities and Eastern Cape residents.

Ramaphosa assured that national, provincial and municipal authorities, including the National Disaster Management Centre, were giving the requisite attention to crises as they unfold.

The South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry reported that its latest Business Confidence Index had “lost some momentum” in April and May. The BCI had declined by 8.6 index points in April, to 114.9, but had then regained 0.9 points in May, to reach 115.8. Although lower than the BCI level earlier this year, the May figure was still eight points up, year-on-year.

Sacci classifies month-on-month periods as short-term, and year-on-year as medium-term. In the latest short-term period, the financial environment was supportive of the business climate, but on the other hand the business environment was actively hampered by subdued activity in the real economy. Over the latest medium-term period, the real economic activity and financial environment indices were evenly balanced “on having a positive effect on business confidence”.

During April and May, six of the BCI’s 14 sub-indices strengthened, two stayed neutral, and six weakened. During May, the strongest beneficial short-term influences on business sentiment were (in Sacci’s order) a stronger rand exchange rate, higher share prices on the JSE, and high gold and platinum prices (in US dollar terms). The main factors that were negative for business confidence were (again in Sacci’s order) international exposure with lower merchandise imports, fewer international tourists, a reduction in the value of approved building plans, and a decline in manufacturing output in April and May.

However, the medium-term view was more positive.

The Sudanese army retreated from the Libya-Egypt-Sudan border triangle area, it said today, a day after it accused forces loyal to eastern Libyan military commander Khalifa Haftar of an attack alongside the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.

Sudanese soldiers, largely from former rebel groups aligned with the army, had patrolled the area. Sudan's military, which is fighting against the RSF in a civil war, accuses the RSF and Haftar's forces of using the corridor for weapons deliveries. The area is close to the city of al-Fashir, one of the war's main frontlines.

The Sudanese army said as part of its defensive arrangements to repel aggression, its forces today evacuated the triangle area.

Late on Tuesday, Haftar's forces had denied participating in a cross-border attack, saying forces allied to the Sudanese army had attacked Libyan patrols.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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