News 18:00

BULLETIN 27 February 6 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Nearly 500 rhinos were killed by poachers in South Africa last year
# The GOOD party condemns Jacob Zuma’s alleged homophobic remarks
# And Soccer: Man City’s trophy tour is heading to Cape Town 

# Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Barbara Creecy, has expressed deep concern over the surge in rhino poaching. Just under 500 of the endangered animals were killed by poachers last year, marking an 11-percent increase from 2022. Creecy says the poaching is driven by demand from Asia, where horns are used in traditional medicine for their supposed therapeutic effect. She says tightened security has pushed poachers towards regional and private reserves:

# The GOOD party urges citizens to reject the exploitation of LGBTQIA-plus rights for political gain. The party condemns former president Jacob Zuma, who recently labelled the legalisation of same-sex relationships as a disgrace. They argue Zuma’s remarks undermine constitutional protections and further contribute to the struggle the LGBTQIA+ community faces daily. GOOD spokesperson Carlos Mesquita urges leaders to denounce such statements and uphold the rights of LGBTQIA+ citizens, fostering a society that respects and protects the constitutional minority:

# Deputy president Paul Mashatile says the government is responding swiftly to the gender-based violence and femicide epidemic by prioritising robust institutions and solid evidence. Addressing the national conference on the review of the integrated criminal justice system, Mashatile says in the ongoing battle against GBVF, the government has implemented legislative changes, including the Gender-Based Violence and Femicide Bill. He adds the courts have shown a 27.9-percent increase in life imprisonment sentences for these crimes in the 2022/2023 fiscal year:

# Soccer: Manchester City’s trophy tour will stop at Croquet Lawn in the V-and-A Waterfront in Cape Town on the 17th of next month. Exclusive access to the silverware will be granted to members of Manchester City’s official supporters club in South Africa. Club veteran Shaun Wright-Phillips and coaches will also deliver coaching sessions for young fans. Attendees can take photos with the trophies the team won last year, namely the Premier League, FA Cup, Champions League, Super Cup, and Club World Cup.

# Financial indicators: The dollar trades at 19-rand-14-cents and the euro at 20-rand-75-cents. One British pound costs 24-rand-26-cents and Bitcoin trades at 57-thousand-8-dollars-69-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-and-36-dollars-20-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 81-dollars-92-cents a barrel.

# And finally: The South African Weather Service urges residents to prepare for sweltering temperatures, with a yellow level two warning for damaging winds affecting sea navigation between Cape Columbine and Cape Agulhas. High fire danger warnings are in place for Kamiesberg, and Hantam local municipalities in the Northern Cape, as well as the West Coast and Central Karoo district municipalities in the Western Cape. Advisories predict extremely hot and uncomfortable conditions with temperatures reaching 40 degrees Celsius over the coming days. The public is advised to minimise exposure to the heat and take necessary precautions.

Stay tuned for more news………….