News 07:00

BULLETIN 25 March 7 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# President Ramaphosa is confident that the government will bring crime down
# Nearly 300 kidnapped schoolchildren are rescued in Nigeria
# And rugby: The defending champions, England are off to a winning start in the Women’s Six Nations

# ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa says he is confident that the government will be able to bring crime under control. He visited Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape yesterday, as part of the ruling party’s election campaign. Murders in the third quarter of the 2023/2024 year increased by 2.1-percent, leading to 155 more murders compared to quarter three in 2022/2023. Ramaphosa says every effort is being made to bring crime down:

# The African Transformation Movement has promised economic transformation, job creation, and quality public healthcare amongst other things, if elected into government. The party launched its election manifesto in Soweto, south of Johannesburg, yesterday. This is ahead of the general elections on the 29th of May. ATM leader, Vuyolwethu Zungula, says his party needs to build a capable state that is not failing to govern:

# National Assembly speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula’s application to interdict her arrest will be heard in the Pretoria High Court today. She is accused of accepting bribes worth millions from a military contractor while she was Defence and Military Veterans minister. In her interdict application, Mapisa-Nqakula demands the full disclosure of the case against her including the charges, notes from the investigators, and the complete investigation file. The National Prosecuting Authority’s Investigating Directorate will oppose the application, saying it is baseless and has no merit.

# ANC KwaZulu-Natal chairperson Siboniso Duma will visit Zulu King Misuzulu kaZwelithini today, accompanied by party members, to apologise for grabbing the microphone from traditional Zulu prime minister Thulasizwe Buthelezi during the 110th commemoration of the death of King Dinuzulu kaCetshwayo. This sparked violence, leaving 16 ANC supporters injured in the altercation with Inkatha Freedom Party members. King Misuzulu criticised Duma’s behaviour as unbecoming, un-African, and against the values of the Zulu nation. He reminded the provincial government to respect the prime minister’s position. 

# Nearly 300 schoolchildren kidnapped in Nigeria earlier this month have been rescued unharmed by the army. The learners were abducted by armed bandits on motorcycles, who stormed the LEA Primary and Secondary School in Kuriga village, on the seventh of this month. Officials say the rescue operation took place in the early hours of yesterday morning, days before a ransom deadline. Kidnap gangs, known as bandits, have seized thousands of people in recent years, especially in the north-west of Nigeria.

# Rugby: Defending champions England thrashed Italy 48-nil in the opening round of the 23rd edition of the Women’s Six Nations in Parma. The Red Roses were under pressure early after Sarah Beckett’s yellow card for a dangerous first-half ruck clear-out was upgraded to red after a bunker review. England scored eight tries on their way to a bonus-point victory as they seek a third successive Grand Slam and a sixth straight title. England’s, Marlie Packer, says they played well:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-92-cents and the euro at 20-rand-48-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-87-cents and Bitcoin trades at 66-thousand-642-dollar-88-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-177-dollar-23-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 85-dollars-88-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….