News 17:00

BULLETIN 28 March 5 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The scrapping of Gauteng’s e-tolls is published in the Government Gazette
# The hunt intensifies for the murderers of five people in Hout Bay
# And rugby: Three Boks will anchor the Sharks’ scrum against Edinburgh

# Gauteng’s e-tolls will officially be scrapped on the 12th of April. Transport minister Sindisiwe Chikunga published the notice in the Government Gazette today. It states the toll declaration of sections of the N1, N3, N4, N12 and R21 will be withdrawn as from that date. The notice does not give any detail of refunds or what will happen to motorists’ debt.

# Western Cape Serious and Violent Crime Unit detectives have launched a man-hunt for suspects involved in a shooting in Hout Bay, Cape Town, that claimed five lives while five people were wounded. Gunmen opened fire around at a house and on a parked vehicle in Molokwane Street, Imizamo Yethu, around seven last night. The motive for the attack is still unknown. The MEC for Community Safety and Police Oversight, Reagan Allen, has condemned the killings: 

# Former president Jacob Zuma has faced the sixth legal defeat in his campaign to privately prosecute state prosecutor Billy Downer and journalist Karyn Maughan. News24 reports the Supreme Court of Appeal dismissed Zuma’s appeal bid, citing no exceptional circumstances. Three full-bench rulings have confirmed that Zuma’s attempt to charge Downer and Maughan was an abuse of process in his strategy to avoid trial for arms deal corruption. Last week, the High Court in KwaZulu-Natal dismissed Zuma’s attempt to remove Downer as his prosecutor.

# Cabinet welcomed a United Nations Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip during Ramadan, and the release of all hostages. Government says this resolution marks its leadership, being the first country to stand against human rights violations in Palestine. It believes the ceasefire will facilitate the flow of humanitarian aid. Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni says the resolution’s binding nature on all parties reflects the international community’s commitment to addressing the ongoing crisis in Gaza:

# Rugby: Springboks Ox Nché, Vincent Koch and Bongi Mbonambi will anchor the Sharks’ scrum in Saturday’s United Rugby Championship match against Edinburgh in Durban. Head coach John Plumtree replaced Ntuthuko Mchunu with Kock, while Hanru Jacobs make way for Nché. This is some of several changes to the team that beat Ulster last weekend. Koch warned his teammates the Scottish team will be way different than the one that lost to the Stormers in Cape Town when a number of their Test players were rested.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-98-cents and the euro at 20-rand-52-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-99-cents and Bitcoin trades at 70-thousand-784-dollars-88-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-206-dollars-76-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 86-dollars-42-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….