News 13:00

BULLETIN 6 April 1 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Deputy president Mashatile reiterates South Africa’s stance against the Israel-Hamas conflict
# Basic Education accelerates the pilot rollout of the General Education Certificate
# And, cycling: The defending champion may miss the Tour de France after a horror crash

# Deputy president Paul Mashatile reiterates South Africa’s condemnation of Israel’s assault on Palestinian civilians, affirming unwavering support for Palestine’s struggle against apartheid and genocide. Speaking at the Muslim Judicial Council Iftaar dinner, in Cape Town, Mashatile called for solidarity with the Palestinian people and emphasised the need for dialogue to prevent division within South Africa. He also called for collective action to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza:

# The Department of Basic Education is expanding the piloting of the new General Education Certificate before its full launch in 2025. The certificate, aimed at grade 9 learners, will provide a standardised qualification to enhance job prospects or further education. Chief director for Curriculum and Implementation Monitoring, Moses Simelane, says the qualification is quality assured by Umalusi. He also emphasises the certificate is not an exit qualification:

# Human Settlements minister Mmamoloko Kubayi is pushing for the repurposing of government buildings for employee housing. Speaking at the Built Environment Indaba hosted by the Black Business Council, Kubayi said this move aims to provide affordable housing near workplaces in Tshwane, Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban. The initiative focuses on inner-city rejuvenation in major metros to meet housing demands and boost the construction industry:

# Slovakians began voting today to choose a new president with the outcome determining whether the EU and NATO member shifts further towards Russia. Ivan Korcok, a 60-year-old pro-Western ex foreign minister, and Peter Pellegrini, 48, a Ukraine-sceptic backed by the ruling populists, are vying to replace the outgoing liberal president Zuzana Caputova. They are squaring off in a decisive second round as neither won the minimum 50-percent in last month’s ballot. AFP reports a final pre-election poll put Korcok and parliamentary speaker Pellegrini neck-and-neck.

# And, cycling: Defending champion Jonas Vingegaard’s participation in this year’s Tour de France is in jeopardy after he sustained multiple injuries in a crash during a race in Spain. The Danish athlete’s injuries include a broken collarbone and several broken ribs. He is in stable condition in hospital. Two more Grand Tour winners, Primož Roglič of Slovenia and Remco Evenepoel of Belgium, also suffered injuries in the crash during the fourth stage of the Tour of the Basque Country. The Tour de France starts on 29 June.

Stay tuned for more news………….