News 06:00

BULLETIN 22 April 6 AM

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The DA says it has new evidence of the ANC using state funds to solicit votes
# The FF Plus rules out a coalition with the ANC, EFF, or MK Party
# And load-shedding remains suspended

# The DA says it has new and damning evidence confirming that the ANC intends to use taxpayer money to help it win votes in next month’s election. Last week the party laid a complaint against the ruling party to the Public Protector for manipulation of public resources. DA leader, John Steenhuisen, says in a leaked recording from an ANC National Executive Committee meeting earlier this month, the party’s top brass allegedly instructed senior public office bearers to manipulate the public purse to pay for the election campaign:

# Freedom Front Plus leader Pieter Groenewald has reaffirmed the party’s stance against forming coalitions with what he calls radical parties, such as the ANC, EFF or uMkhonto we Sizwe. Groenewald emphasised the party’s commitment to the Multi-Party Charter and called for the removal of the ANC to usher in a new government. He says the party is against land expropriation without compensation, as landownership and its protection is a pillar of democracy.

# Eskom says load-shedding remains suspended until further notice, due to sustained generation capacity and adequate emergency reserves. Today marks 26 days of no load-shedding, surpassing the 20 consecutive days achieved in June 2022. The power utility says two-thousand-660 megawatts will be restored by this evening. It adds that it remains committed to ultimately eliminating the rotational power outages.

# Tshwane police have launched a manhunt following the killing of popular comedian and DJ, Peter Mabuse. He was killed in a hail of bullets after he finished a performance in Soshanguve, north of Pretoria, in the early hours of yesterday morning. Gauteng police spokesperson, Noxolo Kweza, says Mabuse died in hospital while another victim who was with him at the time of the ordeal was wounded:

# Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to fight against any sanctions imposed on Israeli military units. This follows reports that a unit of the Israel Defence Forces, Netzah Yehuda battalion, is facing US sanctions over its treatment of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. The unit has been accused of serious human rights violations against Palestinians. Netanyahu says at a time when his soldiers are fighting Hamas, the intention to sanction a unit in the IDF is the height of absurdity and a moral low.

# Golf: Switzerland’s Chiara Tamburlini won the Joburg Ladies Open by seven shots at the Modderfontein Golf Club, the largest margin of victory in the tournament’s ten-year history. This is her maiden Ladies European Tour. Thailand’s Aunchisa Utama took second place on ten-under-par with a final round of 71, while Nicole Garcia finished as the leading South African in fifth place on eight-under-par following a final round of 70. Tamburlini says getting her first win is special:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 19-rand-7-cents and the euro at 20-rand-34-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-62-cents and Bitcoin trades at 65-thousand-542-dollars-45-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-380-dollars a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 86-dollars-63-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….