News 13:00

BULLETIN 21 February 1 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The minister of Police reports a drop in murders, rapes, and carjackings
# One suspect in the Zanzou nightclub case has been arrested in Yeoville
# And soccer: Pirates and Sundowns avoid each other in the CAF Champions League quarterfinals

# Police minister Senzo Mchunu says the latest crime statistics for 1 October to 31 December last year show a decline in several key crime categories. Murder cases dropped by 9.8-percent, rapes by 3.3-percent, and attempted sexual offences by 3.2-percent compared to the same period the previous year. Mchunu told the media carjackings and robberies at residential and non-residential premises also saw a notable decline:

# A suspect has been arrested in connection with the Zanzou nightclub assault case. Police spokesperson Brenda Muridili says the man was accosted in Yeoville after Johannesburg Metro Police noticed him resembling one of the bouncers from the club in Hatfield, Pretoria, they have seen on videos on social media. Eight people are sought for the ill-treatment, torture, and sexual assault of patrons at the establishment. Muridili says the Metro Police stopped the man and placed him under arrest:

# Residents of the Bo-Kaap in Cape Town have opposed a proposed hotel development near South Africa’s oldest mosque, the Auwal Masjid. The hotel development is planned to be built less than 20-meters from the mosque. The Bo-Kaap Civic and Ratepayers Association has expressed concern over the building’s design towering over the heritage residential homes next to it, parking space, and the impact on the sound of the Muslim call to prayers. A petition to preserve the mosque has garnered over four-thousand signatures.

# The City of Tshwane says illegal land invasion is threatening development projects and community stability. The metro says it has uncovered the unlawful use of municipal land, following the discovery of a private helicopter landing pad situated on the wetland behind the Waterkloof Tennis Club. The metro’s spokesperson, Lindela Mashigo, says no official authorisation was granted for the construction and use of this helipad, therefore legal action will be taken:

# Soccer: There will be no South African derby in the CAF Champions League quarterfinals in April. Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns avoided each other in the draw, conducted in Qatar. Pirates, who finished top of Group B, will face Mouloudia Alger from Algeria, while Sundowns will take on Tunisia’s Esperance in a repeat of last year’s semifinal. Defending champions Al Ahly of Egypt will face Al Hilal from neighbouring Sudan, and Egypt’s Pyramids have been pitted against the Royal Armed Forces of Morocco.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-37-cents and the euro at 19-rand-24-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-23-cents and Bitcoin trades at 98-thousand-399-dollars. Gold sells at two-thousand-926-dollars-13-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 75-dollars-66-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….