News 11:00

BULLETIN 7 March 11 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The Appeal Court is hearing the NPA’s case on Nulane Investments today
# Three people are killed and four wounded in a shootout in Sandton
# And King Charles partners with Apple Music to release his playlist

# The Supreme Court of Appeal is today hearing the National Prosecuting Authority’s application to appeal the acquittal of the eight accused in the 24.9-million-rand Gupta-linked Nulane Investment case. The case relates to money being paid by the Free State Department of Agriculture to Nulane to conduct a feasibility study for the province’s Mohoma Mobung project. The study went on to lay the basis for the Vrede dairy farm scam. The accused include Gupta associates and Free State government officials. The NPA wants the SCA to order a retrial.

# The Institute of Race Relations is calling for the scrapping of broad-based black economic empowerment, as it hampers economic growth and benefits only a connected elite. The organisation has invited the World Bank for discussions on market-friendly policies after the bank’s recent report identified BEE as an anti-growth policy. The institute’s Makone Maja says South Africa needs seven-percent annual gross domestic product growth, but policies like BEE act as investment disincentives:

# Three people were shot dead and four others wounded at a restaurant in Sandton, Johannesburg, last night. Police spokesperson Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi says according to preliminary investigations, a man with a firearm wanted to enter the restaurant, which has a no firearm policy. She says an altercation broke out, leading to a shooting between the man’s bodyguards and security. She says no arrests have been made as yet:

# Rugby: Flyhalf Romain Ntamack and right wing Damian Penaud return to France’s group for tomorrow’s expected blockbuster Six Nations clash with defending champion and log leader Ireland in Dublin. Ntamack served a suspension and Penaud didn’t play in the previous match against Italy. Head coach Fabien Galthie has again chosen seven forwards and just one back player on the bench, the same tactic that worked during the 73-24 thrashing of Italy. He says this is linked to the profiles of their current best players.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-15-cents and the euro at 19-rand-65-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-41-cents and Bitcoin trades at 88-thousand-142-dollars. Gold sells at two-thousand-912-dollars-72-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 69-dollars-47-cents a barrel.

# And finally, King Charles has partnered with Apple Music to release his own playlist, an exclusive insight into his relationship with music. The King’s Music Room features artists crossing continents and genres, including Bob Marley, Kylie Minogue, and Grace Jones, alongside contemporary talent such as Davido and Raye. Charles’ full choice of tracks will be published on Monday for Commonwealth Day. He says the songs have helped form the soundtrack to his life:

Stay tuned for more news………….