News 11:00

BULLETIN 24 March 11 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# President Ramaphosa says South Africa recommits itself to the advancement of human rights for all
# The Kusile power station’s final unit adds 800-megawatt to the grid for the first time
# And tennis: Djokovic makes history at the Miami Open

# President Cyril Ramaphosa says the majority of South Africans continue to believe in democracy, human rights, and the rule of law. The country observed Human Rights Day on Friday. In his weekly newsletter, Ramaphosa says citizens should reject the politics of divisiveness, especially the false narrative that the country is a place in which people of a certain race are being targeted. He adds that South Africa stands in solidarity with all those whose right to lead lives of dignity is being undermined by conflict and war.

# Eskom has reached a crucial step towards completing one of South Africa’s largest infrastructure projects, by adding the Kusile power stationin Mpumalanga’s final unit, unit six, to the national grid. This will add 800-megawatts to the grid. Meanwhile, Kusile’s sister project, Medupi in Limpopo, will see its unit four return to operation by the end of next month. Eskom’s spokesperson, Daphne Mokwena, says over the next six months, Kusile’s unit six will undergo extensive testing and optimisation before reaching commercial operation:

# Police minister Senzo Mchunu has expressed outrage at the weekend’s attack on community-based patrollers in the Marry Me informal settlement in Soshanguve, Pretoria. Five community-based patrollers were shot dead and seven injured. Mchunu’s spokesperson, Kamogelo Mogotsi, says preliminary investigations reveal the victims had been confronted by five people on the street when a quarrel broke out:

# Protests have continued to intensify in Istanbul, Turkey, following the arrest of the main rival to president Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem Imamoglu, who is the Republican People’s Party’s 2028 presidential nominee, was formally charged yesterday. He is facing charges of leading a criminal organisation, bribery, misconduct, and corruption, along with dozens of his staff and municipal officials. Imamoglu has denied the charges, saying the allegations are politically motivated. At least 300 protesters have been arrested.

# Tennis: Six-time Miami Open champion Novak Djokovic is through to the last 16, following victory over Argentina’s Camilo Ugo Carabelli. The Serb has now earned a record 411th ATP Masters 1000 match win, breaking a tie with Spaniard Rafael Nadal. Djokovic will next face Italian Lorenzo Musetti, who overcame Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime. American Sebastian Korda knocked out Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas, while France’s Gael Monfils battled past Spain’s Jaume Munar.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-15-cents and the euro at 19-rand-68-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-49-cents and Bitcoin trades at 87-thousand-58-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-and-25-dollars-60-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 71-dollars-67-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….