News 08:00

BULLETIN 6 April 8 am

Good morning.

In this bulletin:

# John Steenhuisen emphasises the importance of unity in the national government
# The Justice Committee supports the Justice minister’s call for a Timothy Omotoso’s case report
# And Rugby, the Bulls down Bayonne in the Challenge Cup

# DA leader John Steenhuisen has reaffirmed the party’s commitment to the government of national unity, emphasising collaboration over dominance. Speaking at a DA campaign in Phoenix, Steenhuisen acknowledged the DA’s contributions to the coalition and stressed the importance of joint efforts, noting that no party achieved a 51-percent majority. He highlighted the DA’s goal to foster economic growth and job creation:

# Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Justice has backed Justice minister Mmamoloko Kubayi’s request for a report from National Director of Public Prosecutions Shamila Batohi on the Timothy Omotoso case. Omotoso and co-accused were acquitted of 32 charges due to prosecutorial mishandling, with Judge Irma Schoeman citing improper conduct and inadequate cross-examination. Committee spokesperson Oscar Mathafa says the NPA’s conduct must be investigated:

# The Home Affairs Department has partnered with South African Revenue Services, Border Management Authority, and Government Printing Works to integrate Smart ID and passport services into banking platforms. Minister Leon Schreiber says this will expands access to hundreds of bank branches and apps. The collaboration also includes upgrading the Movement Control System at ports of entry and introducing Smart IDs for naturalised citizens and permanent residents. The minister hailed the agreement as a step toward modernising services and improving efficiency in government.

# Jaguar Land Rover has decided to “pause” shipments to the US for a month following Donald Trump’s imposition of tariffs. The company said it needed time to “address the new trading terms” of Trump’s tariffs. A spokesperson for the company has said the USA is an important market for its luxury brands. Its decision came after a 25-percent levy on all cars imported into America kicked in on Thursday with the baseline 10-percent tariff coming into effect on Saturday. It is expected the UK automotive industry will be hit hard by the new tariffs.

# And Rugby: The Bulls have beaten Bayonne 32-22 in the Challenge Cup to keep their hopes of winning the competition alive. Jake White’s charges are now in the Challenge Cup quarterfinals next week, when they will play Sean Everitt’s Edinburgh. Bayonne’s 22 points came from tries by Federico Mori, Remy Bourdeau and Tom Spring with conversions by Spring and Cheikh Tiberghien and a penalty by Baptiste Germain. Sergeal Petersen, Reinhardt Ludwig, David Kriel and Marco van Staden scored tries for the Bulls, with Keagan Johannes and Johan Goosen adding the rest with the boot.

Stay tuned for more news………….