News 15:00

BULLETIN 8 April 3 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Elon Musk asks Donald Trump to reverse tariffs
# The Police minister outlines critical pro-active policies to reduce crime
# And rugby: An All Blacks hooker encourages his teammates to also take sabbaticals

# Billionaire Elon Musk has reportedly asked Donald Trump to reverse his tariffs. Citing two sources, Washington Post reports the exchange marks the highest profile disagreement between the Tesla CEO and US president. Musk’s pleas followed Trump’s unveiling of a 10-percent baseline tariff on all imports to the US and higher duties on dozens of other countries last week. Musk heads the US Department of Government Efficiency and previously called for zero tariffs between the US and Europe. He indicated the impact of car tariffs on Tesla is significant.

Back home:

# Police minister Senzo Mchunu says the three-day police summit will address critical issues, including effective policing amid resource shortages, high crime rates, and corruption, particularly in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern and Western Cape. Mchunu highlighted concerns over firearm access, organised crime, and rising kidnappings. He stressed the importance of proactive policing, crime intelligence, and technology use, while addressing corruption and improving member well-being:

# The DA says budget cuts by the ANC-EFF-ActionSA coalition in Tshwane have exacerbated the city’s power crisis, leading to more frequent and prolonged outages. The party accuses mayor Nasiphi Moya’s administration of slashing funding for the regional operations and coordination department, which handles electricity repairs, in favour of increased spending on water tankers and private security. The DA’s Cilliers Brink urges immediate action to prevent Tshwane from facing a fate like Johannesburg:

# By 2040, Cape Town is expected to accommodate an additional 50-thousand residents in its Central Business District. To meet this demand, the city has introduced a draft Local Spatial Development Framework, which focuses on improving mobility, optimising land use, and encouraging mixed-use developments. According to deputy mayor Eddie Andrews, public participation will be integral to shaping the plan, ensuring it aligns with community needs. Additionally, the city is exploring large-scale projects like Milkwood City to address broader housing challenges.

# Rugby: All Blacks hooker Codie Taylor has encouraged his teammates to also consider a sabbatical, saying it’s necessary if you want to stay at a high level for as long as possible. He took a six-month absence from Tests after 2023’s World Cup. The sabbatical for some experienced All Blacks is seen as an important tool to retain talent since overseas-based players aren’t allowed to play for the national team. Taylor says instead of playing club rugby, he used the break for quality time with his family.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 19-rand-45-cents and the euro at 21-rand-29-cents. One British pound costs 24-rand-86-cents and Bitcoin trades at 79-thousand-266-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-and-13-dollars-65-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 64-dollars-11-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….