News 12:00

BULLETIN 11 April 12 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The PSA warns about political sabotage in law enforcement institutions
# An expert says jailing municipal managers will not fix South Africa’s water pollution crisis
# And former Chief Justice Zondo receives an honorary doctorate from Kovsies

# The Public Servants Association warns that the continued erosion of public confidence in law enforcement institutions caused by alleged political sabotage will have disastrous implications for governance, accountability, and service delivery. The association’s Claude Naiker says the accusation that the KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner, Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, shielded a drug-dealing prison official has been publicly exposed as a concocted falsehood. He says the allegation wasn’t rooted in facts, but in factional politics and efforts to discredit a resolute and ethical leader:

# UNISA water expert, Anja du Plessis, says jailing municipal managers will not fix South Africa’s water pollution crisis. A clause in the National Water Amendment Bill provides that municipal managers and corporate directors may be convicted, and potentially sent to prison, for water pollution offences committed by the entities they represent. A third of municipalities have been found to discharge untreated sewage into rivers, endangering ecosystems. Du Plessis says stricter enforcement of environmental laws is needed to stop pollution.

# Russian-American woman Ksenia Karelina’s South African boyfriend, Chris van Heerden, has thanked US president Donald Trump for his role in her release. Karelina was sentenced to 12-years in a Russian prison for treason, but was released as part of a prisoner exchange between the US and Russia. Van Heerden is a former boxing champion and Karelina’s case was escalated by film director Peter Berg, and Ultimate Fighting Championship chief executive Dana White, who shared it with Trump. According to sources this made the case personal for Trump who then made it a priority.

# Athletics: Thirty-six South Africans will represent the country in Botswana’s Golden Grand Prix in Gaborone tomorrow. Ahtletes from 30 countries will participate. The South African recordholder in the 100-meter for men, Akani Simbine, will be up against the African record holder, Ferdinand Omanyala of Kenya, while another three South African sprinters, Benjamin Richardson, Tsebo Matsoso and Karabo Letebele, will also participate in the race. Former World Championship finalist Luxolo Adams from South Africa will face local Olympic champion Tetsile Tebogo in the 200-metre.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 19-rand-38-cents and the euro at 22-rand-5-cents. One British pound costs 25-rand-32-cents and Bitcoin trades at 81-thousand-248-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-218-dollars-81-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 63-dollars-11-cents a barrel.

# And finally: Former Chief Justice Raymond Zondo has received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the Faculty of Law at the University of the Free State. This honorary degree is awarded on the grounds of exceptional achievements and other achievements per the ideals and principles of the university. In his acceptance speech, Zondo gave words of encouragement to the graduates and their parents:

Stay tuned for more news………….