News 17:00

BULLETIN 11 April 5 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa insists non-compliant spaza shops must stay closed
# The US envoy meets Russia’s top economic negotiator in St Petersburg
# And rugby: Jasper Wiese’s season-ending injury could open the door for Evan Roos and Cameron Hanekom

# Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs minister Velenkosini Hlabisa says non-compliant spaza shops must remain shut. He was speaking at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Gauteng, where an eight-year-old remains in ICU after eating contaminated snacks. The minister says authorities await lab results on the snack packet, stressing collective responsibility in preventing similar incidents. He commended the City of Johannesburg for closing the shop in question:

# Union Giwusa says government’s three-billion-rand pledge to improve healthcare is far too little to make a real impact. While the union welcomes any investment, it says the amount falls short of fixing critical staff shortages, broken hospitals, and underfunded services. Giwusa president Mametlwe Sebei warns that austerity and profit-driven healthcare are major threats to the success of the National Health Insurance:

# Eastern Cape police are investigating the kidnapping of US missionary, pastor Josh Sullivan, who was abducted during a sermon at the Fellowship Baptist Church in Motherwell, Gqeberha. It is alleged four armed men stormed the church last night, took Sullivan at gunpoint, and fled the scene. His car was later found abandoned nearby. Police spokesperson Nobuntu Gantana suspects the motive is ransom-related as the country continues to battle a surge in kidnappings.

# US envoy Steve Witkoff met with Russia’s top economic negotiator, Kirill Dmitriev, today during his third visit to the country. US president Donald Trump is pressing Moscow and Ukraine to end the more than three-year-long conflict, but has expressed anger at both presidents, Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky, over a lack of progress. Footage published by Russia’s state news agency showed Witkoff and Dmitriev leaving a hotel together in St Petersburg. The Kremlin says Putin would also be in the city without saying whether the two would meet.

 # Rugby: Evan Roos and Cameron Hanekom are regarded as the natural successors to Jasper Wiese following the news a neck injury will keep the Springbok loose forward out for the rest of the season. Wiese returned from his Japanese club, and will undergo an operation in South Africa. Roos and Hanekom can now stake their claims for a more permanent spot in the Bok squad. Coach Rassie Erasmus also have players like Francke Horn, Phepsi Buthelezi and Celimpilo Gumede to consider for the number eight jersey.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 19-rand-18-cents and the euro at 21-rand-89-cents. One British pound costs 25-rand-16-cents and Bitcoin trades at 81-thousand-883-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-229-dollars-7-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 62-dollars-56-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….