News 08:00

BULLETIN 15 April 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Minister Ramokgopa welcomes the appointment of Mcebisi Jonas
# Untu is threatening to strike after the Transnet wage talks collapse
# And rugby: Ikeys are crowned Varsity Cup champions

# Minister in the Presidency responsible for Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation, Maropene Ramokgopa, has welcomed the appointment of Mcebisi Jonas as South Africa’s special envoy to the US. The former deputy Finance minister will advance the country’s diplomatic, trade, and bilateral priorities. He will also lead negotiations, foster strategic partnerships, and engage with US government officials and private-sector leaders to promote the country’s interests. Ramokgopa says Jonas is the right person to try and mend SA-US relations:

# Transnet’s biggest union, the United National Transport Union, has threatened to strike after wage talks collapsed at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration on Monday. Untu rejects Transnet’s unchanged offer for a wage increase of six-percent annually in the first two years starting April 1st, and 5.5-percent in the third year. The union is demanding a ten-percent increase. Untu says Transnet’s offer does not address the real and pressing financial challenges its members face.

# The Director of Public Prosecutions in Gauteng, advocate Andrew Chauke, has welcomed the Gauteng High Court ruling that two apartheid policemen can be prosecuted for crimes against humanity. Former Vlakplaas Askari, Ephraim Mfalapitsa, and former police security branch member, Christiaan Rorich, are accused of bombing four students in 1982. Judge, Dario Dosio, ruled that there can be no time bar for crimes against humanity. NPA’s spokesperson, Phindi Mjonondwane, says the two argued that the time in which to prosecute had expired:

# El Salvador’s president, Nayib Bukele, says he won’t return a Maryland man who was mistakenly deported last month back to the US. The US government admitted that Kilmar Ábrego García’s deportation to a prison in El Salvador was an administrative error. However, it also claims he is a member of a gang. The US Supreme Court ordered the government to facilitate the return of Ábrego García. Speaking at the White House, Bukele said he does not have the power to return the man:

# Rugby: The University of Cape Town-Ikeys defeated the University of Stellenbosch-Maties 44-21 in the Varsity Cup final at the Danie Craven Stadium in Stellenbosch. Having lost the last two finals, it was third time lucky for UCT, who denied Maties victory in their 150th anniversary year. UCT winger Ntokozo Makhaza won Player that Rocks, after scoring a brace of tries and slotted all his kicks at goal for a personal haul of 32 points. This is UCT’s third Varsity Cup crown overall and first since 2014.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-88-cents and the euro at 21-rand-43-cents. One British pound costs 24-rand-91-cents and Bitcoin trades at 85-thousand-245-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-224-dollars-66-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 64-dollars-44-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….