News 18:00

BULLETIN 15 April 6 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Businessman Edwin Sodi pleads not guilty in the 255-million-rand asbestos trial
# Two sluice gates of the Vaal Dam are closed as the water level drops
# And golf: Rory McIlroy’s lack of communication was part of his strategy during the final round of the Masters

# Businessman Edwin Sodi has pleaded not guilty in the 255-million-rand asbestos corruption case at the Free State High Court in Bloemfontein. Sodi, along with former Free State premier Ace Magashule and 16 others, faces charges of fraud, corruption, and money laundering related to a 2014 asbestos roof removal contract. The trial is scheduled to continue until 23 June. Some accused, including Magashule’s former assistant Moroadi Cholota, have raised concerns about trial readiness.

# Statistics South Africa says mining production dropped by 9.6-percent in February compared to the same period last year. The biggest negative contributors were platinum group metals, iron ore, gold, and coal. Mineral sales also fell sharply, dropping by 13-percent year-on-year. Stats SA’s Juan-Pierre Terblanche says only coal showed positive growth, rising by five-percent:

# The Department of Water and Sanitation is today closing two sluice gates at the Vaal Dam and gradually reduce outflows at the Bloemhof Dam, as water levels and inflows have decreased. Recent water releases caused flooding in low-lying areas, and evacuated residents are urged to avoid returning as riverbanks remain oversaturated. The department’s Wisane Mavasa says these measures are part of safety protocols to protect infrastructure and prevent dam failure:

# Namibian coastal communities have been called to refrain from eating washed up fish. Large amounts of marine life washed ashore, presumably due to the sudden influx of river water into the ocean. Ocean Conservation Namibia’s Naudé Dreyer has cautioned that multiple factors including sudden changes in salinity and oxygen levels could be at play. He warns that consuming the dead fish could pose health risks:

# Golf: Rory McIlroy’s lack of communication with his playing partner was part of his strategy in Sunday’s final round of the Masters at Augusta in Georgia. Local player Bryson DeChambeau couldn’t understand why the Northern Irishman would’t talk to him once all day. McIlroy went on to beat England’s Justin Rose on the first play-off hole and claim his career Grand Slam. His sports psychologist, Bob Rotella, says they didn’t want to pay attention to anyone else, but just concentrate on McIlroy’s game, and it paid off.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-96-cents and the euro at 21-rand-42-cents. One British pound costs 25-rand-6-cents and Bitcoin trades at 85-thousand-795-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-222-dollars-65-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 64-dollars-50-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….