News 07:00

BULLETIN 22 April 7 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Archbishop Makgoba says Pope Francis was a champion of the poor
# The SACP condemns the attack on deputy president Mashatile
# And the DA demands an urgent probe into the Tembisa Hospital fire

# Anglican Archbishop Thabo Makgoba says Pope Francis was the last globally recognised moral voice in these confused times and a leader who gave clear guidance in a complex and polarised political world. The Pontiff passed away on Monday at 88, a day after he appeared at St Peter’s Square to greet worshippers on Easter Sunday. Makgoba says the world’s poor will miss him the most as a champion and custodian of their hopes and dreams.

Meanwhile, Build One SA’s president, Mmusi Maimane, has joined the world in mourning Pope Francis, saying he was a champion for the poor, justice, and Africa and a reformer. Maimane says growing up in the Catholic Church, he understands the significance of the death of the Pope:

# The South African Communist Party has condemned the recent attack on deputy president Paul Mashatile’s convoy. He was on his way from an ANC national executive committee meeting when his convoy was shot at in Boksburg, near the N12. The SACP says this criminal act represents not only an assault on an individual but a direct attack on the democratic institutions of the country. It adds that such actions are intolerable and must be met with the full force of the law.

# A second suspect, a 24-year-old man, has been arrested in connection with the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court shooting earlier this month. Dingalomoya Chintso, a former taxi owner, was shot dead inside the court where he was facing charges for murder and illegal possession of a firearm. The first suspect, Shireen Matthews, appeared in court on April 14 and is alleged to be the mastermind behind Chintso’s killing. Police spokesperson, Novela Potelwa, says more arrests are expected:

# The DA in Gauteng has called for a speedy investigation into the Tembisa Hospital fire that broke out on Saturday. DA’s Jack Bloom praised the swift patient evacuation but slammed the ongoing lack of accountability for hospital fires. Bloom cites poor occupational health and safety compliance across Gauteng’s public hospitals and urges the appointment of a capable CEO at Tembisa. He calls for urgent action, accountability, and restoration of full hospital services.

# Motorsport: McLaren’s Australian driver, Oscar Piastri, overtook his British teammate, Lando Norris, on top of the Formula One drivers’ standings after winning the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix this weekend. This was the 24-year-old’s third victory of the season and he now has 99 points, with Norris on 89. Red Bull’s world champion, Max Verstappen of the Netherlands, is in third place in the standings after finishing second in Jeddah, with Charles Leclerc of Monaco clinching the final podium place for Ferrari. Norris was fourth.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-70-cents and the euro at 21-rand-48-cents. One British pound costs 25-rand and Bitcoin trades at 88-thousand-523-dollar-10-cents. Gold sells at three-thousand-431-dollars-16-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 66-dollars-95-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….