News 18:00

BULLETIN 25 April 6 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The DA welcomes constructive talks with the ANC on the government of national unity and economic strategy
# The minister of Police apologises to a Matatiele principal over a wrongful rape allegation
# And more than 200 impounded phones are repurposed for crime reporting initiatives in Cape Town

# The DA has welcomed constructive talks with the ANC on the government of national unity and economic strategy. Led by DA leader John Steenhuisen, the meeting focused on key issues such as the national budget and strategies for economic growth. Both parties agreed to hold regular discussions to tackle pressing challenges, focusing on unity and long-term economic solutions. DA federal council chairperson Helen Zille is optimistic about further collaboration in the GNU.

# Police minister Senzo Mchunu has issued a public apology to Bergview College principal Jaco Pieterse after wrongfully implicating him in the rape of a seven-year-old girl in Matatiele in the Eastern Cape last October. In a letter to AfriForum’s Gerrie Nel, who is Pieterse’s representative, Mchunu acknowledged the error, confirming Pieterse was never a suspect and had not been asked for a DNA sample. The National Prosecuting Authority had previously declined to prosecute due to insufficient evidence. The incident sparked national outrage through the “Justice for Cwecwe” campaign.

# One person has been confirmed dead after a house collapsed in P Section in Umlazi, Durban, this morning. Transport and Human Settlements MEC, Siboniso Duma, reports several people were injured and taken to hospital. Spokesperson Ndabezinhle Sibiya confirmed heavy rains caused flooding, washing away homes, closing roads, and increasing crashes. He stressed that floods and infrastructure damage are significant challenges requiring urgent action, despite limited resources:

# Over 200 impounded cellphones have been repurposed for crime-fighting in Cape Town. The devices, seized from motorists using phones while driving, have been donated to neighbourhood watches across areas like Khayelitsha, Delft, and Manenberg. The city reports fewer motorists are being caught using their phones while driving. Mayoral committee member for Safety and Security, JP Smith, says the phones will boost crime reporting and immediate response via the trusted partner app:

# Golf: Discussions are ongoing to expand the tech-powered league pioneered by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, the TGL Golf league, to include a women’s league. This is according to TMRW Sports CEO, Mike McCarley, who co-founded TGL with Woods and McIlroy. The league is currently made up of six four-man teams, including 12 of the world’s top 20 men’s players. McCarley says there is a clear opportunity to include the Ladies Professional Golf Association stars, something they are working hard on.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-80-cents and the euro at 21-rand-36-cents. One British pound costs 25-rand-3-cents and Bitcoin trades at 94-thousand-908-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-279-dollars-14-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 65-dollars-33-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….