News 07:00

BULLETIN 2 May 7 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# John Steenhuisen says there is hope for job creation in South Africa
# Donald Trump’s national security adviser, Mike Waltz, is stepping down
# And rugby: The Junior Springboks trump the Argentines in the first round of the Under-20 Rugby Championship

# DA leader John Steenhuisen says there is hope for economic growth and job creation in South Africa today because the course and path of the country changed fundamentally in last year’s election. The country’s youth unemployment is at 44.6-percent, up from 43.2-percent in the previous quarter. Steenhuisen says the government must cut down the obstacles to growth, fairness, and opportunities, as many talented South Africans are being held back by a legacy of outdated race-based policies:

# The UDM is calling on municipalities to stop being a source of frustration to communities and start being centres of excellence and delivery. The UDM deputy president, Nqabayomzi Kwankwa, says too many municipalities are riddled with financial mismanagement, cadre deployment, and basic incompetence. He says potholes, uncollected waste, sewage spills, and dry taps have become the norm for millions of workers, even as they continue to contribute to the local economy:

# Forty-four foreign nationals, who are suspected of being part of a human trafficking operation, were rescued from a house in Parkmore, Johannesburg, on Thursday. The group was found by private security guards, patrolling the area after complaints about a suspicious noise coming from the residence. Police spokesperson, Mavela Masondo, says the 44 are believed to be Ethiopian nationals, with 17 being minors:

# US National Security Adviser, Mike Waltz, is reportedly set to leave his post in the coming days. In March, he inadvertently added Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg to the Signal group chat, where high-ranking officials discussed planned military strikes, including in Yemen. Waltz’s deputy, Alex Wong, is also expected to leave his post. Waltz initially said he didn’t know how Goldberg came to be in the chat, but took full responsibility. Special envoy Steve Witkoff is reportedly under consideration to replace Waltz.

# Rugby: Haashim Pead scored two tries as the Junior Springboks defeated Argentina 36-25 in the opening round of the U20 Rugby Championship at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha. South Africa overturned a 20-15 half-time deficit to secure the win. Meanwhile, Sid Harvey converted a last-minute try as Australia held defending Champions New Zealand to a 29-29 draw in their opening match. Junior Springbok coach Kevin Foote praised his team’s resilience and leadership:

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-52-cents and the euro at 20-rand-91-cents. One British pound costs 24-rand-61-cents and Bitcoin trades at 96-thousand-842-dollar-30-cents. Gold sells at three-thousand-234-dollars-18-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 62-dollars-46-cents a barrel.

# And finally: A Chinese student who was airlifted from Japan’s Mount Fuji had to be saved a second time just four days later. The 27-year-old climber made an emergency call after getting altitude sickness on the mountain, about three-thousand metres above sea level. But four days later, police received another call when he returned to look for his phone. Another climber found him after he apparently developed altitude sickness for a second time. There is no penalty for rescues, but the case prompted calls for him to be charged, at least for his second rescue.

Stay tuned for more news………….