News 13:00
BULLETIN 8 June 1 pm
Good afternoon. I am……..
In this bulletin:
# The DA calls for action following Parliament’s acknowledgment of farm attacks
# The UDM Women are appalled about Oscar Pistorius’ participation in the Ironman competition
# And road running: Tete Dijana and Gerda Steyn win the 89th Comrades from Pietermaritzburg to Durban
# The DA is calling on government to establish a specialised Rural Safety Unit within SAPS, with trained and equipped individuals solely focused on rural crime, farm attacks, and stock theft. The DA’s Ian Cameron says for the first time, two key portfolio committees Agriculture and Police acknowledged the reality of farm attacks, their increasing frequency, and the need for urgent intervention:
# The UDM Women’s Organisation says it is appalled to learn that convicted murderer Oscar Pistorius participated in the Isuzu Ironman 70.3 triathlon in Durban on the first of this month. The party says this marks his first public sporting event since being granted parole in January last year. The UDM’s Thandi Nontenja says his attorney Conrad Dormehl confirmed the athlete’s involvement as part of his rehabilitation, and Pistorius’ parole officer allegedly approved his travel from Pretoria to Durban:
# AfriForum says stock theft cost South Africa’s agricultural sector over 200-million-rand from January to March this year. While police reported a slight drop in stock theft cases, AfriForum’s Hennie Bekker warns that the financial damage is far worse as over 43-thousand animals were stolen in the last quarter alone. Bekker also confirmed that the Eastern Cape remains the hardest hit raising concern over police inaction and under-resourced stock theft units. He says that free training to combat livestock theft is set for 18 June.
# The world’s highest railway bridge across a mountain valley in Kashmir, was opened by Indian Prime Minister Narenda Modi. It was Modi’s first visit to the Indian-administered Kashmir since a brief but deadly conflict between India and Pakistan in April. The arched Chenab Bridge sits 359 metres above the river and is 29 metres higher than the top of the Eiffel Tower. The bridge is part of the first railway link between Kashmir and the rest of India. Modi’s administration has poured billions into its vision of transforming the country into a developed nation by 2047.
# Rugby: The Springbok Women’s team started their defence of the Rugby Africa Women’s Cup the way the coaching staff hoped they would, scoring heaps of tries. South Africa outplayed Uganda 62-7 at Stade Makis, Antananarivo on Saturday. Assistant coach, Franzel September, said it was a good start, and it was pleasing to see the team score ten tries. He said there is still some work to do, but how the team defended and retained possession were core areas of success. The match-23 for the second-round clash against Kenya will be announced on Monday.
# And road running: The South African ultramarathon athlete Tete Dijana has won his third Comrades Marathon. Dijana was first over the line in the 89th Comrades from Pietermaritzburg to Durban with last year’s winner, the Dutchman Piet Wiersma second. The 37-year-old Dijana comes from Mahikeng in the North-West and quit his job as a security guard at the North-West University and runs for the Nedbank Running Club. In the women’s race the South African sensation Gerda Steyn won her fourth Comrades marathon. The Russian athlete Alexandra Morozova was second.
Stay tuned for more news………….