News 11:00
BULLETIN 7 March 11 am
Good morning. I am……..
In this bulletin:
# Patrice Motsepe says he is not running for ANC president
# Iran’s UN envoy says over 1300 Iranian civilians already killed in the war
# And golf: England’s Brandon Thompson leads the Joburg Open
# South African billionaire businessman Patrice Motsepe has denied rumours that he is running as a candidate for the ANC president position at the party’s 2027 national elective conference. There have been suggestions from ANC circles that Motsepe could throw his hat in the ring as a candidate to replace his brother-in-law, Cyril Ramaphosa. Motsepe yesterday addressed shareholders of his company, African Rainbow Minerals, dismissing the rumours, saying that he had no idea where it came from:
# Rise Mzansi leader Songezo Zibi says Parliament must urgently address the university capacity shortfall. Speaking during a National Assembly debate, Zibi warned that thousands of matriculants with the required points are unable to secure places at universities, forcing some into programmes they never intended to pursue. He urged lawmakers to review student pipelines and lecturer availability to ensure higher education safeguards students’ future needs.
# The GOOD Party is calling on Johannesburg mayor Dada Morero to urgently intervene in escalating gang violence in Westbury. Multiple shootings, including the tragic death of a child this week, have raised alarm in the community, which has long struggled with gangs, drugs, and illegal firearms. GOOD’s Matthew Cook says the city must go beyond policing by improving public spaces, supporting youth programmes, and partnering with local organisations to break the cycle of violence.
# Iran’s U.N. Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani said at least one-thousand-332 Iranian civilians have died so far in the conflict with Israel and the U.S., and that thousands more have been injured. Speaking to reporters at the United Nations, Iravani asserted that the U.S. and Israel had deliberately targeted civilian infrastructure, while Iran had targeted military sites, not civilians. Commenting on Trump’s earlier assertion that Iran’s new supreme leader “must be acceptable,” Iravani said this is a clear violation of the principles of non-interference in the internal affairs of states, as enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations.
# Golf: England’s Brandon Robinson Thompson heads into the third round at Houghton Golf Club as the man to beat at the Joburg Open. After a sensational second-round 62, the 31-year-old holds a commanding lead at 12-under-par. South Africa’s local hopes remain alive, though they have ground to make up. Jayden Schaper sits in a strong position at 7-under-par through seven holes of his second round, to be completed this morning, while Robin Williams remains in the hunt at 2-under-par after a consistent 70 in his second round.
# And finally: Western Cape Mobility MEC, Isaac Sileku, sends his best wishes to the thousands of cyclists and spectators taking part in this year’s Cape Town Cycle Tour tomorrow. As a keen cyclist himself, he understands how much preparation and focus race day requires. Sileku says promoting cycling is a big part of the Mobility Department plan for an inclusive and sustainable transport system:
Stay tuned for more news………….