News 13:00

BULLETIN 19 March 1 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The Western Cape police and SANDF conduct crime drills ahead of the Cape deployment
# Deputy Minister Nel urges reflection and recommitment to constitutional values
# And soccer: The EFF condemns CAF’s decision to strip Senegal of the AFCON trophy

# Western Cape police and the South African National Defence Force are conducting joint crime-fighting drills ahead of the official troop deployment. The exercises aim to prepare forces for coordinated operations against violent crime and gangs. Officers and soldiers moved through high‑crime areas, conducting reconnaissance and practice raids to familiarise themselves with local hotspots. SAPS spokesperson Thembisile Patekile says the drills are part of a nationwide plan to strengthen policing, improve readiness, and ensure intelligence‑led interventions before the formal SANDF deployment.

# Deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development Andries Nel addressed the National Council of Provinces in Cape Town yesterday, highlighting three decades of constitutional democracy. He urged citizens and government to reflect on achievements, confront persistent inequalities, and recommit to social justice, equality, and human rights. Plans include nationwide civic education, youth engagement, and public dialogues to deepen understanding of the Constitution. He says these initiatives aim to ensure that constitutional values shape daily life and guide governance across the country.

# The police’s Law Enforcement Marine and Environmental Unit conducted a joint operation with the Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment, and Cape Nature after receiving information of crayfish being sold from a residence in Rusthof, Strand, near Cape Town. Law enforcement’s Wayne Dyason says officers conducted an inspection and confiscated various protected marine species. He says a 50-year-old suspect was arrested and taken to Strand SAPS for further investigation:

# Soccer: The EFF says the ruling to strip Senegal of the 2026 Africa Cup of Nations title represents a dangerous overreach by the Confederation of African Football. The CAF’s Appeal Board stripped Senegal of their title for leaving the pitch and declared that it forfeited the match. Tournament hosts Morocco are now considered 3-0 winners of the final. The EFF’s Thembi Msane says this unjust decision by CAF is a fundamental misapplication of its own regulations:

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-88-cents and the euro at 19-rand-38-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-42-cents and Bitcoin trades at 70-thousand-459-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-715-dollars-86-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 110-dollars-88-cents a barrel.

# And finally: The South Korean government has raised its terror alert level from interest to caution in the capital Seoul, ahead of K-pop group BTS’s comeback concert on Saturday. The free concert is expected to draw more than 260-thousand fans to Gwanghwamun Square. Korea’s terror alert system consists of four levels: interest, caution, alert, and severe, based on the degree of threat. Police say, given the uncertainties driven by international affairs, including the Middle East conflict, the possibility of a potential terror threat to the concert cannot be ruled out.

Stay tuned for more news………….