News 06:00

BULLETIN 13 April 6 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Geordin Hill-Lewis says he believes the DA can lead South Africa
# An analyst warns about the ANC and SACP vote split risk
# And rugby: Faf de Klerk is returning to South Africa to join the Cheetahs

# The DA has a new leadership with Cape Town mayor, Geordin Hill-Lewis, elected leader at the party’s elective congress held in Midrand at the weekend. Gauteng leader Solly Msimanga has been elected federal chairperson, the second-most powerful position in the DA. The three deputy federal chairpersons are Siviwe Gwarube, Solly Malatsi, and Cilliers Brink. Ashor Sarupen is the new federal council chairperson, succeeding Helen Zille, with his three deputies being JP Smith, Thomas Walters, and Carl Pophaim. Mark Burke was elected chairperson of federal finance.

Hill-Lewis says he strongly believes that the party can lead South Africa and become the largest party in the national government. In his victory speech, Hill-Lewis laid out a four-point plan for his leadership:

# Political analysts predict neither the ANC nor the South African Communist Party is likely to win outright elections due to divided voter support in the upcoming local government polls, following failed alliance talks. Political analyst Zamo Mbandlwa says both parties draw from the same voter base, increasing fragmentation. He told Newzroom Afrika that internal divisions, splinter parties, and governance tensions will continue to weaken electoral dominance:

# Border Management Authority Commissioner Michael Masiapato has reiterated and emphasised that stronger counter-corruption measures are being implemented across ports of entry. Providing a briefing on 2026 Easter operations, Masiapato said four-thousand-763 travelers were apprehended attempting to enter or exit the country illegally. He said that success depends on collaboration with law enforcement agencies and oversight bodies to ensure a coordinated response to halt illegal immigration:

# President Donald Trump says the US Navy will start preventing ships from passing through the Strait of Hormuz, and interdict every vessel in international waters that had paid a toll to Iran. This comes after the US-Iran talks in Pakistan over the weekend failed to agree on a long-term peace deal. One-fifth of the world’s oil typically passes through the Strait. In a lengthy post on Truth Social, Trump warned that any Iranian who fires at the US Navy or at peaceful vessels will be “blown to hell”.

# Rugby: Double World Cup-winning Springboks scrumhalf, Faf de Klerk, is making a return to South Africa to join the Cheetahs on a two-year deal. The 34-year-old will join the Bloemfontein-based side in June from Japan-based Yokohama Canon Eagles. The Cheetahs say De Klerk’s tenacity on the field and his leadership off it are exactly what the team needs as they continue to compete at the highest level. De Klerk, meanwhile, thanked his Japanese club, saying he leaves with nothing but respect and appreciation for everyone involved with the Eagles.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-58-cents and the euro at 19-rand-32-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-19-cents and Bitcoin trades at 70-thousand-740-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-672-dollars-18-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 91-dollars-78-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….