News 12:00

BULLETIN 14 April 12 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Three people are killed execution-style in Gugulethu, Cape Town
# Johannesburg targets rogue property owners in a major crackdown in Ormonde
# And cricket: Tebogo Macheke earns a maiden call-up for the Proteas Women for the T20 series against India

# Cape Town police have launched an investigation into the murder of three people believed to have been killed execution-style in Gugutlethu. Spokesperson Andrè Traut says they responded to a complaint at Nontulo Street, where they discovered the bodies of two victims, a man and a woman, inside a residence. Both sustained multiple gunshot wounds to the head and upper body. A third male victim was found outside with a gunshot wound to the back of his head. Traut says the motive for the shootings is unknown at this stage.

# Minister of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Maropene Ramokgopa, is being accused of giving luxury donated Chinese SUVs to her family without disclosing them as personal gifts. According to Daily Maverick, Ramokgopa allegedly accepted three BAIC X55’s in 2023, intended as donations for the ANC Women’s League. The car retails at around 500-thousand-rand. Minister of Social Development, Sisisi Tolashe, is also accused of the same thing. Ramokgopa has denied the allegations. Both the ANC and the Women’s League have said they have no knowledge or record of this donation.

# The City of Johannesburg says it has escalated its enforcement operations in Ormonde, following the building collapse that claimed the lives of nine people. Preliminary findings have revealed widespread non-compliance across more than 30 properties in the area, including hotels, office parks, and residential buildings. The metro’s spokesperson, Nthatisi Modingoane, says three properties inspected alone were found to owe approximately 19.5-million-rand to Johannesburg:

Moving abroad:

# United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, says there is no military solution to the Middle Eastern conflict, and the US and Iran must continue negotiating for an agreement. Marathon discussions hosted by Pakistan in Islamabad over the weekend ended in a stalemate. UN spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, says Guterres has also stressed that all parties to the conflict must respect freedom of navigation, including in the Strait of Hormuz, in line with international law:

# Cricket: Uncapped Titans wicketkeeper-batter, Tebogo Macheke, has been called to the Proteas Women’s squad for the five-match T20 series against India. She replaces the injured Karabo Meso. Titans all-rounder Eliz-Mari Marx has been recalled, replacing seamer Masabata Klaas. Anneke Bosch retains her place after replacing injured Dané van Niekerk during the T20 series against New Zealand. The first T20 will be played in Durban on Friday. This series will be the final tune-up before the Women’s T20 World Cup in England in June and July.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-35-cents and the euro at 19-rand-26-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-13-cents and Bitcoin trades at 74-thousand-572-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-783-dollars-56-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 95-dollars-57-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….