News 16:00

BULLETIN 17 April 4 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Robert Mugabe’s son and his co-accused plead guilty to various charges in the Hyde Park shooting case
# The National Prosecuting Authority says Julius Malema’s threats against prosecutors will have consequences
# And bail for Australia’s most-decorated living war veteran who stands accused of war crimesl

# Former Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe’s son, Bellarmine, and co-accused Tobias Matonhodze have pleaded guilty to various charges at the Alexandra Regional Court in Johannesburg. Mugabe has pleaded guilty to pointing a firearm and contravening immigration laws, while Matonhodze pleaded guilty to attempted murder, defeating the ends of justice, illegal immigration and possession of ammunition. The case stems from a shooting incident at a Hyde Park residence in February, where an employee was shot and injured. The case was postponed to next Friday.

# The National Prosecuting Authority has condemned threats made by EFF leader Julius Malema against a state prosecutor following his sentencing. The NPA says the comments, posted on social media, amount to intimidation and undermine the rule of law, warning that prosecutors must be allowed to perform their duties without fear. The NPA’s Kaizer Kganyago urged any intimidation be reported to law enforcement authorities:

# Western Cape Agriculture, Economic Development and Tourism MEC, Ivan Meyer, says the provincial government is strengthening its position as a leader in niche and sustainable tourism. This follows the graduation of a new cohort of Astro Night Sky Tourist Guides. In 2023, the sector contributed an estimated 28.6-billion-rand and supported over 257-thousand jobs. Meyer says these graduates are helping the province move from a tourism strategy based on volume to one focused on value and sustainability:

Moving abroad:

# Australia’s most decorated living soldier, Ben Roberts-Smith, has been granted bail. The 47-year-old is facing five counts of the war crime of murder relating to his time serving in Afghanistan between 2009 and 2012. He has denied wrongdoing. Roberts-Smith’s lawyers had argued this unprecedented case would face long delays and ongoing imprisonment would prevent him from being able to properly mount a defence. Under the bail conditions, he must report to police three times a week, grant them access to his electronic devices, and forfeit his passport.

# Athletics: The World Athletics Nationality Review Panel has rejected the applications of 11 elite athletes to switch their nationality to Turkey. They include five Kenyans, including former women’s marathon world record-holder Brigid Kosgei, four Jamaicans, a Nigerian, and a Russian. The panel found the applications formed part of a coordinated recruitment strategy led by the Turkish government acting through a wholly-owned and financed government club, to attract overseas athletes through lucrative contracts. World Athletics says the athletes are not prevented from living or training in Turkey.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-33-cents and the euro at 19-rand-29-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-13-cents and Bitcoin trades at 75-thousand-815-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-813-dollars-26-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 91-dollars-33-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….