News 07:00

BULLETIN 18 April 7 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The DA slams Malema over his reckless attack on a magistrate
# Iran says the Hormuz Strait is open after the Lebanon deal
# And rugby: The Bulls improve to fifth place in the URC standings

# The DA says EFF leader Julius Malema’s post-sentencing remarks risk undermining public confidence in the judiciary. The party argues Malema’s description of magistrate Twanet Olivier in KuGompo City in the Eastern Cape, as a racist is an unsubstantiated claim that could undermine trust in the justice system. The DA’s Glynnis Breytenbach says public attacks on judicial officers are reckless and threaten the rule of law and democratic stability:

# The trial of the accused in the murders of rapper Kiernan “AKA Forbes” Forbes and his friend Tebello Motsoane is set to proceed in the High Court in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, in June. This follows the addition of the Ndimande brothers, Malusi and Siyabonga, to the case, bringing the total number of accused to seven. The brothers were served with three indictments linking them not only to the 2023 killings but also to a wider series of murders, kidnappings, and armed robberies dating back to 2022.

# Women’s rights group Wise4Afrika director Brenda Madumise-Pajibo says Parliament’s Justice portfolio committee will be tested on its stance on gender-based violence. This comes after the Judicial Service Commission found Eastern Cape Judge president Selby Mbenenge guilty of gross misconduct and sexual harassment after a complaint by former court secretary Andiswa Mengo, leading to possible impeachment. The commission will submit its findings to the speaker of the National Assembly and may recommend suspension by president Cyril Ramaphosa pending Parliament’s decision. Madumise-Pajibo says the case highlights the power imbalance in the judiciary.

# The Western Cape government is set to invest 41-million-rand in municipal water resilience projects during the 2026/27 financial year to improve water supply. Projects include borehole development, reservoir construction, desalination upgrades, pipeline work and pump station refurbishments across several municipalities. MEC for Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, Anton Bredell, says the funding will help improve water security:

Moving abroad:

# Iranian Foreign minister Abbas Araqchi says the Strait of Hormuz was open following a ceasefire accord ​agreed in Lebanon, while US president Donald Trump said he believed a deal to end the war with Iran would come soon. Araqchi said in ‌a post on X the strait was open for all commercial vessels for the remainder of the 10-day truce between Israeli forces and Iranian-backed Hezbollah agreed between Israel and Lebanon. He said the passage of ships would need to be along the route that Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organisation had announced.

# And, rugby: The Bulls improved to fifth in the United Rugby Championship standings when they beat the Dragons 47-7 in Wales last night. The visitors scored seven tries through Embrose Papier, Johan Grobbelaar, Marcell Coetzee, Devon Williams, Sergeal Petersen, and two by Marco van Staden, while Springbok flyhalf Handré Pollard and David Kriel both converted three each. The hosts could only reply with a single try. Today, the Stormers play Connacht at home in Cape Town, the Lions host Glasgow Warriors in Johannesburg, and the Sharks play Ospreys in Wales.

Stay tuned for more news………….