News 08:00

BULLETIN 27 April 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# KwaZulu-Natal’s premier vows to oppose bail in the Monswamy mass murder case
# Roadrunning: A new men’s record for Sawe in the London Marathon
# And South Africa reflects on over 30 years of democracy this Freedom Day

# KwaZulu-Natal premier Thami Ntuli says the government will oppose bail at the KwaDukuza Magistrate’s Court tomorrow for three suspects arrested in the murder of seven members of the Monswamy family. Speaking at the mass funeral, Ntuli confirmed police have recovered the vehicle linked to the case and the pursuit of a fourth suspect continues. He assured the community all resources are being used to bring the perpetrators to justice:

# The ACDP has called on the City of Johannesburg to stop taking loans, warning it is unsustainable. Spokesperson Chris Rohlssen says the city is owed over 71-billion-rand. He argues debt collection should be prioritised over borrowing. Rohlssen also raised concerns over a reported rejected loan request from the French development agency for failing to meet the terms of a 2.5-billion-rand loan it got in 2024:

Moving abroad:

# Britain’s government remains in close cooperation with US security services ahead of King Charles’ visit to the United States this ‌week, after a shooting at the White House correspondents’ dinner. The prime minister’s office told Sky News extensive discussions ‌are already ⁠underway between the two governments, that would continue over the coming days. Charles and his wife, Camilla, are due to arrive in the ⁠United States today for a four-day trip that includes a private meeting with president Donald Trump ⁠and an address to Congress.

# Roadrunning: Sabastian Sawe became the first man ever to run a marathon in under two hours. The Kenyan won the London Marathon in one-hour-59-minutes-30 seconds, improving his late compatriot Kelvin Kiptum’s record set in 2023 by over a minute. In the women’s race, Ethiopian Tigst Assefa improved her own record when she crossed the line in two-hours-15-minutes-41 seconds to retain her title. In the men’s elite wheelchair race, Marcel Hug of Switzerland recorded a record-equalling eight title, while compatriot Catherine Debrunner won the women’s wheelchair race.

# And finally: South Africa is observing Freedom Day today, marking more than three decades since the first democratic elections in 1994. The national celebration will be held in Bloemfontein under the theme “Freedom and the Rule of Law: Thirty Years of Democratic Citizenship.” The day commemorates the historic 1994 vote that ended apartheid and established democratic rule. While democracy is celebrated, challenges including unemployment, inequality, crime and governance failures continue to shape the country’s ongoing pursuit of true freedom and equality.

Stay tuned for more news………….