News 08:00

BULLETIN 3 May 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The Activists and Citizens Forum calls for tighter border controls amid immigration tensions
# Postbank end ties with the South African Post Office to enhance accessibility to customers
# And in athletics: South Africa’s sprinters breeze through to the finals at the World Athletics Relays Championships in Botswana

# Activists and Citizens Forum spokesperson Dennis Bloem has warned that tensions over undocumented foreign nationals are reaching a boiling point. He says recent marches across the country show growing public frustration, with calls for tighter border control and deportations. Bloem urged the government to act urgently, warning that failure to address porous borders could threaten national safety and stability. He called on president Cyril Ramaphosa to intervene before the situation escalates into a broader crisis affecting communities nationwide.

# Four people have been killed in a shootout between community patrollers and suspected robbers in Durban. The incident occurred late Friday night, with police confirming the deadly exchange of gunfire. Authorities say the confrontation happened just before midnight, and investigations are underway to determine the circumstances leading to the shooting. KwaZulu-Natal police have opened multiple murder cases and are probing whether the suspects were linked to previous criminal activities in the area.

# Postbank has officially ended its 142-year-long standing partnership with the South African Post Office, removing access to banking services at post office branches nationwide. This change follows the expiry of the Service Level Agreement between SAPO and Postbank on 31 March 2026, after which Postbank declined to enter into a new agreement with the Post Office. Chief Commercial Officer Thami Cele told Newzroom Afrika that the move will make banking accessible:

# The Motor Industry Staff Association has welcomed plans by Jetour to begin vehicle manufacturing locally, leveraging Chery’s acquisition of the Nissan Rosslyn plant. The union says the move supports job creation, skills development and economic growth. MISA spokesperson Phakamile Hlubi-Majola says the investment validates its push for localisation, with production expected to reach 50-thousand units annually, create thousands of jobs, strengthening South Africa’s automotive sector and global competitiveness:

# A revised proposal by Iran, but rejected by US President Donald Trump, would open shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and end the ​US blockade of Iran while leaving talks on Iran’s nuclear programme for later. A senior Iranian official said Tehran believed its latest proposal to shelve nuclear talks for a ​later stage was a significant shift aimed at facilitating an agreement. Under the proposal, the war would end with a ​guarantee that Israel and ⁠the United States would not attack again, while the Iranian blockade would be lifted.

# And finally, athletics: South Africa’s defending champions in the 4×100-metres, Bayanda Walaza, Shaun Maswanganyi, Bradley Nkoana, and Akani Simbine powered to victory in Heat 3 of the World Athletics Relays in Gaborone yesterday, clocking the distance in 37.68 seconds. The 4×400 metres squad featuring Gardeo Isaacs, Zakithi Nene, Lythe Pillay, and Antonie Nortje dominated Heat 2 in 2 minutes 58.04 seconds. Both teams secured automatic qualification for this afternoon’s finals. While South Africa’s women’s 4x400m team set a new national record, it was not fast enough for them to make the final eight.

Stay tuned for more news………….