News 18:00

BULLETIN 11 May 6 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Severe weather claims a life in Cape Town as gale-force winds lash the Western Cape
# FOSA calls for visible policing in high-risk crime areas
# And, minister Sindisiwe Chikunga says the mental health crisis affecting men and boys is a silent national emergency

# One person has died in Kenilworth in Cape Town after a tree fell on a car during severe weather in the Western Cape. Another motorist was injured in Parow in a similar incident. Torrential rain and gale-force wind continue to batter the province, causing widespread flooding, landslides, power outages and road closures. Disaster Risk Management spokesperson Sonica Lategan says emergency and humanitarian teams are assisting affected communities as the bad weather continues:

# The Forum for South Africa is calling for visible policing in high-risk crime areas in the country. This comes as two people were shot dead and three wounded at a tavern in Zamimpilo informal settlement in Langlaagte, Johannesburg, over the weekend. FOSA leader, Tebogo Mashilompane, says lawlessness is tightening its grip on communities:

# Kenya’s Foreign minister Musalia Mudavadi says the Africa-France Summit currently underway in Nairobi is tackling major continental issues while promoting growth. The summit brings French president Emmanuel Macron together with more than 30 African leaders to strengthen cooperation and investment. More than one-thousand-500 delegates are attending the two-day summit. He told SABC News the gathering aims to build equal partnerships and promoting innovation:

# Cricket: England’s fast bowler, Gus Atkinson, is in doubt for next month’s home Test series against New Zealand after sustaining a concussion during a county match for Surrey. Two bouncers from Nottinghamshire’s international bowler, Josh Tongue, struck him on the helmet. He was later substituted and then failed a concussion test. The first of the three Tests against New Zealand starts at Lord’s in London on the fourth of June, followed by matches at the Oval in London and at Trent Bridge in Nottingham.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-37-cents against the rand and the euro at 19-rand-29-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-29-cents and Bitcoin trades at 81-thousand-185-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-729-dollars-13-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 101-dollars-44-cents a barrel.

# And finally, the minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Sindisiwe Chikunga, is calling for urgent societal, institutional, and community-based interventions to tackle the escalating mental health crisis affecting men and boys across the country. She has described this as “a silent national emergency.” The department’s spokesperson, Cassius Selala, says most men continue to suffer in silence due to damaging social norms that discourage emotional vulnerability and seeking help:

Stay tuned for more news………….