News 16:00

BULLETIN 20 May 4 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Mothibi says the state prosecutor in the Sibanyoni case felt unsafe
# Iran threatens war beyond the region if America attacks again
# And tennis: Novak Djokovic hopes to defy time at Roland Garros

# The head of the National Prosecuting Authority, Andy Mothibi, says state prosecutor Mkhuseli Ntaba feared for his safety amid the high-profile case against Mpumalanga taxi boss Joe “Ferrari” Sibanyoni. Ntaba failed to appear in the Kwaggafontein Magistrate’s Court, leading to the matter being struck off the roll and a warrant for his arrest being issued. The NPA has since suspended him. Mothibi says they are investigating his claims:

# Statistics South Africa has revealed annual inflation for food and non-alcoholic beverages has eased for a third consecutive month, falling to 2.9-percent last month from 3.6-percent in March. Six of eleven food categories recorded lower rates, with meat showing the biggest decline from 11.6-percent in March to 9.4-percent in April. Statistics SA’s chief director for Price Statistics, Patrick Kelly, says cereal products, including maize flour, recorded deflation for a third month:

# March and March reject claims of xenophobia following a protest in Durban, saying the demonstration has been mischaracterised. The civic advocacy group says the gathering was driven by community concerns and not hostility towards foreign nationals. It has called for calm and urged residents to avoid inflammatory narratives that could heighten tensions. Authorities are reportedly monitoring the situation closely while encouraging dialogue between affected communities and local leadership to prevent further unrest or misunderstanding.

Moving abroad:

# Iran threatened to spread war beyond the Middle East if the United States attacks again. This follows after president Donald Trump said he had come within an hour of restarting ​the military campaign. Iran submitted a new offer to the United States this ‌week, but its publicised version repeat terms previously rejected by Trump. These include demands for control over the Strait of Hormuz, compensation for war damage, the lifting of sanctions, the release of frozen assets and the withdrawal of US soldiers from the area.

# Tennis: Time is Novak Djokovic’s biggest opponent when he arrives at this year’s French Open, starting on Sunday. The record 24-time Grand Slam champion turns 39 on Friday. The Serbian is no longer the immovable presence he once was, with his famed durability now in question as younger, physically-explosive rivals dominate. Djokovic’s scheduling is now more selective and his approach more pragmatic. He says he would have liked more time on clay before coming to Paris. The main draw for the men’s singles takes place tomorrow.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-59-cents and the euro at 19-rand-24-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-23-cents and Bitcoin trades at 77-thousand-351-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-497-dollars-62-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 104-dollars-57-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….