News 09:00

BULLETIN 23 May 9 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Government condemns attacks on foreign nationals in South Africa
# The DA says crime must become a top national priority following the latest crime statistics
# And: A big shift for Gautrain commuters as a new mobile service promises seamless station connections

# The minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola has condemned attacks on foreign nationals in South Africa, saying migration must be properly managed and that only law enforcement agencies should enforce the law. Lamola addressed the opening of the SADC Ministers of Foreign Affairs Retreat at Kruger National Park in Mpumalanga. The minister said no one has the power to take laws into their own hands. He said it is the responsibility of law enforcement to enforce the law not private citizens:

Meanwhile, the Department of Home Affairs Department is currently undertaking an extensive series of nationwide public consultations regarding the Zimbabwean as well as the Lesotho Exemption Permit. Following previous legal challenges, the department is strictly adhering to the court’s directive that any final decision be reached only after a rigorous and inclusive consultation process. It says the primary objective of these consultations is to gather meaningful input from all affected stakeholders. The department says this includes assessing the potential impact of any future decisions on permit holders, their dependants and the broader South African public.

# Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment minister Willie Aucamp says there is no safe haven for poachers following two anti-poaching operations in the Western Cape. More than 500 kilograms of abalone, worth about 900-thousand-rand was seized in raids in Simon’s Town and Grabouw this week, with arrests made during the operations. Aucamp warned that poachers will face the full force of the law as efforts to protect South Africa’s marine resources continue:

# The Gautrain management agency is set to introduce a new on-demand service to improve access to its stations in Gauteng. The app-based system, called Gau Express, will connect commuters with drivers in real time to help address first- and last-mile travel challenges. The agency’s Albi Modise says the service aims to make trips to and from Gautrain stations more convenient, reliable and safe:

# And, boxing: Action hero Jason Statham played a role in Rico Verhoeven’s move from kickboxing to boxing, and tonight the Dutchman has a chance to clinch a WBC world tile in Egypt. He will face Ukrainian heavyweight great Oleksandr Usyk in Giza. Verhoeven bumbed into Statham at a fight in Las Vegas in 2024, and the actor told him he could probably beat many of the attending boxers. Statham mentioned Verhoeven to his close ally, Saudi boxing powerbroker Turki Alalshikh, who then contacted Verhoeven and convinced him to challenge Usyk.

Stay tuned for more news………….