News 06:00
BULLETIN 27 March 6 am
Good morning. I am……..
In this bulletin:
# The ANC and the MK Party’s copyright battle heads to the High Court in Durban
# Minister Nzimande criticises the management failure at Educor
# And Joe Biden says there is no indication that the bridge collapse in Baltimore was an intentional act
# The legal showdown between the African National Congress and the Umkhonto we Sizwe Party is scheduled for an open court hearing at the High Court in KwaZulu-Natal today. The ANC alleges copyright infringement by the MK party, asserting that naming itself after the ANC’s disbanded armed wing constitutes trademark theft. Meanwhile, the court has restricted media presence, permitting only 15 members, including reporters and photographers, and disallowing video or TV cameras due to limited courtroom space.
# Higher Education, Science, and Innovation minister, Blade Nzimande, says his department will not be complicit in gross governance and compliance failures. This comes as Damelin, City Varsity, Icesa City Campus, and Lyceum College, owned by Educor, have been deregistered as higher education institutions. Since 2020, the four private colleges failed to submit audited annual financial statements and have not complied with some regulations. Nzimande described the complaints they received about the institutions:
# Build One South Africa says the DA-run Western Cape needs a strong opposition holding it to account to promote service delivery and job creation. The party unveiled its election posters outside Parliament yesterday ahead of the 29 May general elections. BOSA leader, Mmusi Maimane, says his party is committed to building one Western Cape where opportunities exist for all, and where the decades-old patterns of inclusion and exclusion are done away with:
# The Democratic Alliance has confirmed Cilliers Brink’s continuation as the City of Tshwane mayor. Brink has opted out of a parliamentary seat to prioritise Tshwane’s stability over personal political pursuits. He emphasises the coalition’s importance in combating corruption and improving governance. Brink’s efforts include recruiting new managers, enabling private energy generation, and enhancing audit outcomes. Despite challenges, Brink says he remains committed to DA governance standards. He says the decision aligns with the coalition’s need for steadfast leadership.
# US president Joe Biden says there is no indication that the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore was an intentional act. Eight people were on the bridge when a cargo ship crashed into it yesterday. Two were saved from the water while six were still unaccounted for. Biden says the search and rescue operation is the top priority right now:
# Cricket: Fast bowler Nandré Burger and batter Tony de Zorzi had been rewarded with national contracts by Cricket South Africa for the first time, while bowler Gerald Coetzee’s gets a full-time contract. Coetzee is currently playing in the Indian Premier League for Mumbai Indians, who bought him for a whopping 11.4-million-rand. All-rounder Andile Phehlukwayo got his Proteas contract back. Among the women, fast bowler Ayanda Hlubi and all-rounder Eliz-Mari Marx scored their maiden national contracts.
# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-97-cents and the euro at 20-rand-56-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-96-cents and Bitcoin trades at 70-thousand-675-dollar-78-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-178-dollar-89-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 85-dollar-6-cents -cents a barrel.
Stay tuned for more news………….