News 16:00
BULLETIN 14 March 4 pm
Good afternoon. I am……..
In this bulletin:
# The confessions of accused 1 and 2 in the Meyiwa murder case are deemed admissible
# The Freedom Front Plus tackles the alarming spike in kidnappings in Mpumalanga
# And, the 350-rand social relief grant will increase by 20-rand from next month
# Judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng has ruled that confessions made by accused Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya and Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi regarding the murder of soccer star Senzo Meyiwa in 2014 are admissible. The court found the confessions were made freely and voluntarily, dismissing claims of coercion. The judge made his ruling following a trial-within-a-trial triggered by the defendants alleging police coercion:
# The Freedom Front Plus in Mpumalanga submitted proposals in the provincial legislature for curbing the alarming spike in kidnappings in the province. The biggest increase in kidnappings was recorded in the region of Ehlanzeni. Human trafficking remains a pressing problem in the province. The FF Plus’s Werner Weber says studies have shown that the increase in kidnappings is directly related to the significant growth of violent and organised crime:
# Finance minister Enoch Godongwana says the 350-rand social relief of distress grant will increase by 20-rand from the first of next month. This decision follows president Cyril Ramaphosa’s commitment to extend and improve the grant, since its introduction in May 2020 to support the poorest during the Covid-19 pandemic. It now assists about nine-million people at a cost of 33.6-billion-rand. Other social grants will also increase, including the old age grant, child support grant, and disability grant.
# A former member of the East German secret police is on trial in Germany today for shooting a Polish man attempting to flee to West Berlin almost 50 years ago. The 80-year-old defendant, identified by the court as Martin N, is accused of murdering Czeslaw Kukuczka at a border crossing in Berlin. The delay in filing the charges illustrates the challenges Germany has faced in bringing East German officials to justice for crimes committed by the communist government in its bid to stop citizens from escaping to the West.
# Rugby: Former Blitzbok star Werner Kok is leaving the Sharks at the end of the season to join Ulster in Ireland. This follows the departure of Rohan Janse van Rensburg and Le Roux Roets. Kok played 55 matches for the Durban team since joining in 2020. Springbok centre André Esterhuizen is expected to return to the Sharks after he left English club Harlequins, while the team also contracted World Cup winner Trevor Nyakane, and Jason Jenkins.
# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-61-cents and the euro at 20-rand-35-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-81-cents and Bitcoin trades at 72-thousand-458-dollars-61-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-165-dollars-86-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 84-dollars-59-cents a barrel.
Stay tuned for more news………….