News 07:00

BULLETIN 8 April 7 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The Electoral Court will hear the MK Party’s application over Zuma’s candidacy today
# Over 30 homes were damaged in the Drakenstein Municipality due to the severe weather conditions
# And president Ramaphosa says a political solution is needed in the conflict between Rwanda and the DRC

# The Electoral Court will hear the uMkhonto weSizwe Party’s application against the barring of former president Jacob Zuma from being one of the party’s candidates to Parliament today. The Electoral Commission announced last month that Zuma is ineligible to stand as a candidate because of his criminal record. This stems from a 15-month prison sentence imposed by the Constitutional Court in 2021 after he was found in contempt of court. The MK party says the IEC erred in making the decision.

Meanwhile, the IFP in KwaZulu-Natal says the province deserves better leadership. The party unveiled its provincial election manifesto in Ulundi yesterday. KwaZulu-Natal is considered a battleground in this year’s general election between the ANC, IFP, and uMkhonto weSizwe parties. IFP premier candidate, Thami Ntuli, says residents have a choice between a government that is arrogant, corrupt, and boastful, and an IFP leadership and government that can be trusted and has a good track record in governance.

# The Drakenstein Municipality has implemented a comprehensive disaster management action plan. This is in response to severe weather conditions including heavy rain and wind that hit the municipal area since yesterday. More than 30 houses have lost their roofs and some have also suffered structural damage. Several areas are experiencing electricity outages due to strong winds that either ripped out electricity cables or blew over electricity poles or trees onto the overhead electricity cables. Mayor Stephen Korabie says the safety of residents and infrastructure is the main focus.

# A medical doctor and three other suspects are set to appear at Vanderbijlpark Magistrate’s Court today, charged with the fatal shooting of a 33-year-old woman. Gauteng police spokesperson, Mavela Masondo, confirmed the doctor, reportedly the victim’s ex-husband, and his fellow suspects will face a murder charge. The woman was found in her car with multiple gunshot wounds:

# President Cyril Ramaphosa says a political solution is needed in the conflict between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. He undertook a visit to Rwanda to attend the 30th commemoration of the 1994 genocide. Extremists from the Hutu ethnic group launched a 100-day killing spree, resulting in around 800-thousand people, mainly ethnic Tutsis, being killed. Ramaphosa says peace in the region is imperative:

# Rugby: Springbok Sevens head coach, Philip Snyman, says he is happy with his side’s improvements in the Hong Kong Sevens tournament. The Blitzboks finished sixth, picking up enough log points to deliver their third-best finish in the season so far and remain in the top eight on the overall log. Snyman says the focus will now shift to prepare for the Grand Final of the reimagined Sevens Series in Madrid at the end of next month:

# And financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-67-cents and the euro at 20-rand-24-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-59-cents and Bitcoin trades at 69-thousand-305-dollars-94-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-327-dollars-82-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 89-dollars-63-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….