News 07:00

BULLETIN 27 March 7 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# President Ramaphosa says he will soon make an announcement about Masemola
# The police restart the search for Joshlin Smith amid claims of new evidence
# And cricket: 17 South Africans are set to compete in this year’s IPL

# President Cyril Ramaphosa says he is having discussions with the security cluster, following the summons issued for the national police commissioner general Fannie Masemola to appear in court next month. This is in connection with the 360-million-rand health services tender awarded to tenderpreneur Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala’s company, Medicare24. Ramahosa says he will be making an announcement soon on the way forward. He adds that revelations that have come out from the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry and Parliament’s ad hoc committee have been concerning:

# The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse says the Sector Education and Training Authority system has become bloated, inefficient, and prone to corruption, failing to deliver meaningful skills development. The organisation says the skills system, meant to support training and jobs, has become costly and ineffective despite billions in funding. It calls for a new, employer-led model that links funding directly to training outcomes and employment, cuts bureaucratic layers, and ensures accountability.

# The ANC says it will appeal the ruling by the Eastern Cape High Court, which interdicted the party’s provincial elective conference set for this weekend. Disgruntled party members took the ANC to court over their dissatisfaction regarding the convening of branch general meetings, alleged membership rigging, and irregular processes leading up to the conference. The court ordered the postponement of the conference until disputes are resolved. ANC national executive committee member, Mmamoloko Kubayi, says they have no intention of defying the court:

# Police in Saldanha Bay, Western Cape, have resumed the search for the then six-year-old Joshlin Smith, who went missing from her Middelpos home on 19 February 2024. Her mother, Kelly Smith, and an accomplice were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for kidnapping and child trafficking. Last week, Patriotic Alliance leader Gayton McKenzie claimed to have proof that Joshlin is still alive, prompting renewed search efforts. Police with sniffer dogs, are combing densely vegetated areas as part of the search.

# US president Donald Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, confirms that they have sent Iran a 15-point action list that forms the framework for a peace deal. This has been circulated through the Pakistani government, acting as the mediator. Witkoff says the framework has, so far, resulted in strong and positive messaging and talks. He adds that the US will maintain confidentiality on the specific terms of talks and not negotiate through the media:

# Cricket: The 19th edition of the Indian Premier League gets underway tomorrow with 17 South Africans participating this year. They include Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, Kagiso Rabada, Quinton de Kock, Corbin Bosch, and teenage sensation Lhuan-Dré Pretorius. The league will kick off with defending champions the Royal Challengers Bengaluru hosting Sunrisers Hyderabad in Bengaluru. On Sunday, five-time champions Mumbai Indians will host the Kolkata Knight Riders in Mumbai.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-10-cents and the euro at 19-rand-72-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-80-cents and Bitcoin trades at 68-thousand-811-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-394-dollars-53-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 100-dollars-50-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….