News 07:00

BULLETIN 14 April 7 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The Presidency dismisses Elon Musk’s Starlink bribery and racism claims
# The state wants 15 years’ direct imprisonment for Malema
# And rugby: The Blitzboks are ready for a new challenge in Hong Kong

# The Presidency has dismissed claims by Multibillionaire Elon Musk, including that his satellite internet company, Starlink, has been blocked from operating in South Africa because he is not black. He claims that Starlink was given the opportunity to bribe its way to a telecoms licence in the country by pretending a black person ran the company’s local entity. The Presidency’s spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, has urged Musk to move on, saying there are currently 193 member states in the United Nations, surely there is good money to be made elsewhere.

# The State is seeking direct imprisonment of 15 years for EFF leader Julius Malema for his firearm conviction. He was found guilty of unlawfully discharging a firearm during an EFF rally at the Sisa Dukashe Stadium in Mdantsane, East London, in 2018. Sentencing proceedings will be held in the East London Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday and Thursday. In a briefing last week, Malema reiterated that he will appeal the judgment:

Teachers’ union, SADTU, says the 9.5-percent increase in Government Employees Medical Scheme contributions is placing severe financial pressure on public servants, including teachers. The union has joined the union federation Cosatu and the Federation of Unions of South Africa in opposing the increase, warning that healthcare is becoming unaffordable for many workers. SADTU spokesperson Nomusa Cembi argues the hike wipes out recent salary gains amid rising living costs affecting working households:

# Northern Cape premier Zamani Saul says the province is intensifying efforts to grow the economy and create jobs through stronger support for small businesses and improved investment facilitation. Speaking at the launch of the national empowerment fund and one-stop shop initiative in Kimberley, Saul said eight enterprises supported through the fund have created 229 jobs and retained 110 others. He said the initiative forms part of the province’s broader push to grow small businesses, attract investment, and reduce unemployment.

# A US federal judge has dismissed president Donald Trump’s 165.26-billion-rand defamation lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal and its owner, Rupert Murdoch. He launched the lawsuit after the Wall Street Journal published a letter it claimed Trump wrote to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in 2003. Trump claimed the letter was fake. Judge Darrin Gayles said Trump came nowhere close to showing the Journal acted with actual malice towards him. Gayles dismissed the lawsuit without prejudice, and Trump has until April 27 to file an amended complaint.

# Rugby: Springbok Sevens player David Brits says even though they have won this year’s World Sevens Series, they are starting afresh in the first of three World Championship tournaments in Hong Kong this weekend. The other two tournaments will be held in Valladolid, Spain, and Bordeaux, France, before a grand champion is crowned. The Blitzboks face Argentina, Spain, and Uruguay in Pool A in Hong Kong. Brits say they are ready for the challenge ahead and creating new memories:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-39-cents and the euro at 19-rand-28-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-14-cents and Bitcoin trades at 74-thousand-310-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-772-dollars-94-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 94-dollars-30-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….