News 08:00

BULLETIN 31 March 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Minister Cele discourages calls to share the security details of former presidents
# Multiple lives are lost and serious injuries sustained on Tshwane’s roads
# And, rugby: URC wins for the Stormers and the Sharks

# Police minister Bheki Cele is discouraging demands for him to be questioned on the security details of former president Jacob Zuma. This follows an incident where a car collided with Zuma’s official armoured state vehicle in KwaZulu-Natal. A 51-year-old alleged drunk driver has been arrested. Cele’s spokesperson Lirandzu Themba says following a thorough briefing, the minister is satisfied with Zuma’s protection as a former head of state:

# Multiple road accidents that claimed lives and seriously injured victims have been reported to the Tshwane Emergency Services. Three people were killed and three injured when two vehicles collided in Centurion. Another two people were injured when a bakkie overturned north of Pretoria. Emergency Services spokesperson Charles Mabaso says in the most serious crash, four teenage boys were killed when their vehicle overturned in the CBD:

In Midrand, Gauteng, two boys, aged nine and 17, died on the N1 South yesterday afternoon after an SUV overturned and collided with another vehicle. Emer-G-Med paramedics say another five people sustained moderate injuries while three injured children had been rushed to hospital by bystanders.

The United Democratic Movement joins calls for all South Africans to prioritise safety and responsibility this Easter Weekend. The weekend started off on a tragic note when a bus traveling to an Easter gathering from Botswana to Moria in Limpopo crashed between Marken and Mokopane, killing at least 45 people. The UDM’s secretary-general, Yongama Zigebe, pleads with people to adhere to public health guidelines and exercise caution:

# The Biden administration has in recent days quietly authorised the transfer of billions of dollars in bombs and fighter jets to Israel. This is despite Washington’s concerns about an anticipated military offensive in southern Gaza that could threaten the lives of hundreds of thousands of Palestinian civilians. According to The Washington Post, some Democrats feel the US government has a responsibility to withhold weapons in the absence of an Israeli commitment to limit civilian casualties during a planned operation in Rafah.

# And, rugby: The Stormers won a low scoring United Rugby Championship game against Ulster 13-7 in Cape Town last night. The hosts trailed 7-0 at half-time but Evan Roos scored a late try, with Manie Libbok’s penalty sealing the game. In Wales, the Ospreys celebrated a 36-21 bonus-point victory over the Lions. The Johannesburg team committed no less than 14 handling errors. And in Durban, the struggling Sharks gained some momentum by beating Edinburgh 23-13. They also overcame Ulster 22-12 last weekend.

Stay tuned for more news………….