News 08:00

BULLETIN 14 April 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# President Ramaphosa asks South Africans to defend the independence of the IEC
# The DA says KZN crime robs citizens of services and the right to safety
# And, rugby: Defeat for the Bulls while the Sharks triumph

# President Cyril Ramaphosa says South Africans must protect and defend the independence of the Electoral Commission, as well as the courts. Ramaphosa spoke on the ANC campaign trail in Cosmo City, Johannesburg. The commission wants the Electoral Court’s decision to allow former president Jacob Zuma to contest a seat in Parliament set aside. The president says he is proud of the IEC’s work and doesn’t believe it is venturing into the political arena:

Meanwhile, the DA in KwaZulu-Natal says there is a concerted drive by criminal elements in the province to weaponise water for their own illicit gains. In eThekwini, the total collapse of the government has left the door open for criminal syndicates to abuse desperate residents. The DA’s provincial premier candidate, Chris Pappas, says police failure is largely behind the scourge of criminality gripping the province:

# Iranian armed forces have seized a container ship near the Strait of Hormuz amid rising tensions after a deadly Israeli attack on Iran’s consulate in Syria. Aljazeera reports the ship was commandeered by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which lost seven members, including two generals, in the Syria strike. The Portuguese-flagged MSC Aries, which is linked to Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer, departed from the United Arab Emirates en route to India. There are 25 crew members on board, with MSC saying it is working to ensure their wellbeing.

# Rugby: The Bulls were dealt a heavy 59-22 defeat by Northampton Saints in the Champions Cup quarter-finals in England last night. The home side scored nine tries and will play Leinster in the semi-finals. In the Challenge Cup, flyhalf Siya Masuku kicked 18 points as the Sharks fought back to overpower Edinburgh in Durban to progress to the last four for the first time. The Sharks scored three tries in their 36-30 win and will face Clermont Auvergne in the semi-finals.

# And, a hippo cow is back home in Cape Town’s Rondevlei Nature Reserve after a walkabout very early yesterday morning in Grassy Park. Minibus taxi driver Arnold Brown couldn’t believe his eyes when he encountered the animal in the suburb and raised the alarm. Cape of Good Hope SPCA spokesperson Belinda Abraham told News24 the hippo had escaped through a fence which has now been temporarily secured. It took only a few hours to guide the hippo back to her home with no resistance or drama.

Stay tuned for more news………….