News 08:00

BULLETIN 7 April 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Fikile Mbalula says the trust between South Africans and the ANC has diminished
# Six children without documents are intercepted at the Beitbridge Border Post
# And rugby: The NWU-Eagles will take on UP-Tuks in the Varsity Cup final

# ANC secretary general, Fikile Mbalula, says the public has lost trust in the party. A recently released poll by the market research company Ipsos shows the ANC’s support among all eligible voters in the country now stands at 33-percent. A Social Research Foundation poll measures the party’s support nationally at 39-percent. Speaking at the Solomon Mahlangu lecture in Tshwane on Monday, Mbalula said people are confronted with failing services, unemployment, inequality and a growing sense of disillusionment:

# The Border Management Authority intercepted a taxi carrying six children who were found to be without documentation or parents at the Beitbridge Border Post in Limpopo on Monday. The taxi driver has been arrested for aiding and abetting illegal migration. BMA Commissioner, Michael Masiapato, says the children have been handed over to the Department of Social Development and will be reunited with their families in Zimbabwe:

# The South African Special Risk Insurance Association says it is on track to achieve its 30-billion-rand capital reserves target by 2029. This comes as the state-owned entity recently relaunched its Wrap Cover, which provides large corporate insurance against escalating risks linked to civil commotion, riots, strikes, public disorder, and terrorism. The July 2021 unrest led to damages exceeding 31-billion-rand. Sasria CEO, Mpumi Tyikwe, says the availability of adequate risk transfer capacity will help to limit capital flight, enhance corporate resilience, and strengthen the country’s capacity to absorb future shocks.

# US president Donald Trump says Iran can be taken out in one night if it fails to make a deal before the deadline he set for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. Speaking at the White House on Monday, Trump reiterated threats to hit Iran’s bridges and power plants, claiming the Iranian people would be willing to suffer if it eventually secured their freedom. He added that Iran will never have a nuclear weapon:

# Rugby: The North West University-Eagles will face the University of Pretoria-Tuks in the Varsity Cup final at the LC de Villiers Stadium in Pretoria next Monday. The Eagles scored 40 unanswered second-half points to thrash the University of Stellenbosch Maties 50-10 in Potchefstroom. Winger Munashe Dukuswa scored three tries as Tuks, who are on a quest for a sixth title, defeated the University of Johannesburg 53-34 in Pretoria. Meanwhile, the University of Walter Sisulu will take on the University of Witwatersrand in the Varsity Shield final on Friday.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-91-cents and the euro at 19-rand-50-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-35-cents, and Bitcoin trades at 68-thousand-681-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-641-dollars-8-cents a fine ounce, and Brent crude oil is quoted at 108-dollars-27-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….