News 08:00

BULLETIN 8 April 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Sibusiso Dyonase believes he has a real chance at becoming the new DA leader
# The MK Party pushes a new bill for land expropriation without compensation
# And, Donald Trump agrees to a two-week ceasefire with Iran

# DA caucus leader in the Sedibeng Municipality, Sibusiso Dyonase, says he is confident that he has what it takes to succeed John Steenhuisen. The 33-year-old entered the race for federal leader just two days before the deadline, stepping into a contest widely expected to favour the frontrunner, Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis. The DA will hold its elective federal congress in Johannesburg this weekend. Dyonase says his experience in other leadership positions sets him up well for this contest:

# The MK Party says it will introduce a Constitutional Amendment Bill to change Section 25 of the Constitution and allow land expropriation without compensation. The party believes the bill is intended to speed up land reform, support economic development, and expand access to land. MK’s Nhlamulo Ndhlela added that the proposal will be opened for consultations with other political parties as part of efforts to build broader support.

# A fire broke out at the Riverlea Secondary School in Johannesburg last night, a day before schools reopen for the second term. Several buildings at the school, including a library, a classroom, a few storerooms, and a laboratory, have been completely gutted. This is the same school where eleven classrooms were damaged in a blaze on 27 April 2025. School Governing Body chairperson, Keagan Everson, told the SABC that he believes the fire was started deliberately:

# US president Donald Trump says he has agreed to suspend planned military strikes against Iran for two weeks. He had threatened to launch massive strikes against Iranian energy and transportation infrastructure if Tehran did not make a deal. The two-week cease is a result of a request from mediator Pakistan. Trump says this is subject to the complete, immediate, and safe opening of the Strait of Hormuz. He added that they have received a ten-point proposal from Iran and believe it is a workable basis on which to negotiate. 

# Soccer: Bayern Munich earned their first win against 15-time champions Real Madrid in ten attempts, to claim a 2-1 first-leg victory in their Champions League quarterfinal at the Bernabeu. Goals from Luis Diaz and Harry Kane on either side of halftime secured the win for Vincent Kompany’s men, and a crucial advantage ahead of next week’s second leg. Kylian Mbappe scored the only goal for Madrid. Meanwhile, substitute Kai Havertz scored a 91st-minute goal to clinch a 1-0 win for Arsenal in their quarterfinal against Sporting in Lisbon.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-49-cents and the euro at 19-rand-25-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-10-cents, and Bitcoin trades at 71-thousand-412-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-802-dollars-78-cents a fine ounce, and Brent crude oil is quoted at 92-dollars-80-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….