News 09:00

BULLETIN 2 March 9 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Minister Cele visits Saldanha Bay community amid the active search for Joslin Smith
# Malema says the EFF supports judge John Hlophe
# And, tennis: The Kruger sisters are through to the doubles final of WIPHOLD International

# Police minister Bheki Cele and SAPS management, led by provincial Police commissioner, Thembisile Patekile, will meet the community of Saldanha Bay on the West Coast today following false reports pertaining to the search for the missing Joslin Smith. Police spokesperson Lirandzu Themba says the search and investigation into the little girl’s disappearance continues:

# EFF leader Julius Malema has reassured judge John Hlophe that, although the party has nothing, he has their support. Malema visited Hlophe, who he describes as a pioneer of the judiciary and an intellectual, in Cape Town yesterday. Referring to Hlophe’s imminent impeachment, he says black African professionals who dare to challenge the status quo are being ostracised. Malema adds the EFF will never be silent while an African intellectual is being persecuted:

# Rand Water is deeply concerned over the escalating debts caused by municipalities’ failure to honour their bulk water purchase agreements and debt settlement arrangements with Rand Water. To date, municipalities owe Rand Water a cumulative overdue amount of three-billion-rand, with two-billion-rand relating to Gauteng municipalities, one-billion to Mpumalanga municipalities, and at least 63-million-rand owed by Free State municipalities. Spokesperson Makenosi Maroo says the payment patterns of municipalities have deteriorated to concerning levels that threaten the liquidity, financial performance and sustainability of Rand Water:

# Tennis: The Kruger sisters will represent South Africa in the doubles final of the WIPHOLD International in Pretoria today. The daughters of 1995 World Cup-winning Springbok Ruben Kruger, Isabella and Zoe, won their first-round match earlier this week and advanced to the title match when their opponents withdrew from both the quarterfinal and semifinal round. They will face Russians Alina Charaeva and Ekaterina Reyngold. In the singles, top-seeded Laura Pigossi of Brazil and Hanne Vandewinkel of Belgium will fight it out for the title.

# And, on World Wildlife Day, Vergelegen wine estate in Somerset West is celebrating the successful relocation of bontebok, eland and rare quagga to its nature reserve. The estate, located in the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality, has proved to be an ideal location for wildlife. Vergelegen’s environmental manager Eben Olderwagen says their rare quagga, eland and bontebok are not only in peak condition, but breeding. There are now approximately 95 bontebok on the estate, comprising three breeding herds plus bachelor groups.

Stay tuned for more news………….