News 09:00

BULLETIN 4 April 9 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula is handing herself over to the police
# Ukraine lowers the military mobilisation age to obtain more soldiers for the Russian war
# And Soccer: Mamelodi Sundowns is closer to clinching the Premiership title

# Former National Assembly Speaker, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, has arrived at the Lyttelton police station in Centurion to hand herself over. She resigned yesterday after earlier in the week the High Court in Pretoria dismissed her urgent appeal to prevent her arrest on corruption charges. During her tenure as Defence minister, Mapisa-Nqakula allegedly received 2.3-million-rand in bribes and gratifications from a defence contractor. She has denied the allegations.

Meanwhile, the GOOD Party says the wheels of justice must now turn, either to determine Mapisa-Nqakula’s guilt or to exonerate her. GOOD’s Secretary-General, Brett Herron, says a parliamentary vote to remove her, with the ANC using its majority to protect her, would have been distasteful:

# ELF-SA President Hulisani Mani will join political parties in signing the electoral code of conduct pledge for the upcoming general elections. The pledge, overseen by the Electoral Commission, urges parties to adhere to election rules. In a statement, the party says its commitment aims to foster tolerance and uphold fair competition among all contesting parties.

# Ukraine has lowered the country’s military mobilisation age from 27 to 25 to obtain more soldiers for the war against Russia. President Volodymyr Zelensky signed the law after volunteer numbers have dropped. He announced in December Ukraine would need another half-a-million soldiers to stave off Moscow’s onslaught. BBC News reports Zelensky said in February that 31-thousand Ukrainian soldiers were already killed, while US officials put the number at least 70-thousand, with up to 120-thousand wounded.

# Soccer: Mamelodi Sundowns are edging closer to clinching another Premiership title after defeating relegation-threatened side Richards Bay one-nil at Loftus Versfeld. Junior Mendieta scored the only goal in the match to secure all three points for the Brazilians and take them eleven points clear of second-placed Stellenbosch FC, who beat Kaizer Chiefs one-nil. Sundowns coach, Rulani Mokwena, says he is happy with his team’s overall performance:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-66-cents and the euro at 20-rand-25-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-63-cents and Bitcoin trades at 65-thousand-182-dollars-6-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-300-dollars-14-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 89-dollars-60-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….