News 09:00

BULLETIN 12 April 9 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The Transport minister oversees the official discontinuation of e-tolls
# The NUM is not surprised at Sibanye’s latest retrenchment plans
# And, Bryoni Govender will represent South Africa at Miss Supranational

# Transport minister Sindisiwe Chikunga says the discontinuation of e-tolls is a triumph for democracy. She oversaw the actual switching-off of the e-tolls at the South African National Roads Agency’s Central Operations Centre in Gauteng yesterday evening. She also visited the gantries on the N1 South Buccleuch Interchange. There has been an outcry over motorists still being liable to pay their e-toll debts. Chikunga says determining the fate of outstanding e-toll debts falls outside her jurisdiction:

Meanwhile, the DA in Gauteng is calling on the national Department of Transport to start the process of writing off all unpaid e-toll debts with immediate effect. Although e-tolls have been shut down permanently, motorists are still liable to pay their debt. The DA’s, Fred Nel, says the provincial government was unsuccessful in implementing e-tolls, and they will be unsuccessful in attempting to collect any arrears from motorists:

# The National Union of Mineworkers says it is not surprised by Sibanye-Stillwater’s latest retrenchment plans, as this is capitalist barbarism at its best. The mining company says it has identified a need to address losses at the Beatrix one shaft, which has been unable to deliver planned production, and the Kloof two plant. The proposed restructuring of the operations could potentially affect three-thousand-107 employees and 915 contractors. NUM says it is ready to participate and constructively engage Sibanye to minimise job losses.

# Soccer: Liverpool suffered a three-nil defeat to Atalanta in their Europa League first-leg quarterfinal tie at Anfield. This was the Red’s first home defeat since February last year, ending their 33-game unbeaten run. Meanwhile, goals from Ollie Watkins and John McGinn gave Aston Villa a narrow two-one first-leg lead over Lille, while West Ham suffered a two-nil defeat to Bayer Leverkusen. Liverpool manager, Jurgen Klopp, says he has nothing positive to say about the game:

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-75-cents and the euro at 20-rand-10-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-52-cents and Bitcoin trades at 70-thousand-887-dollars-85-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-385-dollars-97-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 90-dollars-19-cents a barrel.

# And finally, Miss South Africa runner-up, Bryoni Govender, will represent the country at the Miss Supranational pageant set to be held in Poland on the sixth of July. She represented the country at Miss Universe last year, after the current Miss South Africa, Natasha Joubert, chose not to participate in international competitions. The reigning Miss Supranational is Sheynnis Palacios from Nicaragua. Govender says she has been working tirelessly to prepare herself both mentally and physically for the competition.

Stay tuned for more news………….