News 11:00

BULLETIN 21 March 11 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin: 

# President Cyril Ramaphosa congratulates Vladimir Putin on his re-election
# MEC Lebogang Maile and mayor Kabelo Gwamanda convene a meeting at the Diepkloof hostel 
# And, the Western Cape Education Department bolsters school security for the holidays 

# President Cyril Ramaphosa has congratulated Vladimir Putin with his re-election as president of the Russian Federation. Ramaphosa re-emphasised the commitment of the two countries to mutual cooperation at the multilateral level, including common membership of the United Nations, the G20, BRICS and other multilateral bodies. He said South Africa’s strongly believes in the maintenance of international peace and security and will continue to engage both the Russian Federation and Republic of Ukraine in search of lasting peace between the two neighbouring countries.

# Human Settlements and Infrastructure Development MEC Lebogang Maile, and Johannesburg mayor, Kabelo Gwamanda, will meet with Izinduna and protest organisers at Diepkloof Hostel today. The department’s Tahir Sema says that the meeting follows issues raised during Maile’s visit to the area on Tuesday. Residents are demanding improved housing conditions, citing deplorable living conditions: 

# The Western Cape Education Department has intensified security measures at schools during the holiday season. MEC David Maynier has urged communities to report suspicious activities to prevent theft and vandalism. Last December, 24 schools in the Western Cape were targeted. Maynier has emphasised community involvement in safeguarding schools to curb crime effectively:

Cricket:  Bryce Parsons and Jon-Jon Smuts hammered the Dolphins to a big 30-run win over the Titans. The CSA T20 Challenge clash in Centurion last night was badly affected by rain and reduced to 14-overs-a-side. Parsons was the star of the show with an unbeaten 102 off 48 balls, while Smuts provided perfect backup with 61 off 33 to help the visitors score 183 for one in 14 overs. In response the Titans could only reach 152 for five. The Dolphins are now third on the table.

# And finally, a recent study highlights that children as young as four are experiencing joint problems due to obesity, a global concern affecting half of South Africans. About 13-percent of South African children under five are overweight. Obesity poses various health risks including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and joint issues. The report stated that 3-percent of four- to five-year-old children and 8-percent of ten- to eleven-year-olds have had at least one doctor’s appointment relating to joint problems. The joint and knee problems were caused by the strain of carrying too much weight. 

Stay tuned for more news………….