News 11:00

BULLETIN 18 March 11 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The FW de Klerk Foundation says human rights continue to decline in South Africa
# The ANC accuses the MK Party of leeching on its disbanded military wing
# And Israeli air strikes kill at least 200 people in Gaza

# The FW de Klerk Foundation says South Africa’s fiscally constrained position continues to severely impact the full enjoyment of all rights and freedoms for citizens. The foundation has released its annual report card for 2024, which evaluates the degree to which rights and freedoms in the Bill of Rights are being enjoyed. The foundation’s vice chairperson, Christina Teichmann, says they found that eleven human rights have deteriorated, including freedom of expression, ten remained unchanged, and only four have improved:

# The ANC says the MK Party played no role in the country’s struggle for liberation, but it wants to leech on the popularity of its disbanded military wing to deceive voters. This is the argument the ANC has put forward at the Supreme Court of Appeal. The party is appealing the KwaZulu-Natal High Court judgment after it failed to have the MK Party cease from continuing with the use of the name and logo. The ANC says MK has infringed on its rights under the Trade Marks Act.

# The GOOD Party in George is calling for the swift release of the findings from the May 2024 building collapse investigation. Thirty-four people died, and many were injured when the building, still under construction, collapsed and buried most of the workers under the rubble. Human Settlements minister, Thembi Simelane, has revealed that the preliminary report suggests that several procedures were not followed. GOOD’s Chantelle Kyd says the local community anxiously awaits the outcomes of all investigations:

# Israel has launched a wave of deadly airstrikes across Gaza in its biggest attack since a ceasefire took effect in January, with at least 220 people killed. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he ordered the strikes because of a lack of progress in talks to extend the ceasefire. Hamas warned that the airstrikes are a death sentence for the remaining hostages. Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, says they will show no mercy on their enemies, including Hamas:

# Tennis: Six-time champion Novak Djokovic of Serbia and 2022 winner Carlos Alcaraz of Spain could potentially meet in the Miami Open semifinals. Djokovic, who returns to the ATP Masters One-thousand event for the first time since 2019, will open his campaign against countryman Hamad Medjedovic or Australian Rinky Hijikata. Alcaraz will face either David Goffin of Belgium or Australia’s Aleksandar Vukic. Indian Wells champion Jack Draper of Britain, who has the opportunity to complete the coveted Sunshine Double, is in German Alexander Zverev’s quarter of the draw.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-4-cents and the euro at 19-rand-71-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-43-cents and Bitcoin trades at 82-thousand-970-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-and-18-dollars-93-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 71-dollars-13-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….