News 11:00

BULLETIN 9 April 11 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Prosecutor Billy Downer denies the state’s litigation against Jacob Zuma has racist undertones
# The DA demands urgent action from police in dealing with mass shootings in the Western Cape
# And Donald Trump claims countries are pleading with him to negotiate tariffs

# State prosecutor Billy Downer says there is no truth to former president Jacob Zuma’s claim that the state’s description of his Stalingrad litigation strategy has racist undertones. Zuma and French arms company Thales have launched court applications to have the arms-deal corruption case against them dropped, because of unreasonable delays in the trial. In court papers, Downer says he is baffled that detailing Zuma’s failed attacks on his prosecution could be described as carrying racist undertones, adding that no reasonable observer would see any truth to this claim.

# The EFF has filed court papers in the Western Cape High Court to join the DA in its application to challenge the 2025/’26 budget fiscal framework, declaring it unlawful and unconstitutional. The fiscal framework was adopted in Parliament last week and includes a 0.5-percent VAT hike, which comes into effect in May. The EFF’s spokesperson, Sinawo Thambo, says Parliament’s standing committee on Finance’s adoption of the fiscal framework was not consistent with the law:

# The DA in the Western Cape is concerned that no arrests have been made following the recent killing of four men in Gugulethu, Cape Town, and the separate shootings that resulted in three deaths in Lavender Hill. Gugulethu has the fourth-highest number of murders in the province, with 158 murders recorded over just nine months last year. The DA’s Thomas Walters says these senseless acts of violence are a stark reminder of the escalating crime challenges in the province:

# US president Donald Trump maintains his global sweeping tariffs are vital for his economic vision and job creation. The tariffs are now in effect, including 104-percent on China, as well as further levies on around 60 countries America calls the worst offenders. These countries face tariffs ranging from eleven to 50-percent. Speaking at an event at the National Republican Congressional Committee, Trump said more than 50 countries have approached the White House, begging to talk about lowering tariffs:

# Tennis: Defending champion Stefanos Tsitsipas is through to the third round of the Monte Carlo Masters. The three-time champion from Greece came from a set down to beat Australian Jordan Thompson 4-6, 6-4, 6-2. Italian Matteo Berrettini knocked out world number two Alexander Zverev of Germany to claim the biggest win of his career by ranking. Indian Wells champion Jack Draper of Britain made an impressive start to his clay season with a 6-1, 6-1 victory over American Marcos Giron.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 19-rand-67-cents and the euro at 21-rand-80-cents. One British pound costs 25-rand-26-cents and Bitcoin trades at 77-thousand-226-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-and-42-dollars-10-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 60-dollars-97-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….