News 12:00

BULLETIN 2 April 12 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# BOSA welcomes the vetting of all school staff against the sex offenders register
# UJ denies the employment of a so-called lecturer claiming to intentionally fail South African students
# And the star of Top Gun and Batman forever dies aged 65

# Build One South Africa welcomes Basic Education minister Siviwe Gwarube’s decision to impose mandatory vetting of every individual working in schools against the National Register for Sex Offenders. The Criminal Law Amendment Act requires employers to screen employees against the register if they are in positions where they work with, supervise, care for, or gain access to a child or disabled person. BOSA’s spokesperson, Roger Solomons, says this is a crucial step towards ensuring that sexual predators have no place near children:

Eastern Cape premier Oscar Mabuyane has meanwhile welcomed the deployment of the police’s Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences unit to bolster and oversee the ongoing investigation into the alleged rape of a seven-year-old girl in Matatiele. Provincial government spokesperson, Khuselwa Rantjie, says the premier wants to see justice prevail in this matter:

# The University of Johannesburg is considering taking legal action against Joel Sangweni, who has claimed to be a lecturer at the institution. On social media he boasted about intentionally failing South African students while favouring foreigners. UJ says Sangweni is not employed by the university in any capacity, although he briefly served as a tutor last year. The institution says it takes academic integrity seriously and will take strong steps, including legal action against any person who, by omission or commission, undermines its commitment to academic integrity.

# Cricket: Former New Zealand Test captain Kane Williamson is in favour of designated windows for the international game, believing this could help turn the World Test Championship into a more level competition. The International Cricket Council will consider proposed changes to the format later this month following criticism over uneven schedules and a confusing points system. Williamson says the current cycle in which Australia, England and India play far more matches than anyone else, was not ideal. South Africa plays Australia in the final of the current cycle.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-51-cents and the euro at 20-rand-1-cent. One British pound costs 23-rand-91-cents and Bitcoin trades at 84-thousand-478-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-128-dollars-10-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 74-dollars-1-cent a barrel.

# And finally: Hollywood actor Val Kilmer, known for his roles in some of the biggest movies of the 1980s and ’90s, has passed away at the age of 65. He played Bruce Wayne in Batman Forever and channelled Jim Morrison in Oliver Stone‘s The Doors. Kilmer also reprised his Top Gun role as fighter pilot Iceman alongside Tom Cruise in the wildly successful second movie, Top Gun: Maverick, which was released in 2022 after a two-year delay. His daughter Mercedes confirmed that he died of pneumonia.

Stay tuned for more news………….