News 12:00

BULLETIN 15 April 12 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Malema’s lawyer argues for leniency in his sentencing
# ActionSA says the Esidimeni prosecutions must mark the beginning of accountability
# And rugby: South Africa A and Zimbabwe are to play in the curtain-raiser for the Boks and Barbarians in June

# EFF leader Julius Malema’s lawyer, Laurence Hodes, requested the East London Magistrate’s Court in the Eastern Cape for a lenient sentence, including alternatives to imprisonment for his client. Malema’s pre-sentencing proceedings began this morning after he was found guilty of various offences, including discharging a firearm in a built-up area during a 2018 rally in Mdantsane. Hodes argued the firearm was used briefly for celebratory purposes with no intent to harm:

# ActionSA says the National Prosecuting Authority’s decision to prosecute individuals implicated in the Life Esidimeni tragedy must mark the beginning of accountability. The tragedy claimed the lives of at least 141 psychiatric patients between 2015 and 2016 after they were transferred from licensed facilities to unregistered and ill-equipped non-governmental organisations. ActionSA says South Africans deserve a healthcare system that protects the most vulnerable, not one that exposes them to harm through negligence and mismanagement.

# Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, warns South Africa’s intelligence services operate in an increasingly complex and evolving threat landscape. Government has launched the National Centre for Intelligence Coordination, aimed at enhancing the country’s ability to anticipate, detect and neutralise evolving threats. Ntshavheni says the country’s intelligence services operate in an environment characterised by transnational criminal networks, espionage and foreign interference, economic sabotage, as well as emerging technological threats:

Moving abroad:

# The International Atomic Energy Agency says any US-Iranian agreement to end the Middle Eastern war must include very detailed measures to verify Tehran’s nuclear activities. Iran has not allowed the agency access to its nuclear facilities bombed by Israel and the US during a 12-day war last June, accusing the United Nations body of bias and failing to condemn the strikes. Director general Rafael Grossi says Iran has a very ambitious, wide nuclear programme, which will require the presence of their inspectors if a permanent ceasefire is reached.

# Rugby: South Africa A and Zimbabwe will play a curtain raiser for the Springboks’ season opener against the Barbarians in Gqeberha on the 20th of June. The hosts will see action for the first time since a European tour in 2022, while the neighbours qualified for next year’s World Cup in Australia for the first time since 1991. Bok coach Rassie Erasmus describes the match as a fantastic opportunity for both teams, saying Boks such as Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Aphelele Fassi and Grant Williams have represented the A-team earlier.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-31-cents and the euro at 19-rand-24-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-13-cents and Bitcoin trades at 73-thousand-998-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-810-dollars-39-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 92-dollars-62-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….