News 13:00

BULLETIN 1 May 1 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Nehawu calls for unity and an intensified struggle for workers’ rights
# The Asset Forfeiture Unit secures a final forfeiture order of R53-million for unlawfully transferred government land
# And evacuation continues following Indonesia’s Ruang volcano eruption

# The National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union marks International Workers’ Day with a salute to workers worldwide. The union calls for intensified efforts to end exploitation, privatisation, and unfair working conditions. Locally, Nehawu highlights deepening unemployment, poverty, and inequality, attributing these issues to neoliberal policies and a stagnant economy. They urge workers to unite and fight for their rights and dignity. Nehawu joined union federation Cosatu’s May Day rallies, fighting austerity measures and privatisation, advocating for universal basic income grants, and full national health insurance implementation.

# The Asset Forfeiture Unit has secured a final forfeiture order worth 53-million-rand from the High Court in Pretoria. The order targets government land unlawfully transferred to private entities and individuals. The Special Investigating Unit uncovered fraudulent transfers spanning from 2008 to 2022 within the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform and the respective Deeds Registries in Vryburg, Johannesburg and Pretoria. National Prosecuting Authority’s Lumka Mahanjana says the forfeiture order, under the Prevention of Organised Crime Act, demonstrates a non-conviction-based approach to asset recovery:

# The DA Western Cape’s premier candidate Alan Winde has announced plans to make the province the first load-shedding-free province. He pledges to end the scourge of load-shedding, citing its devastating impact on jobs, the economy, and community safety. The City of Cape Town is also implementing robust protection plans and investing in grid upgrades and renewable energy projects. According to Winde, the province has lost billions due to load-shedding, prompting a multi-pronged approach to energy resilience:

# Indonesia’s Ruang volcano erupted on Tuesday, spewing lava that prompted authorities to evacuate more than 12-thousand people from the nearby Tagulandang island. Authorities raised the alert status of Ruang to the highest level after yesterday’s eruption, and warned residents the volcanic material collapsing into the ocean could trigger a tsunami. Ruang island is about 100 kilometres from Manado, the capital of North Sulawesi province. Indonesia straddles the so-called “Pacific Ring of Fire”, an area of high seismic activity where multiple tectonic plates meet.

#And finally cricket: Rishabh Pant has been named in India’s squad for the T20 World Cup in the West Indies and USA in June. It will be his first return to international cricket after a horror car crash 16 months ago. The 26-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman has impressed with his return to elite cricket this year, scoring 398 runs from eleven games in the IPL. Rohit Sharma will lead the side with under-fire vice-captain Hardik Pandya. Veteran wicketkeeper KL Rahul made way for Pant’s return.

Stay tuned for more news………….