News 13:00

BULLETIN 17 April 1 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Traffic volumes are expected to increase significantly on roads leading into Limpopo
# Road running: The City of Cape Town withdraws its support for the Two Oceans Marathon
# And comedian Nate Bargatze will host the Emmy Awards

# The Limpopo Department of Transport and Community Safety says traffic volumes are expected to increase significantly on roads leading into the province from this afternoon, as people head to different destinations for the Easter Weekend. The department’s spokesperson, Tidimalo Chuene, says law enforcement officials have been deployed to strategic locations along major routes. She says they will manage traffic flow, curb traffic violations, and ensure safety on the roads:

Meanwhile, Easter weekend travellers can expect delays on the N2 between George and Wilderness in the Souther Cape, due to ongoing construction. Roads agency SANRAL has warned that only one lane is open in each direction between the Kraaibosch interchange and Wilderness. Points officials will, however, be available to direct traffic at key intersections until 6pm this evening. Traffic safety officials will also be on duty. SANRAL is urging road users to prioritise safety over the long weekend.

# The DA in the Western Cape is calling on the National Department of Health to proactively develop and implement stronger regulations regarding the use of e-cigarettes among the youth, particularly those aged 14 to 18. A recent study has highlighted that 17-percent of youth in this age group are using vapes, with 38-percent of them vaping daily. The DA’s Memory Booysen says vaping is on the rise among teenagers in selected schools in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, and the Western Cape:

# Road running: Cape Town’s most iconic race, the Two Oceans Marathon, could be coming to an end, as the City of Cape Town has withdrawn its support over permit breaches. The metro issued two permits for the marathon held on the fifth and sixth of this month – 14-thousand athletes for the 56-kilometre ultra-marathon and 17-thousand for the 21-kilometre half-marathon. According to the metro, the organisers allowed 20-thousand-600 athletes for the ultra-marathon and 17-thousand-677 for the half-marathon. The organisers are consulting their lawyers.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-88-cents and the euro at 21-rand-48-cents. One British pound costs 25-rand and Bitcoin trades at 84-thousand-370-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-323-dollars-97-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 65-dollars-57-cents a barrel.

# And finally: Comedian Nate Bargatze will host the 77th Emmy Awards from the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles on September 14th. Last year, he was the highest-earning stand-up comedian, having sold 1.2-million tickets. Bargatze has released six stand-up specials to date, with the most recent being Your Friend, Nate Bargatze on Netflix. He says it’s a huge honour to be asked to host such an iconic awards show, and he is beyond excited to create a night that can be enjoyed by families around the world.

Stay tuned for more news………….