News 13:00

BULLETIN 21 March 1 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Barbara Creecy says the government is making progress in reducing road accidents
# Premier Winde says there is sufficient fuel supply in the Western Cape
# And a US judge rules against restrictive Pentagon media access

# Transport minister Barbara Creecy says government is making progress in reducing road accidents, with the latest preliminary data for the period 1 January to 15 March this year showing an 11-percent decline in crashes compared to the same period in 2025. She was addressing the launch of the 2026 Arrive Alive Easter Road Safety Campaign on the N3, near Spruitview Offramp, East Rand. Creecy says fatalities have decreased by 10-percent compared with the same period last year:

# Deputy president Paul Mashatile and South Sudan president Salva Kiir Mayardit announced that both countries will be priotising the importance of enhancing air connectivity during the bilateral meeting in Pretoria yesterday. Deputy president acting spokesperson, Keith Khoza, says this includes efforts to establish direct flights between South Africa and Juba, with  engagements with airlines reportedly underway, and a comprehensive aviation cooperation plan being expected in the coming months:

# The Western Cape government recognises the very real concerns raised about the impact of the Middle East conflict on fuel supply in the province. Premier Alan Winde assures the residents that there is a sufficient supply of fuel in the Western Cape to meet demand. Winde says isolated reports of shortages are due to suppliers not releasing fuel to customers, which is impacting the agricultural sector:

# COSATU stands with millions of South Africans in recognising the attainment of the country’s hard-earned democracy on this Human Rights Day. COSATU’s spokesperson, Zanele Sabela, says the day serves as a reminder of the blood that was shed in Sharpeville and KwaLanga in 1960, to oppose the system of racial segregation:

# A US federal judge on Friday ruled as unconstitutional a Pentagon press access policy that withdrew accreditations from a host of prominent media organisations. It also required journalists to be accompanied by official escorts if they went outside a limited number of areas in the Pentagon. A judge in Washington said while national security must be protected, it was vital for the public to have access to information from the Defence Department. Eight media organisations earlier had to vacate their dedicated office spaces in the Pentagon, including CNN, The Washington Post, and The New York Times.

# And tennis: Britain’s Jack Draper suffered a surprise defeat to American Reilly Opelka in the second round of the Miami Open on Friday, while Ethan Quinn claimed the biggest win of his career by upsetting 11th seed Casper Ruud. Men’s top seed Carlos Alcaraz kept his title charge on track and sailed through to the next round with a composed win over Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca. Persistent rain delayed play, with several matches pushed to today. In the women’s draw, Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina, Amanda Anisimova, Coco Gauff, and Jasmine Paolini all advanced to the next round.

Stay tuned for more news………….