News 13:00

BULLETIN 13 April 1 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The Emfuleni accountant murder case is handed to Gauteng’s political killings task team
# President Cyril Ramaphosa says there is renewed confidence in the economy
# And golf: Another lost chance at winning the Masters for Justin Rose

# The Gauteng police’s political killings task team has taken over the investigation into the murder of Emfuleni Municipality accountant Martha Rantsofu, who was shot and killed in Vanderbijlpark at the end of last month. The move signals the escalation of the case amid suspicions of targeted or organised violence linked to municipal work. The specialised unit will lead efforts to identify suspects, determine the motive, and gather evidence. Police say no arrests have been made yet.

# President Cyril Ramaphosa says there is renewed confidence in the country’s economy, following the success of the sixth South Africa investment conference. A record 890-billion-rand in investment pledges were secured. In his weekly newsletter, Ramaphosa says it is significant that a substantial share of the investment pledges were domestic in origin, and encompass a mix of new commitments and capital investments that had already been planned. He adds each investment decision is shaped by the credibility and stability of the economic environment and expectations of return on investment.

# The GOOD Party says the Western Cape government wastes billions of rands on a meaningless safety plan, instead of discharging its responsibilities to oversee the transformation of apartheid-imposed conditions of hopelessness on the Cape Flats. It has been reported that over 30 people have been killed in gang-related shootings since the deployment of the Defence Force. GOOD’s secretary general, Brett Herron, says the fabric of Cape Flats communities is broken:

# Golf: Englishman Justin Rose has expressed his frustration at missing out again on winning the US Masters this year. He finished in a share of third behind winner Rory McIlroy at Augusta, after leading by two shots at one stage in the final round. The 45-year-old also lost to McIlroy in a play-off last year. Rose admits this was a chance that got away:

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-53-cents and the euro at 19-rand-33-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-20-cents and Bitcoin trades at 70-thousand-721-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-718-dollars-33-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 99-dollars-17-cents a barrel.

# And finally: Pope Leo has begun his ten-day tour of Africa which will take him to Algeria, Cameroon, Angola and Equatorial Guinea. The trip places the continent at the centre of a global message about peace, inequality and responsibility, as wars deepen geopolitical fractures and economic pressures widen across regions. It also underscores a profound demographic shift within the Catholic Church itself. Africa is home to roughly one in five Catholics worldwide, with the population growing faster than anywhere else while congregations in Europe decline.

Stay tuned for more news………….