News 13:00

BULLETIN 19 April 1 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# President Ramaphosa calls on world leaders to restore the United Nations to its former glory
# Africa’s first end-to-end multi-vaccine plant will be built in South Africa
# And in rugby, the Blitzboks are through to finals of the Hong Kong Sevens

# President Cyril Ramaphosa called on world leaders to restore the United Nations to its position at the centre of international relations. Ramaphosa was addressing the Global Progressive Mobilisation in Barcelona, Spain. The president says world leaders must advance peace through dialogue and diplomacy, through the consistent application of international law and adherence to the principles of the United Nations Charter:

# COSATU has congratulated its affiliate, the National Union of Mineworkers, on reaching a multi-year salary agreement with Eskom. NUM signed a three-year, seven-percent salary hike for workers at the state-owned utility. COSATU’s spokesperson, Zanele Sabela says the agreement is set to come into effect on 1 July. She adds that trade union, Solidarity, also signed the agreement, but the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa declined to sign and declared a dispute instead:

# The Forum for South Africa has welcomed the disbarment and 10-million-rand fine imposed on Sipho Malaba by the Independent Regulatory Board for Auditors for his role in the collapse of VBS Mutual Bank. FOSA leader Tebogo Msshilompane says this is not justice, it is only administrative punishment. He says the looting of VBS in Thohoyandou, Limpopo was not a technical failure, it was a coordinated betrayal of workers, pensioners, and vulnerable communities:

# The European Investment Bank  Group, the European Commission and the International Finance Corporation  has announced a landmark financing partnership to support Biovac in building Africa’s first end-to-end multi-vaccine manufacturing facility in South Africa. Biovac CEO Morena Makhoana says the project is aimed at strengthening Africa’s health security, expanding vaccine manufacturing capacity on the continent and improving access to essential immunisations. He says the new facility would secure reliable vaccine supply for Africa while building skills, expanding technology transfer and driving vaccine innovation.

# Tennis: This week’s Madrid Open in Spain will be without local hero Carlos Alcaraz as well as three-time champion Novak Djokovic of Serbia. Both withdrew through injury, raising fears for their fitness in the run-up to the claycourt Grand Slam tournament, the French Open, starting on 24 May. Alcaraz suffered a wrist injury during last week’s Barcelona Open, and Djovic is already out of action since suffering a shoulder injury last month. After Madrid, the claycourt season moves to Rome and then to Roland Garros in Paris.

# And Rugby: The Blitzboks secured a historic spot in the Hong Kong Sevens final with a clinical 26–14 semi-final victory over New Zealand. Tristan Leyds opened the scoring early, setting the tone for a dominant South African performance. Further tries from Sebastiaan Jobb, Shilton van Wyk, and Ryan Oosthuizen overwhelmed the Kiwis, who struggled to breach a resolute Blitzbok defense. This decisive win moves South Africa one step closer to their first-ever title in Hong Kong as they prepare for the final. They will now face Argentina in the finals at 1:15 pm.

Stay tuned for more news………….