News 14:00

BULLETIN 14 May 2 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Mbalula says president Cyril Ramaphosa’s planned visit to the US will dispel misconceptions of genocide
# Clashes intensifies in the Libyan capital of Tripoli
# And tennis: Novak Djokovic parts ways with his coach Andy Murray before the French Open

# ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula says president Cyril Ramaphosa’s planned working visit to the US will denounce the claims of genocide against white Afrikaners. He was speaking at the sidelines at the ANC’s Duma Nokwe Memorial Lecture in the Sedibeng Municipality in Gauteng. Mbalula emphasised to SABC News the visit will show South Africa’s sovereignty and hopefully mend relations between the two countries:

# The DA says today’s joint parliamentary meeting between the portfolio committees on Agriculture and Police is a crucial step in addressing rural and farm safety. The party is also pushing for targeted actions to combat stock theft, which costs the agricultural sector over three-billion-rand annually. The DA’s Willie Aucamp says better cooperation between police and the agriculture sector is crucial to protect farmers, workers, and food security:

# State-owned defence group Denel has reinstated acting group chief financial official, Thandeka Sabela after an independent investigation cleared her of all charges following a precautionary suspension last year. Denel confirmed Sabela’s return as part of its leadership team, reaffirming her role in the organisation’s growth and delivery of defence and technology solutions. Sabela, who joined Denel in 2015, was appointed acting CFO in March 2021. Her reinstatement comes amid Denel’s broader efforts to stabilise operations and enhance governance.

# The most intense clashes for years rocked the Lybian capital of Tripoli for a second night. Reuters reports this follows after Monday’s killing of a major militia leader that set off fighting between rival factions. The United Nations’ local mission, UNSMIL, says it is deeply alarmed by the escalating violence in densely populated neighbourhoods, and urgently calls for a ceasefire. The latest unrest could reportedly consolidate the power of the prime minister of the divided country’s government of national unity, Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah, who is an ally of Turkey.

# Tennis: Three-time champion Novak Djokovic is without a coach while preparing for the French Open. The Serbian, who won another 21 Grand Slam tournaments, announced the departure of another former world number one, Andy Murray from Scotland, from his team. Murray joined Djokovic before this year’s Australian Open in January for an indefinite period, but confirmed their agreement has ended. Djokovic will play in the Geneva Open next week before the start of the claycourt Grand Slam tournament at Roland Garros in Paris next Sunday.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-23-cents and the euro at 20-rand-49-cents. One British pound costs 24-rand-31-cents and Bitcoin trades at 103-thousand-610-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-233-dollars-66-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 65-dollars-59-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….