News 14:00

BULLETIN 14 May 2 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# SA’s unemployment rate increased to 32.9-percent in the first quarter of this year 
# The DA says Bheki Cele spends one-billion-rand per year on the salaries of the police’s millionaire managers 
# And tennis: Jannik Sinner could become the world number one at Roland Garros

# Employed persons increased by 22-thousand to 16.7-million in the first quarter of this year compared to the fourth quarter of 2023. According to Statistics SA’s Quarterly Labour Force Survey the number of unemployed persons increased by 330-thousand to 8.2-million during the same quarter. These changes resulted in the official unemployment rate increasing by 0.8 of a percentage point from 32.1-percent in the fourth quarter of 2023 to 32.9-percent in the first quarter of this year. The industries that contributed to the net employment increase include trade, manufacturing, private households, transport, agriculture and mining.

# The DA says says the police spends an eyewatering one-billion-rand per year on the salaries of major generals and brigadiers. This is revealed by the minister of Police, Bheki Cele, in a reply to the party’s question. The DA’s Andrew Whitfield says according to the reply the police has 146 major generals and 632 Brigadiers which equates to an average salary of 1.48- and 1.23-million-rand, respectively:

# Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi says the state of crime in the country needs an emergency response and the necessary resources. The premier visited the family of five-year-old Ditebogo Junior Phalane, who was shot outside his home in Soshanguve last week Friday. Lesufi says modern technology, systems, and innovations are needed to make combating crime more feasible:

# Former US president Donald Trump’s fixer-turned-foe, lawyer Michael Cohen, faces a bruising round of cross-questioning from the former president’s lawyers today. This follows his testimony that linked Trump to all aspects of a hush money scheme that prosecutors say was aimed at stifling stories that threatened his 2016 election campaign. Cohen’s testimony placed Trump at the center of the hush money scheme, saying he had promised to reimburse money the lawyer had fronted for the payments and was constantly apprised of the behind-the-scenes efforts to bury stories feared to be harmful to the campaign.

# Tennis: A huge incentive awaits Jannik Sinner in the French Open. Novak Djokovic of Serbia’s early elimination in the Italian Open means the Italian could overtake him as world number one at Roland Garros. Chilean Alejandro Tabilo beat Djokovic in straight sets in Rome on Sunday, meaning even if he wins in Paris to clinch his 25th Grand Slam title, Sinner will take over in top position just by reaching the final. But Sinner is currently in a race against time to be fit for Paris.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-38-cents and the euro at 19-rand-84-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-7-cents and Bitcoin trades at 61-thousand-568-dollars-66-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-346-dollars-98-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 83-dollars-39-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….