News 15:00

BULLETIN 11 April 3 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Zuma’s private prosecution of Ramaphosa has been postponed to 6 August
# Two-thousand-500 military veterans are to join Gauteng’s traffic wardens 
# And, rugby: Libbok and Van Staden takes the World Cup to George this weekend

# Former president Jacob Zuma’s private prosecution of president Cyril Ramaphosa has been postponed to 6 August by the High Court in Johannesburg. The delay permits Zuma to refute Ramaphosa’s papers against his appeal of a Supreme Court of Appeal ruling that the prosecution is unlawful and unconstitutional. He wants to prosecute Ramaphosa as an accessory after the fact in connection with another case involving state prosecutor Billy Downer and journalist Karyn Maughan. Zuma’s lawyer, Dali Mpofu, denies Zuma’s prosecution is unlawful:

# Police minister Bheki Cele disclosed that in the Northern Cape, police take over an hour on average to respond to violent crimes. Gauteng police stations linked to 10111 command centres take 11 minutes-56 seconds to respond, while other provinces face varying response times. The DA’s national spokesperson for Police, Okkie Terblanche, criticised these figures, citing the high crime rates and understaffing in the Police Service:

Meanwhile, Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi says two-thousand-500 military veterans will join the province’s traffic wardens, with the aim of combatting lawlessness. He addressed the recruits at Grace Bible Church in Soweto and said crime hotspots like Hillbrow and Sunnyside will be targeted. Lesufi says criminals cannot be allowed to do as they wish:

# Scientists warn the heatwave currently being experienced in Southeast Asia will continue for the rest of this month and most of next month. Home to more than 675-million people across eleven countries, the region has seen temperatures reach unprecedented levels. Malaysia has recorded two heat-related fatalities including a three-year-old boy, while Vietnam has declared a state of emergency. The current heatwave has been attributed to a combination of factors which include human-induced climate change and the El Niño effect.

# Rugby: Springbok fans in the Southern Cape can meet two of their heroes on Sunday when the World Cup trophy tour goes to George. Manie Libbok, who matriculated in the city, and Marco van Staden will show off the Webb Ellis Cup at the Garden Route Mall and the SA Cup match between SWD Eagles and Boland Kavaliers at Outeniqua Park. SA Rugby says most of the Boks are tied up, but they wanted to fulfil their promise to take the cup to all parts of the country.

# And, the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-82-cents and the euro at 20-rand-19-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-59-cents and Bitcoin trades at 70-thousand-576-dollars-72-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-338-dollars-14-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 90-dollars-8-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….