News 15:00

BULLETIN 9 April 3 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Investigations reveal non-compliance in the George building collapse
# President Cyril Ramaphosa warns that gender-based violence remains South Africa’s second pandemic
# And rugby: The Bok Women’s Sevens are confident ahead of the final Challenger Series-leg in Poland

# Forensic investigations into the George building collapse in May last year has revealed non-compliance in the enrollment process from officials. The tragedy claimed 34 lives. Presenting the findings, Human Settlements minister Thembi Simelane says significant non-compliance with the National Home Builders Regulatory Council’s enrollment procedures included critical regulatory breaches and unauthorised approvals. She says this allowed the contractor to proceed with building a multi-story structure without proper enrollment processes:

# President Cyril Ramaphosa says patriarchy, harmful cultural practices, and the widespread silence in society continue to fuel gender-based violence and femicide. Addressing the 17th biennial conference of the International Association of Women Judges in Cape Town, Ramaphosa described gender-based violence as the country’s second pandemic, as many women suffer again when they try to get justice. He says the gap between legislation and implementation continues to fuel violence and impunity:

# The GOOD Party says it is critical that government carefully considers the necessity and impact of deploying the South African National Defence Force in domestic situations. This follows the deployment of the SANDF during the #JusticeForCweCwe protests in Matatiele in the Eastern Cape yesterday. GOOD’s secretary general, Brett Herron, says South Africans have the right to protest, and there were no indications that this march would be anything but peaceful.

# The EFF has called on Justice minister Mmamoloko Kubayi, and Police minister Senzo Mchunu to urgently intervene and take decisive action to ensure the protection of sheriffs of the court. A Mpumalanga sheriff, Andrew Shabalala, was shot and killed outside his office last week, while an acting sheriff from Limpopo, Thapelo Mojapelo, was also killed. There was also an attempted assassination on an acting sheriff in Vanderbijlpark, Pramodh Ora. The EFF says these targeted killings represent a disturbing and escalating assault on the very foundation of South Africa’s justice system.

# Rugby: Springbok Women’s Sevens player, Zintle Mpupha, says they are determined to keep their momentum from the opening two legs of the World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series. South Africa, which is second on the log, is in Poland for the third and final tournament in the competition. The top four teams will have a shot at qualifying for the final world series tournament of the season, early next month in Los Angeles. Mpupha says they are confident:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 19-rand-73-cents and the euro at 21-rand-79-cents. One British pound costs 25-rand-29-cents and Bitcoin trades at 76-thousand-415-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-and-54-dollars-73-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 59-dollars-16-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….