News 15:00

BULLETIN 16 March 3 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Witness D’s alleged assassin is confirmed as a former police task force member
# A drone attack disrupts flights in Dubai
# And tennis: Novak Djokovic withdraws from the Miami Open due to an injury

# A former member of the police’s special task force, Matipandile Sotheni, has been identified as the alleged murderer of a witness before the Madlanga commission. Marius van der Merwe was shot in Brakpan, Gauteng, in December. Sotheni appeared in the local Magistrate’s Court on six charges, including murder. Spokesperson Athlenda Mathe says police believe Sotheni acted alongside former reservist Wiandré Pretorius, who committed suicide since, saying the case returns next Wednesday:

# The Forum for South Africa is calling for increased visible policing and intelligence-driven operations in Eldorado Park, Gauteng, and surrounding areas. This follows a shooting which left two people dead and six wounded on Saturday evening. No arrests have been made yet. FOSA leader, Tebogo Mashilompane, says this barbaric act once again highlights the terrifying levels of violent crime that ordinary South Africans are forced to endure daily:

# President Cyril Ramaphosa says an efficient transport system is vital for economic growth and opportunity. He was speaking at the inaugural National Transport Conference in Midrand, Gauteng. Ramaphosa described transport as the lifeblood of a nation. He says efficient logistics help move goods from farms, mines and factories to markets, while improving access to jobs. Ramaphosa also highlights growing competition and cooperation across Africa’s transport networks:

Moving abroad:

# The United Arab Emirates has announced the diversion of some flights from Dubai International Airport after a drone attack sparked a fire near the airport this morning. Civil defence teams successfully contained the fire at one of the fuel tanks, and no injuries had been reported. The Dubai Civil Aviation Authority says it was suspending flights as a precautionary measure, and didn’t say when it expects flights to resume. Some flights were diverted to Al Maktoum International Airport.

# Tennis: World number three, Novak Djokovic, has withdrawn from the Miami Open in the US after suffering a shoulder injury. The 38-year-old Serbian participated in the Indian Wells Masters last week, where he lost to Britain’s Jack Draper in the fourth round in his first tournament since losing to world number one, Carlos Alcaraz of Spain, in the final of the Australian Open in January. Djokovic has won the Miami title six times. The second leg of the so-called Sunshine Double starts tomorrow.  

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-78-cents and the euro at 19-rand-27-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-28-cents and Bitcoin trades at 73-thousand-604-dollars. Gold sells at five-thousand-and-20-dollars-66-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 100-dollars-43-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….