News 15:00

BULLETIN 15 April 3 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The state rejects Malema’s call for a non-custodial sentence and wants a minimum of seven years
# Ramaphosa outlines the plan to turn municipalities into economic operating systems
# And cricket: RCB faces Lucknow in today’s IPL action while Kolkata’s nightmare season continues

# State prosecutor Joel Cesar has rejected EFF leader Julius Malema’s lawyer’s request for a non-custodial sentence, saying he is a parliamentarian lawmaker who chose to break the law. During sentencing arguments in the Magistrate’s Court in KuGompo City, formerly East London, in the Eastern Cape, Cesar said Malema’s actions send a dangerous message to young supporters. He urged a minimum prison sentence of seven-years for contravening the Firearms Control Act :

# President Cyril Ramaphosa has outlined a plan to strengthen municipalities as economic operating systems to drive local growth and investment. Speaking at an investment conference in Boksburg, Gauteng, he says municipalities must become active enablers of economic activity through improved infrastructure, faster approvals, and better coordination. Ramaphosa emphasised reducing red tape, boosting local entrepreneurship, and aligning development plans with national industrial policy to unlock jobs and inclusive economic growth:

The South African Local Government Association has also called for municipalities to be placed at the centre of local economic development, arguing developmental local government must move beyond service delivery. SALGA’s president, Bheki Stofile, also stresses local economic development should include infrastructure, agriculture, manufacturing, and local procurement. He highlights rural roads, special economic zone integration, and skills development as key priorities:

# KwaZulu-Natal police arrested several suspects in Durban during a raid on a fake call centre in Umhlanga, allegedly linked to multimillion-rand banking scams. It is believed two businessmen employed the suspects, and their modus operandi involved calling people with large sums of money in their bank accounts. The suspects allegedly convinced victims to move funds under the pretence that their accounts had been compromised. The operation formed part of a long-running fraud investigation involving the banking sector.

# Cricket: Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru host Lucknow Super Giants in today’s Indian Premier League action. RCB is currently third on the log and Lucknow seventh. Yesterday, Kolkata Knight Riders’ nightmare season extended with a 32-run defeat to Chennai Super Kings in Chennai. The hosts posted 192 for seven and the visitors could only reply with 160 for seven. Last-placed Kolkata has now lost four of its first five encounters while another rained out. Chennai is eighth on the log.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-39-cents and the euro at 19-rand-30-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-19-cents and Bitcoin trades at 74-thousand-21-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-807-dollars-89-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 93-dollars-4-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….