News 15:00

BULLETIN 16 February 3 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The murder rate rises by 2.1-percent 
# An unprecedented mobilisation effort marks the DA’s largest manifesto launch in Pretoria
# And Cricket: New Zealand wins its first ever Test series against the Proteas 

# In the latest quarterly crime statistics, Police minister Bheki Cele reported a 2.1-percent increase in murders between October and December last year. This is 155 more people murdered than in the previous quarter, bringing the total to 7-thousand-710 murders for the three months. While sexual offences decreased by 1.7-percent, concerns persist, especially with 431 murders linked to vigilantism. Cele also highlighted successes in combating cash-in-transit heists, and reducing property-related crimes:

# The DA says it is poised for a historic moment with tomorrow’s manifesto launch in Pretoria. Thousands of supporters are expected to march from Church Square to the Union Buildings, showing unprecedented enthusiasm beyond traditional strongholds. The event aims to present a united, dynamic, and diverse party, entertainment and an address by federal leader John Steenhuisen. Federal chairperson Ivan Meyer told the media president Cyril Ramaphosa should promptly announce the election date, citing concerns about fairness in the political landscape:

# Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse says approximately 12-percent of road users in Gauteng are still paying e-tolls despite the announcement of their imminent scrapping. Outa CEO Wayne Duvenhage asserts that ending e-tolls requires the Transport minister to declare the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project nullified, eliminating tolls on the roads. Duvenhage criticises the government’s inability to implement its decisions, asserting that e-tolls persist on life support, costing approximately 40-million-rand monthly. 

# Cricket: A century from Kane Williamson powered New Zealand to a record run chase at Seddon Park in Hamilton and a first ever Test series victory against South Africa. With a target of 267, the Black Caps won by seven wickets, for a two-nil series victory. None of the frontline Proteas were available for this series, so eight players made their Test debut. Coach Shukri Conrad says the result is disappointing, but the players’ fighting spirit was pleasing:

# Financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-88-cents and the euro at 20-rand-34-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-77-cents and Bitcoin trades at 52-thousand-318-dollars-92-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-7-dollars-10-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 82-dollars-4-cents a barrel.

# And finally: Hollywood A-lister Christian Bale has initiated the construction of 12 foster homes in Palmdale, California, as part of his non-profit, Together California. The project, 16-years in the making, aims to enhance the foster care system. These homes will ensure foster siblings stay together, each featuring three-bedroom town homes with professionally trained foster parents. The village includes studio apartments and a big community centre. Inspired by the birth of his daughter in 2005, Bale hopes this effort becomes a model for addressing the challenges within California’s foster care system.

Stay tuned for more news………….