News 16:00

BULLETIN 9 May 4 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Minister Senzo Mchunu slams an alleged rape at the police academy in Tshwane
# The Institute of Race Relations urges universities to reject racial classification mandates
# And Olympic Games: Two stadiums will share the LA 2028 opening ceremony

# Police minister Senzo Mchunu has condemned the alleged rape of a trainee by an instructor at the South African Police Service’s training academy in Tshwane. The suspect has been arrested and is due to appear in court today. Mchunu called the incident a gross abuse of power and a betrayal of trust. Ministry spokesperson Kamogelo Mogotsi urged the Independent Police Investigative Directorate to ensure justice is served:

# The Institute of Race Relations calls on universities to reject government-imposed racial classification mandates. In letters sent to all 26 universities, the organisation urges the institutions to prioritise merit over race and gender quotas when the new employment equity reporting period begins in September. The institute’s Makone Maja warns that forced racial classification risks damaging academic excellence, undermining students’ right to be taught by the most qualified lecturers:

# The Surgeon General of the South African National Defence Force, Ntshavheni Maphaha, has completed a strategic inspection of the newly constructed Military Base Hospital in Gqeberha. He commended its state-of-the-art facilities and reaffirmed the South African Military Health Service’s commitment to delivering comprehensive, responsive, and equitable healthcare. He says the hospital is poised to become a hub for specialised medical services in the Eastern Cape and will be officially commissioned later this year.

# International Relations and Cooperation minister Ronald Lamola says peace and development in Africa are deeply interconnected. He says escalating conflicts in South Sudan, Sudan, and the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, and the unresolved question of self-determination in Western Sahara remain critical elements on the continent’s security agenda. Lamola says the South African government expresses concern over the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan:

# Olympic Games: The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and the SoFi Stadium will share the opening ceremony of the 2028 Games in southern California, something that has never been done before. The Coliseum, which will also host the closing ceremony, will become the first venue to host events for three Olympics after 1932 and ’84. LA28 chairperson Casey Wasserman says these two venues will highlight Los Angeles’ rich sporting history and cutting-edge future, showcasing the very best the city has to offer on the world stage.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-24-cents and the euro at 20-rand-53-cents. One British pound costs 24-rand-21-cents and Bitcoin trades at 103-thousand-and-5-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-333-dollars-55-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 63-dollars-78-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….