News 16:00

BULLETIN 14 April 4 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# US ambassador Brent Bozell holds engagements with former president Mbeki
# Rugby: There is much at stake for South African teams as the United Rugby Championship resumes
# And the South African Weather Service warns over damaging wet weather in Gauteng

# The US ambassador to South Africa, Brent Bozell, made a courtesy visit to former president Thabo Mbeki at the Thabo Mbeki Foundation in Johannesburg. The meeting was part of Bozell’s broader outreach efforts to engage with South African stakeholders after presenting his credentials to president Cyril Ramaphosa. During the bilateral relations discussions, the two talked about strengthening US-South African relations based on mutual respect, emphasising the importance of cooperation.

# The National Union of Mineworkers has expressed support for a class action lawsuit against coal mining companies, including South32, BHP Billiton and Seriti Power, on behalf of coal-affected communities. The union argues for decades, workers and nearby residents of Mpumalanga and parts of Limpopo have suffered from unsafe conditions and corporate negligence, leading to respiratory illnesses and environmental damage. NUM spokesperson Livhuwani Mammburu calls for compensation for affected communities:

# Trade, Industry and Competition deputy minister Zuko Godlimpi has welcomed the signing of phase-two of the Sugarcane Value Chain Masterplan to 2030. He says the plan will focus on diversification, job creation and repositioning sugarcane as a broader industrial resource. Phase Two builds on earlier efforts to stabilise the sector. Industry stakeholders say the plan will support over one-million livelihoods, strengthen small-scale growers and promote local production amid rising costs and increasing competition from imports.

# Rugby: The United Rugby Championship resumes this weekend after a two-week hiatus, with much at stake for the four South African teams. The Stormers are currently second on the log behind Scotland’s Glasgow Warriors, the Lions fifth, the Bulls eighth and the Sharks tenth, with all still in the mix to reach the play-off rounds. The Bulls play Dragons in Wales this weekend, the Stormers welcome Irish outfit Connacht to Cape Town, the Lions host Glasgow in Johannesburg, and the Sharks play Ospreys in Wales.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-36-cents and the euro at 19-rand-30-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-21-cents and Bitcoin trades at 74-thousand-317-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-766-dollars-39-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 94-dollars-62-cents a barrel.

# And finally: The South African Weather Service issued a warning of destructive wet weather for Gauteng as rainfall continues across parts of the province. Forecaster Lehlohonolo Thobela says there is a risk of damage to infrastructure, property, and vehicles due to scattered showers. He urges residents in low-lying areas to exercise caution, avoid crossing streams, and monitor children near rivers as cool, cloudy conditions persist with further rain expected:

Stay tuned for more news………….