News 16:00

BULLETIN 28 April 4 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Tender leak questions dominate the Madlanga commission’s hearing
# March and March marches to the Union Buildings to demand law and order
# And tennis: Sinner reaches the quarterfinals in Madrid

# The Madlanga commission has pressed Tshwane Metro Police deputy chief Umashi Dhlamini over sharing internal tender documents with suspended police sergeant Fannie Nkosi. Dhlamini claimed the information was public, but commissioner Sesi Baloyi rejected this, saying the document was confidential and sourced internally. Dhlamini is being cross-examined on his tender procedure involvement. Baloyi asked him why Nkosi was not referred to authorised officials:

# Anti-illegal migration group March and March has protested at the Union Buildings in Pretoria, calling for law and order to be restored in the country. The group blames illegal migrants for rising unemployment, crime and pressure on public services, claims that have drawn criticism and accusations of scapegoating foreigners. The organisation’s Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma has rejected claims of xenophobia, insisting the march is about enforcing the rule of law:

# Rand Water board member Ramateu Monyokolo has warned that water security will determine the future of South Africa’s mining sector. Monyokolo says mining, while vital to the economy, is highly water-intensive and risks damaging ecosystems through pollution and overuse. He told Engineering News strong governance, responsible water management, and cooperation between regulators and industry were essential. Monyokolo emphasised that initiatives by the Department of Water and Sanitation aim to balance growth with sustainability, ensuring water resources support both economic development and communities.

# Tennis: World number one Jannik Sinner advanced to the quarterfinals of the Madrid Open in the Spanish capital. The Italian beat Britain’s best player, Cameron Norrie, in straight sets in the round of 16 in the two players’ first meeting. He is still on course to become the first man ever to win five Masters One-thousand tournaments in a row after clinching the titles in Paris, Indian Wells, Miami and Monte-Carlo. Earlier, Frenchman Arthur Fils eliminated Argentinian Tomas Martin Etcheverry, also in straight sets.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-62-cents and the euro at 19-rand-42-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-39-cents and Bitcoin trades at 76-thousand-214-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-574-dollars-51-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 105-dollars-4-cents a barrel.

# And finally: The National Health Laboratory Service, in partnership with the Gauteng Department of Health, National Priority Programmes, and Wits Diagnostic Innovation Hub, launched South Africa’s first National Diabetes Dashboard. The system provides near-real-time national data on diabetes control, updated within 48 hours, enabling faster identification of high-risk patients and improved clinical response. Laboratory CEO Koleka Mlisana says the platform shifts reporting from monthly manual updates to real-time action, strengthening decision-making and improving outcomes for patients nationwide.

Stay tuned for more news………….