News 16:00

BULLETIN 4 May 4 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Witness G’s testimony will take place behind closed doors due to technical issues
# Tennis: Top players are not happy with Roland Garros’ 9.5-percent increase in prize money
# And Namibia commemorates the Cassinga Massacre today

# The Madlanga commission of inquiry has ruled Witness G’s testimony will now be heard fully in-camera, with no public or media access. The crime intelligence official who handles informants, was initially expected to testify partly in public, but technical difficulties made this impossible. Commission spokesperson Jeremy Michaels says it has become impractical, but emphasises the commission’s commitment to transparency in its proceedings:

# A deadly crash during an illegal drag race has claimed one life on Steve Biko Road in Pretoria’s Gezina neighborhood. The incident occurred after the driver of a Renault Kwid lost control and crashed into another vehicle, injuring several people. Anti-crime activist Yusuf Abramjee highlighted ongoing concerns about dangerous racing in the area. Residents are now calling on authorities to act swiftly to curb illegal racing and improve road safety.

# Tourism minister Patricia de Lille says the Africa Travel Indaba will undergo a major revamp from next year. Speaking at the launch in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, she stressed the need to boost intra-African trade and strengthen tourism competitiveness. The four-day indaba begins on Monday. De Lille says the 30-year-old event must evolve to remain relevant. She calls for fresh ideas to ensure the indaba’s growth and long-term sustainability:

# Tennis: The world’s top players say they are deeply disappointed in the French Open’s organisers for only increasing prize money by 9.5-percent this year. The world number ones, Jannik Sinner of Italy and Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus, joined other players last year, demanding the Grand Slam tournaments pay players a target of 22-percent of tournament revenue, which would bring it in line with the one-thousand-level events. They say Roland Garros’ income increased by 14-percent last year, but players’ share reduced to 14.3-percent of revenue.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-71-cents and the euro at 19-rand-55-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-64-cents and Bitcoin trades at 78-thousand-785-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-566-dollars-15-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 108-dollars-88-cents a barrel.

# And finally: Namibia today marks the 48th anniversary of the Cassinga massacre. More than 600 people, mostly women and children, were killed in 1978 when South African forces attacked the South-West Africa People’s Organisation’s refugee camp at Cassinga in southern Angola and the People’s Liberation Army of Namibia’s military base. The United Nations describes the attack as criminal and savage in moral terms. It says Cassinga Day holds a poignant place in the collective memory of Namibians, reflecting both the painful history of conflict and the resilience of its people. 

Stay tuned for more news………….