News 16:00

BULLETIN 3 June 4 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Minister Willie Aucamp commends the arrests in the Kruger National Park double murder case
# The High Court dismisses suspended sergeant Fannie Nkosi’s bail appeal
# And motorsport: Charles Leclerc commits his future to Ferrari with a new multi-year contract extension

# Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Willie Aucamp, has welcomed the arrest of two suspects in Mozambique in connection with the murder of South African tourists Dina and Ernst Marais in the Kruger National Park in Limpopo. The arrests were made through cooperation between Mozambican investigators, conservation partners and park rangers. Aucamp says the arrests are an important step towards justice for the Marais family:

# The High Court in Pretoria dismissed suspended member of the Gauteng Organised Crime Unit Sergeant Fannie Nkosi’s appeal against the Pretoria North Magistrate’s Court decision to deny him bail. The court found the magistrate did not err in refusing bail. Nkosi remains in custody, facing charges including theft, defeating the ends of justice, and possession of unlicensed ammunition, explosives and police dockets. He was arrested following his testimony before the Madlanga commission’s task team and a subsequent raid at his Pretoria home.

# Deputy president Paul Mashatile has called on the Aurobindo Group to use South Africa as a Pan-African export hub for the pharmaceutical sector. Speaking during a meeting with the company in India, Mashatile said the partnership could create jobs, develop skills and strengthen regional supply chains with government support, through special economic zones, investment incentives and streamlined regulatory processes. He said closer cooperation would expand exports and promote shared economic growth across Africa:

# Motorsport: Charles Leclerc has signed a multi-year contract renewal with Ferrari ahead of his home Grand Prix in Monaco this weekend. His previous contract extension was reportedly due to expire in 2029. The 28-year-old joined the Scuderia in 2019 after stepping up to Formula One with Sauber the previous year. Leclerc has competed in 155 races. He is Ferrari’s second-most capped driver and ranks second for pole positions behind German ace Michael Schumacher. Leclerc currently sits third in the drivers’ standings behind Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli and George Russell.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-26-cents and the euro at 18-rand-88-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-87-cents and Bitcoin trades at 66-thousand-909-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-454-dollars-13-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 97-dollars-55-cents a barrel.

# And finally: The National Editors’ Forum has expressed concern at reports of journalists experiencing harassment, intimidation and abuse while covering recent protests across the country, including the March and March demonstrations. SANEF is calling on any journalist, editor, photographer, videographer, producer or media worker who has experienced harassment in any form to come forward. It says this will help accurately assess the scale and nature of these incidents. SANEF adds journalists must be allowed to carry out their work freely, safely and without intimidation, harassment, obstruction or interference.

Stay tuned for more news………….