News 17:00

BULLETIN 23 May 5 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The High Court orders the Gauteng Department of Social Development to pay non-profit organisations speedily 
# The DA demands the release of the crime stats ahead of the elections 
# And rugby: Jasper Wiese will miss the Boks’ next six Tests after a red card in his final game for Leicester 

# The High Court in Johannesburg has ordered the Gauteng Department of Social Development to pay non-profit organisations speedily. The Gauteng Care Crisis Committee approached the court on a urgent basis, arguing an order was necessary to ensure the department finalises the process that provide social services to vulnerable people. The organisation describes the process as chaotic. Judge Ingrid Opperman ruled the department should conclude its funding adjudications by tomorrow, and issue service level agreements to all successful applicants by next Thursday.

# The DA has accused Police minister Bheki Cele of politicising crime statistics by delaying their release ahead of the elections. Despite a scheduled release last week, the 2023/2024 fourth-quarter crime statistics remain undisclosed. The party promises to ensure transparency and accountability in crime reporting. The DA’s Andrew Whitfield says a request under the Promotion of Access to Information Act has been submitted to obtain the data and publicise these statistics:

# Many of the people seriously injured on the London-Singapore flight that hit severe turbulence need operations on their spines. The Boeing 777 sharply descended after hitting turbulence over the Andaman Sea, and the pilots made an emergency landing in Bangkok, Thailand. Seventy-three-year-old Geoff Kitchen from Gloucestershire in the UK died from a suspected heart attack.  A spokesperson for the hospital says 20 people are still in intensive care, many with spinal injuries. The hospital provided medical care to 104 people after the flight was diverted to Thailand.

# Rugby: Loose forward Jasper Wiese will miss the Springboks’ next six Tests after his red card in his final match for Leicester Tigers last weekend. The disciplinary committee couldn’t find any mitigating circumstances after he lifted a player from Exeter and drove him into the ground. Wiese will miss the Boks’ Tests against Wales, Ireland, Portugal and the Wallabies. The news is seen as a massive blow for coach Rassie Erasmus, who regards Wiese as natural successor to veteran eighthman Duane Vermeulen.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-34-cents and the euro at 19-rand-92-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-38-cents and Bitcoin trades at 69-thousand-309-dollars-19-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-368-dollars-34-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 82-dollars-73-cents a barrel.

# And finally: President Cyril Ramaphosa has hailed Justice Yvonne Mokgoro as an icon and a champion of human rights and gender justice. Addressing mourners at the Bryanston Catholic Church in Johannesburg, Ramaphosa said Mokgoro was a pioneering jurist and the first black woman appointed to the Constitutional Court in 1994. Ramaphosa says her journey from student activist to esteemed judge symbolises resilience and principled activism. He hails her legacy as testament to her unwavering commitment to justice and equality:

Stay tuned for more news………….