News 17:00

BULLETIN 4 March 5 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Solidarity launches an aid project to support the workers who are affected by the ArcelorMittal closures
# A paediatric surgeon in Gauteng is found not guilty over the deaths of three patients
# And rugby: The Stormers contract a Sharks Bok prop to replace the retired Steven Kitshoff

# Solidarity has launched an aid project to support workers affected by the closure of ArcelorMittal’s long-steel plants. According to the union, despite a month of discussions, the closures in Newcastle in KwaZulu-Natal, Vereeniging in Gauteng, and eMalahleni in Mpumalanga were confirmed last Friday, and retrenchment consultations are nearing completion. Solidarity’s Willie Venter criticised the government for intervening too late and the company for not modernising its plants earlier:

# A well-known Gauteng paediatric surgeon was found not guilty of murder following the deaths of three children he operated on. The High Court in Johannesburg found the state could not proof its argument that Peter Beale had recklessly and fraudulently performed unnecessary surgeries to re-establish his financial position after he lost 1.5-million-rand in the infamous Tannenbaum Ponzi scheme. Judge Thifhelimbilu Mudau ruled without a motive, the state’s case collapsed. The case ran from 2019 when Beale was arrested and charged with murder, culpable homicide and fraud.

# The National Council of SPCAs says it has become increasingly concerned with the alarming surge in content depicting animal cruelty being shared online in South Africa. The council’s Sanam Naran says people predisposed to certain personality disorders, childhood trauma, or mental health struggles may be more likely to engage in this behaviour. She says social validation plays a significant role, as individuals seek approval, recognition, or a sense of belonging through engagement on social media:

# The European Union has warned that US tariffs on Canada and Mexico threaten trans-Atlantic economic stability and risk disrupting global trade, urging Washington to reverse course. Stinging US tariffs on Canadian and Mexican goods came into effect as a deadline to avert president Donald Trump’s levies passed without the nations striking a deal. European Commission spokesperson Olof Gill says Mexico and Canada are the EU’s economic partners through two separate agreements. The EU earlier announced that it would strengthen its trade relations with Mexico.

# Rugby: Springbok loosehead prop Ntuthuko Mchunu will leave the Sharks for the Stormers at the end of the season to fill the void created by Bok veteran Steven Kitshoff’s retirement. The 25-year-old played three Tests for South Africa since making his debut in 2022 alongside loose forward Evan Roos and hooker Deon Fourie, who will now become his teammates in Cape Town. Stormers director of rugby, John Dobson says Mchunu’s all-round abilities and athleticism are key assets.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-53-cents and the euro at 19-rand-55-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-61-cents and Bitcoin trades at 83-thousand-327-dollars. Gold sells at two-thousand-925-dollars-73-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 70-dollars-50-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….