News 17:00

BULLETIN 11 March 5 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The death toll in a Gauteng bus crash rises to 16
# The minister of Electricity confirms the Kendal power station’s performance has dropped to 52-percent
# And cricket: Australia and England will celebrate 150 years of Tests at the MCG in 2027

# The death toll from this morning’s bus crash on the R21 in Kempton Park, Gauteng, has risen to 16 after four more passengers succumbed to their injuries in hospital. The Ekurhuleni municipality bus, carrying over 70 passengers from Katlehong to Kempton Park, overturned after the driver tried to avoid a car. Survivors described the scenes as chaotic as passengers were ejected through windows. The authorities insist the bus was roadworthy, while investigations into the crash continue.

# Electricity and Energy minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa says Kendal power station’s performance has declined from 81-percent to 52-percent. Speaking at the Mpumalanga facility, he cited performance issues that contributed to Stage 3 load-shedding over the weekend. The minister urged fast-tracked procurement while ensuring transparency. He confirmed that Eskom management will visit all power stations to maintain optimal performance as part of efforts to stabilise the grid:

# Build One South Africa has urged Finance minister Enoch Godongwana to focus on economic growth and job creation in tomorrow’s budget speech. The party has identified 76-billion-rand in spending cuts, including reducing state-owned enterprises bailouts, trimming the cabinet, and scrapping VIP protection for politicians. They warn against new taxes and call for more investment in infrastructure. BOSA acting spokesperson Roger Solomons calls for bold action to restore fiscal discipline and ensure efficient use of public funds:

# Russia’s Defence ministry says its air defences shot down 337 drones in what appears to be the biggest Ukrainian drone attack on Russia in three years. It comes as Ukrainian officials are meeting their US counterparts in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, over talks to end the war. A total of 126 drones were shot down over the Kursk region and 91 over the Moscow region. The ministry says there are dead and wounded civilians, while the country’s aviation watchdog says flights were suspended at all four of Moscow’s airports.

# Cricket: Australia and England will celebrate 150 years of Test cricket in Melbourne in 2027. The match in March will commemorate the first ever Test between the arch-rivals in the city in 1877. It will be the first day/night men’s Test at the MCG. Cricket Australia’s CEO, Todd Greenberg, says playing under the lights will be a fantastic way to celebrate the sport’s rich heritage as well as Test cricket’s modern evolution. In the centenary Test at the MCG in 1977, Australia beat England by 45 runs.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-24-cents and the euro at 19-rand-92-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-58-cents and Bitcoin trades at 81-thousand-511-dollars. Gold sells at two-thousand-911-dollars-58-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 69-dollars-83-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….