News 17:00

BULLETIN 9 April 5 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Minister Simelane labels the George building collapse as negligent and avoidable
# China retaliates with an 84-percent tariffs on US goods
# And soccer: Sundowns set up a CAF semi-final clash with Egypt’s Al Ahly

# Human Settlements minister Thembi Simelane says the tragic George building collapse that claimed 34 lives was due to negligence and could have been avoided. Presenting a forensic report, Simelane highlighted irregularities in certification, inspection, technical staff appointments, material quality, and safety compliance. She noted that the company misrepresented its capabilities during registration, and serious lapses were found throughout the construction value chain:

# Build One South Africa urges the Electoral Reform Consultation Panel to adopt a constituency-based electoral system and introduce the direct election of the president for the 2029 elections. At a two-day conference in Johannesburg, the party reiterated its proposal for a mixed constituency-based system with open candidate lists and fixed boundaries to ensure direct accountability between voters and officials. BOSA’s Roger Solomons calls for formalised coalition agreements to enhance stability and accountability in the government:

# China has retaliated with an 84-percent tariff on US imports after Donald Trump’s 104-percent tariff on China kicked in. This has caused a further drop in European markets. The FTSE 100 index of the largest firms listed in the UK has dropped 3.3-percent so far today, while the German Dax and the French Cac 40 are boths down four-percent. Meanwhile the price of Brent crude oil has dropped to below 60-dollar a barrel at one stage, the lowest since February 2021.

# Soccer: Fans are bracing for a thrilling CAF Champions League semi-final as Mamelodi Sundowns held Espérance of Tunisia to a goalless draw in Rades, securing a blockbuster showdown with defending champions Al Ahly SC. Sundowns’ 1-nil first-leg win in Tshwane was enough to book a third consecutive semi-final spot. Meanwhile, Egypt’s Pyramids await the winner of today’s clash between Orlando Pirates and Mouloudia Alger. Pirates lead 1-nil.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 19-rand-76-cents and the euro at 21-rand-88-cents. One British pound costs 25-rand-29-cents and Bitcoin trades at 76-thousand-929-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-and-59-dollars-74-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 60-dollars-8-cents a barrel.

# And finally: A stampede of life-size animal puppets made from raw, recycled materials will embark on a 20-thousand-kilometer journey from Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo to the Arctic Circle. This is to raise awareness about wildlife and the threats posed by global warming. The production is a partnership between Ukwanda Puppets and Design Art Collective and the Centre for Humanities Research at the University of the Western Cape. UWC says along the route, puppets of animals indigenous to the countries will join the group.

Stay tuned for more news………….