News 17:00

BULLETIN 9 May 5 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The sentencing of Kelly Smith and two others is scheduled for 29 May
# Minister Dean Macpherson launches ‘adopt-a-municipality’ to tackle infrastructure failures
# And cricket: The Proteas Women beat Sri Lanka in their final match in Colombo

# The sentencing of Kelly Smith, Jacquen Appollis, and Steveno van Rhyn, convicted of kidnapping and trafficking Smith’s six-year-old daughter, Joslin on the West Coast, is scheduled for 29 May at the White City multipurpose centre in Diazville, Saldanha Bay. Pre-sentencing proceedings will commence two days before. The trio will appear in court on the 23rd for procedural matters. The National Prosecuting Authority’s Eric Ntabazalila says the pre-sentencing will feature victim impact statements:

# Public Works and Infrastructure minister Dean Macpherson has signed pilot agreements with three municipalities to speed up local infrastructure delivery. Under the new ‘adopt-a-municipality’ initiative, Metsimaholo in the Free State, uMngeni in KwaZulu-Natal, and Govan Mbeki in Mpumalanga will receive support to improve project planning, reduce cost overruns, and ensure better quality work. Macpherson says the 24-month partnerships aim to end the trend of failed infrastructure projects and bring real change to communities:

# Police minister Senzo Mchunu has condemned the alleged rape of a trainee by an instructor at the South African Police Service Training Academy in Tshwane. The suspect has been arrested and was expected to appear in court today. Mchunu called the incident a gross abuse of power and a betrayal of trust. Ministry spokesperson Kamogelo Mogotsi urged the Independent Police Investigative Directorate to ensure justice is served:

# Cricket: The Proteas Women comprehensively beat Sri Lanka in their tri-series one-day encounter in Colombo. The visitors posted a brilliant 315 for nine in their 50 overs, spearheaded by Annerie Dercksen’s maiden century. Chloé Tryon contributed 74 and captain Laura Wolvaardt, Nadine de Klerk and Tazmin Brits all passed 30. The hostesses were then bowled out for just 239, handing South Africa a 76-run victory. Tryon took five wickets. This was the Proteas’ first victory of the tournament, with Sri Lanka and India competing in Sunday’s final.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-22-cents and the euro at 20-rand-52-cents. One British pound costs 24-rand-22-cents and Bitcoin trades at 102-thousand-and-91-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-336-dollars-21-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 63-dollars-22-cents a barrel.

# And finally: Two British men, Daniel Graham and Adam Carruthers, have been found guilty of criminal damage for deliberately felling a landmark sycamore tree in northern England. The tree, at a spot known as Sycamore Gap, was located on the historic UNESCO World Heritage listed Hadrian’s Wall, which was constructed almost two-thousand years ago to guard the furthest northwestern frontier of the Roman Empire. The sycamore tree was made famous to millions around the world when it appeared in Kevin Costner’s 1991 blockbuster movie Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves.

Stay tuned for more news………….