News 17:00

BULLETIN 12 May 5 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Government affirms Afrikaners retain their citizenship amid their US resettlement
# President Cyril Ramaphosa champions Africa free trade at the Africa CEO Forum in Abidjan
# And rugby: Ten teams compete for the final eight in the URC’s final league round

# The Department of International Relations and Cooperation says 49 Afrikaners relocating to the US under refugee status will not lose their South African citizenship. Dirco spokesperson Chrispin Phiri told Newzroom Afrika that Section 20 of the Constitution protects citizenship, however, using South African diplomatic services abroad may affect their refugee status. He emphasised that government rejects claims of Afrikaner persecution, terming it as politically motivated:

# President Cyril Ramaphosa has emphasised the transformative potential of the African Continental Free Trade Area. Speaking at the Africa CEO Forum 2025 in Abidjan in the Ivory Coast, Ramaphosa highlighted its capacity to reshape Africa’s economic landscape enhancing intra-African trade, industrialisation and attracting investment. He called for strengthened public-private partnerships, positioning Africa as a global economic player:

# Skukuza police have arrested a 59-year-old former ranger and a 37-year-old man for illegal hunting and trespassing in the Kruger National Park. Rangers spotted four men during patrols, two fled, and two were caught with snares, a warthog, and an impala head. Police spokesperson Thulisile Magagula says one suspect wore a ranger uniform and is already facing charges from 2021. Both will appear in the Masoyi Periodical Court.

# The City of Tshwane says it is continuing to shut down non-compliant spaza shops, including food-handling businesses, as part of a broader crackdown on unsafe and illegal establishments. Over the weekend, the metro conducted a by-law enforcement operation in Hammanskraal, where officials closed down a tuck shop that did not have building plans, and was connecting electricity illegally. Mayoral committee member for Community Safety, Hannes Coetzee, says they won’t tolerate lawlessness:

# Rugby: Ten teams remain in the running for the eight play-off places in the United Rugby Championship before the weekend’s final league round. The Bulls and the Sharks are currently lying second and fourth on the log, respectively, and are sure of qualification, while the Stormers are in fifth position and not entirely out of the woods yet. Leinster is first and defending champions Glasgow Warriors third. Scarlets, Benetton, Munster, Cardiff and Edinburgh can all still make the top-eight. The Lions’ campaign is over.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-28-cents and the euro at 20-rand-34-cents. One British pound costs 24-rand-13-cents and Bitcoin trades at 104-thousand-300-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-243-dollars-52-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 65-dollars-73-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….