News 17:00

BULLETIN 3 June 5 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

The National Prosecuting Authority confirms Moroadi Cholota’s ruling won’t derail the asbestos trial
# Deputy ministers urge the public to help find the killers of a Roodepoort teen
# And Rugby: The Stormers lock Van Heerden is rewarded as the Tackle Machine of the URC

# The National Prosecuting Authority’s Mthunzi Mhaga says the High Court in Bloemfontein’s ruling in favour of Moroadi Cholota won’t affect the asbestos trial of the remaining accused, set to start tomorrow. The court found Cholota’s extradition unlawful. She was among 18 accused, including Ace Magashule. Mhaga says the NPA remains confident in its case and that prosecutors acted ethically based on the evidence available:

# The government urges the public to help police track down those responsible for the brutal murder of the 14-year-old Likhona Fosa in Roodepoort in Gauteng. The deputy minister for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Steve Letsike, and Police deputy minister, Polly Boshielo, today visited the scene in Durban Deep where the young girl’s mutilated body was found over the weekend. They also paid their respects to Fosa’s family. The spokesperson for the Department of Women and Youth, Cassius Selala, says gender-based violence must be rooted out and those responsible must be held accountable:

# A community-led search in Paarl has uncovered a buried female body. A shoe found in the woods led to the discovery. According to the Western Cape police DNA tests are underway to confirm if it’s 16-year-old Chanelle Plaatjies, who has been missing since Wednesday last week. Reports indicate that her mother delayed reporting her missing, assuming she would return. Police are continuing investigations.

# Rescuers said the Israeli military killed at least 27 people near a US-backed aid centre in Gaza today, with the army reporting it had fired on suspects who advanced toward the troops. The UN human rights chief condemned such attacks as a breach of international law and a war crime, after a similar shooting in the same area on Sunday killed and wounded scores of Palestinians seeking aid. The Israeli army also announced three soldiers had been killed in northern Gaza.

# Rugby: Stormers lock Ruben van Heerden has been crowned the United Rugby Championship’s Tackle Machine for 2025. The award celebrates the best defender among players who made at least 150 tackles. Van Heerden tops the charts with 171 tackles at a 98-percent success rate. Sharks loose forward Phepsi Buthelezi was third. Stormers fullback Warrick Gelant finished second in the Playmaker Award standings behind Munster’s Tom Farrell. Sharks flyhalf Jordan Hendrikse finished second in the Golden Boot category, while Lions fullback Quan Horn claimed third in the Playmaker Award race.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-89-cents and the euro at 20-rand-36-cents. One British pound costs 24-rand-16-cents and Bitcoin trades at 105-thousand-502-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-354-dollars-2-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 64-dollars-96-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….