News 17:00

BULLETIN 22 April 5 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Eskom promises the lights will be on this winter with no forecast of load-shedding 
# Abraham Nkhwashu rejects the White House meetings as corruption related
# And tennis: Sinner hopes Madrid will help him to eventually clinch the French Open title

# Eskom says it does not expect load-shedding this winter, citing improved power system stability and a more reliable generation fleet. The utility projects a stable electricity supply from this month to August, supported by reduced breakdowns, increased maintenance and a surplus in peak capacity. Eskom’s Daphne Mokwena says ongoing reforms and cost savings have strengthened the grid but warns delays in new power projects could pose risks to long-term energy security beyond 2029.

# Suspended Sedibeng deputy district police commissioner Abraham Nkhwashu has told the Madlanga Commission that he attended gatherings at a venue known as ‘The White House’, identified as the Northcliff Boutique Hotel. Nkhwashu said he became aware of alleged claims linking the venue to corruption through media reports, however, insists his visits were social and work-related. He says the gatherings involved SAPS officers building social relationships after work:

# Concerns are mounting over fuel tampering in South Africa, with illegal blending of paraffin and diesel becoming more widespread and sophisticated. The chief operating officer of a leading provider of risk management and security services in South Africa, Waal de Waal, told ENCA more than 100 suspected illegal depots have been identified across Gauteng, Mpumalanga, and Limpopo. He says fuel contamination has long been a concern, but the blending of diesel with paraffin and other liquids continues to increase:

# Pope Leo used the last full day of his four-nation African tour to speak out against wealth inequality. He urged believers in Equatorial Guinea to bridge the gap between rich and poor. The pontiff, ‌who has attracted the ire of US president Donald Trump after becoming more outspoken against war and despotism, also visited a high-security prison that human rights groups say holds political prisoners in abusive conditions. His day started in Mongomo with a mass in the largest religious structure in Central Africa where roughly 100-thousand people welcomed him.

# Tennis: Italian Jannik Sinner hopes the Madrid Open in Spain will boost his chances of clinching the French Open and achieve a career-Grand Slam. The world number one is seen as all-out favourite in the absence of local hero and number two, Carlos Alcaraz. His four Grand Slam titles came twice in Australia and once at Wimbledon and the US Open, but Roland Garros has avoided him up to now. Sinner says he had never played well in the Spanish capital, but hopes to change that this year.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-47-cents against the rand and the euro at 19-rand-32-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-22-cents and Bitcoin trades at 78-thousand-448-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-745-dollars-15-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 95-dollars-53-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….