News 17:00

BULLETIN 11 May 5 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Western Cape learners are to stay at home as storms close schools
# The Hawks warn of a demand and supply drug trade thriving in Gauteng
# And rugby: the Bulls gain the experience of Curwin Bosch and Hanro Liebenberg

# All public and special schools in the Western Cape will be closed tomorrow as severe weather continues to impact the region. More than 227 schools had already applied for closure by the afternoon, while several schools have reported storm-related damage. Education MEC David Maynier says the situation will be monitored closely, with schools expected to reopen on Wednesday if conditions improve:

Meanwhile, operations at several city driving license testing centers have also been disrupted due to strong winds, flooding, and network problems across Cape Town. Affected centres include Goodwood, Somerset West, Atlantis, Durbanville, Brackenfell, Kuilsriver, Lingelethu West, Joe Gqabi, Milnerton, and Hillstar. Traffic spokesperson Kevin Jacobs says tests at Elsies River and Fish Hoek were deferred while Gallows Hill was delayed after a fallen tree. He says candidates will be rescheduled:

# The commander of the Hawks West Rand Serious Organised Crime unit, Francois Steyn, has revealed to the Madlanga Commission that the drug crisis in Gauteng continues to be driven by supply and demand. The Commission is inquiry how seized narcotics were handled and allegedly stolen while at law enforcement. He says despite police confiscating drugs, street prices remained unchanged, highlighting the scale of illicit drug operations leading to theft and violent crime:

# An American and a French national have tested positive for the hanta virus after returning home after leaving a cruise ship hit by a deadly outbreak of the virus. The US Health Department says a second American national on the repatriation flight had also shown mild symptoms. French authorities say a woman was isolating in Paris and her health was deteriorating, with 22 contact cases traced. Three passengers have died after travelling on the MV Hondius. Two of them are confirmed to have had the virus.

# Rugby: Former Springbok flyhalf Curwin Bosch will join the Bulls in July. He signed a three-year deal after previously playing for the Sharks before moving to Brive in France in 2024. The Bulls also confirmed the acquisition of several other players, including two other Sharks players, winger Thaakir Abrahaims and rising backline star Luan Giliomee, Pumas outside centre Sango Xamlashe, young fullback Hakeem Kunene and Griquas wing Dylan Maart. Bulls CEO Edgar Rathbone says former Junio Bok captain Hanro Liebenberg will also relocate to Pretoria.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-41-cents against the rand and the euro at 19-rand-32-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-33-cents and Bitcoin trades at 81-thousand-173-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-705-dollars-27-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 101-dollars-53-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….