News 18:00

BULLETIN 12 May 6 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Western Cape schools are scheduled to reopen tomorrow
# The Western Cape Mobility Department monitors the ongoing impact of floods on roads
# And, on International Nurses’ Day, the PSA honours generations of nurses for shaping the future of care

# The Western Cape Education Department says all schools in the province will reopen tomorrow. This follows updated guidance from the provincial disaster management centre and the South African Weather Service. However, some schools may remain closed due to storm-related infrastructure damage or access challenges. Education MEC David Maynier warns against the spread of fake news and altered information on school closures:

# The Western Cape Mobility Department is closely monitoring road conditions across the province as flooding and storm damage continue to disrupt major routes. Motorists are urged to exercise caution, avoid unnecessary travel where possible, and follow instructions from traffic and disaster management authorities while recovery and safety operations continue. The provincial traffic management spokesperson, Maxine Bezuidenhout, says some parts of the N1 between Touws River and Worcester are open under stop-and-go traffic control:

# Antigua and Barbuda has ​nominated Ecuador’s Maria ‌Fernanda Espinosa as candidate to be the next United ​Nations Secretary-General. Espinosa, a ​former foreign affairs minister ​and defence minister in Ecuador, headed the UN General Assembly ​in New York ​in 2018 and 2019. Five candidates are now competing ‌to ⁠take over from outgoing UN chief Antonio Guterres, including three ​women ​seeking ⁠to become the first female ​head. Elections are due ​later ⁠this year and the new Secretary-General’s five-year term will ⁠begin ​on January ​1, 2027.

# Rugby: Wales’ coach, Steve Tandy, has included six uncapped players in his extended 48-man squad for their upcoming four internationals. They are Kane James, Harri Keddie, Ryan Woodman, Ben Warren, Rhys Barratt and Bryn Bradley. Wales will play the Barbarians at Twickenham on 27 June. The squad will then be reduced for July’s Nations Championship ties against Fiji, Argentina and South Africa. Tandy is trying to grow his squad depth:

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-50-cents against the rand and the euro at 19-rand-36-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-33-cents and Bitcoin trades at 80-thousand-695-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-694-dollars-17-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 105-dollars-50-cents a barrel.

# And finally, the Public Servants Association honours nurses who dedicate their lives to caring for others, often placing the needs of patients above their own. Today marks International Nurses Day, and it is commemorated under the theme “Our Nurses. Our Future: Empowered Nurses Save Lives.” The PSA’s spokesperson, Claude Naicker says many nurses in the public sector continue to work under immense pressure, in environments marked by critical staff shortages and limited resources:

Stay tuned for more news………….