News Bulletin of 1 April 2026, 1pm

Headline 1
Soweto volunteers turn illegal dumping into community gardens
Story 1
More than two dozen residents in Soweto, including teenagers and pensioners, are helping clean up streets and illegal dumping sites through the Soulbent Project.
The non-profit converts cleared waste areas into vegetable gardens, growing crops like spinach and onions to feed vulnerable residents and fund equipment.
Started in 2008, the initiative now operates across Gauteng, including Ratanda and Sebokeng, offering hands-on community solutions despite limited municipal support.
Story 1 category
Headline 2
DHET and Google launch 10,000 AI scholarships for students
Story 2
The Department of Higher Education and Training has partnered with Google South Africa to roll out 10,000 scholarships over two years, aimed at boosting AI and digital skills across universities, TVETs and CET colleges.
The programme includes Google Career Certificates, Generative AI training for educators, and a train-the-trainer model to strengthen employability, entrepreneurship and self-employment.
Additional support covers curriculum, devices and AI policy guidance, marking the DHET’s fourth public-private partnership focused on youth skills development.
Story 2 category
Headline 3
Durban hospital opens advanced heart care centre
Story 3
A Durban hospital has strengthened specialist healthcare in KwaZulu-Natal with the launch of a state of the art cardiac and vascular centre.
Ahmed Al-Kadi Hospital has officially opened its new Cath Lab, Endo Vascular Cath Lab and dedicated Cardiac ICU, offering advanced heart diagnostics, minimally invasive procedures and critical care.
The facility is expected to improve access to faster, specialised treatment as the province faces growing rates of hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases.
Story 3 category
Financial Indicators headline
Financial Indicators
Financial indicators
Your financial indicators for this hour:

The Rand is trading at 16.82 to the US Dollar, 22.35 to the British Pound, and 19.50 to the Euro.

Gold is trading at 4,722.28 dollars a fine ounce, Brent Crude Oil is at 103.97 per barrel, and a Bitcoin will set you back 68,549.00.
Teaser / Tailpiece headline
Artemis II mission set for historic return to crewed Moon travel
Teaser / Tailpiece story
NASA’s Artemis II mission is in its final countdown, with engineers preparing the Space Launch System rocket and Orion capsule for lift-off.
The four-astronaut crew is set for humanity’s first crewed journey around the Moon in more than 50 years, on an approximately 10-day mission designed to test deep-space systems ahead of future lunar landings.
The spacecraft is expected to travel close to 1.1 million kilometres before splashing down safely in the Pacific Ocean.
Nasa administrator Jarred Isaacman says this is just the beginning
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