News 07:00

BULLETIN 5 February 7 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Business Unity South Africa and Business4SA are calling on president Ramaphosa to test the constitutional integrity of the National Health Insurance Bill
# Minister Nxesi announces the National Minimum Wage for 2024
# And, America is planning more retaliation strikes against Iran-backed groups

# Business Unity South Africa and Business4SA are calling on president Cyril Ramaphosa to test the constitutionality of the controversial National Health Insurance Bill. Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, said that Ramaphosa was likely to sign off on the bill before the general election. B4SA’s Martin Kingston, says given the bill’s numerous substantive and procedural constitutional flaws, the president should refer it back to Parliament for reconsideration and amendment before signing it into law:

# Employment and Labour minister Thulas Nxesi has announced a new National Minimum Wage Determination from 25-rand-42-cent to 27-rand-58-cent for each ordinary hour worked. It will come into effect on the 1st of next month. The department’s spokesperson, Teboho Thejane, says the determination also includes the vulnerable sectors of farm workers and domestic workers, who since 2022 have been aligned with the minimum wage rates:

# ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa has criticised the DA-run Tshwane Municipality for failing to resolve the water challenges in Mamelodi phase four. Some residents have not had water for over two weeks. Last week, Tshwane mayor Cilliers Brink said the main issue was illegal informal settlement connections into the water systems. Speaking during a voter registration campaign in Mamelodi yesterday, Ramaphosa says he has not seen any good governance in the area:

# The Eastern Cape Health Department says it is concerned about a series of suspected food poisoning cases in various schools across the country. The department is currently investigating the circumstances that led to 320 pupils from Osborn High School in KwaBhaca being rushed to the hospital last week, with diarrhoea and vomiting.  Recently, 143 pupils from two schools in the Eastern Cape were hospitalised after consuming items bought from informal traders. The department’s spokesperson, Sizwe Kupelo, says clinical investigations are also underway.

# The US has vowed to take further action after carrying out major strikes on Iran-backed groups in Iraq and Syria. It has accused Iran of being behind a drone attack that killed three American soldiers in Jordan. Last week Friday, the US hit 85 targets belonging to Iran-linked militias and Tehran’s Revolutionary Guard, resulting in the death of 16 people. US national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, says they will continue to send a clear message that America will respond when their troops are attacked and killed.

# Rugby: England fly-half, George Ford, says there has been a mindset shift in defence and attack in the team that is enjoyable to be a part of. Steve Borthwick’s side narrowly defeated Italy 27-25 in their opening Six Nations match in Rome. At last year’s World Cup, England was criticised for kicking the ball away and not showing enough ambition with the ball in hand. Ford says their intent now is to get behind the ball, attack the defence, and score tries. England’s next game is against Wales at Twickenham on Saturday.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-92-cents and the euro at 20-rand-40-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-86-cents and Bitcoin trades at 42-thousand-377-dollars-88-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-36-dollars-67-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 77-dollars-42-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….