News 12:00

BULLETIN 25 September 12 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The Free Market Foundation supports the latest US measures against South Africa
# MeatCo in Namibia suspends beef exports and slaughter following a foot-and-mouth disease outbreak
# And rugby: Duane Vermeulen says the Springboks are not taking the one-off Test against Australia lightly

# The Free Market Foundation says South Africa cannot treat the US as a doormat while actively aligning with American adversaries. It has sent a delegation to the US, saying it wants to inform American counterparts about the conditions inside South Africa that continue to damage relations. Last week, the US imposed new visa restrictions targeting South Africans it deems responsible for supporting discriminatory race-based laws and violence against minority groups. The foundation says the policies in question are inconsistent with the values of the country’s Constitution.

# The MK Party demands that president Cyril Ramaphosa immediately lift the suspension of national police commissioner Fannie Masemola following the formal withdrawal of charges against him. He faced four charges for violation of the Public Finance Management Act in connection with a health services tender awarded to controversial Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala’s company, Medicare 24 Tshwane District. The MK Party says Ramaphosa has no lawful or rational basis anymore to keep Masemola out of office.

# Standard Bank says the Reserve Bank’s decision to increase the interest rate by 25 basis points comes at a difficult time, with farmers already facing higher fuel, fertiliser and other input costs. The rate increase is aimed at keeping inflation under control. Standard Bank’s Brendan Jacobs says continued uncertainty in global oil markets and the ongoing conflict in the Middle East are also contributing to rising costs throughout the food value chain:

Staying with agricultural news:

# MeatCo in Namibia has suspended further beef exports and slaughter operations following the confirmation of a foot-and-mouth disease outbreak. Ten cattle tested positive at a commercial farm in the Karasburg state veterinary district in the Khara region. This led to government introducing control measures, including the suspension of imports and exports of cloven-hoofed animals. MeatCo’s Undamuje Hambira says they are assessing the status of beef consignments that had already been exported:

# Rugby: Springbok assistant coach Duane Vermeulen has dismissed suggestions that coach Rassie Erasmus’s 13 changes to the starting team for the one-off Test against the Wallabies is a sign of disrespect. South Africa head into the Perth Test on Sunday off the back of a demanding four-match series against the All Blacks. Australia is ranked seventh in the world but unbeaten under new coach Les Kiss. Vermeulen expects the Wallabies to bring plenty of intensity, while challenging the Bok pack:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-34-cents against the rand and the euro at 18-rand-61-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-62-cents and Bitcoin trades at 84-thousand-196-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-281-dollars-39-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 103-dollars-95-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….