News 08:00
BULLETIN 22 February 8 am
Good morning. I am……..
In this bulletin:
# ActionSA says the budget speech was uninspiring
# COPE says the budget speech failed to address core policy issues
# And, the formal inquest into the deaths of 21 young people at the Enyobeni Tavern is yet to commence
# ActionSA says Finance minister Enoch Godongwana’s budget speech was uninspiring and continued with the misguided spending priorities of the uncaring ANC. Opposition parties have raised particular concern about the shifting of 150-billion-rand from the South African Reserve Bank’s Gold and Foreign Exchange Contingency Reserve Account, to help the country’s fiscal prospects. ActionSA president, Herman Mashaba, says the ANC has run out of options after decades of mismanagement and dismal economic growth:
In its reaction, the Congress of the People says the minister’s budget speech was deeply disappointing, as he failed to address the core policy issues that have plunged the country into a crisis. The party’s acting chairperson, Pakes Dikgetsi, says the continued under-investment in new and critical infrastructure expansion will stunt growth and sustainability in the future. He adds that the ANC has reached the dead-end of credible policy choices after 15 years of misrule, mismanagement, and corruption:
# The National Prosecuting Authority says a formal inquest into the deaths of the 21 patrons at Enyobeni Tavern is still to commence at the Mdantsane Regional Court in the Eastern Cape. This comes after the East London Regional Court yesterday found the owners of the Enyobeni tavern guilty of selling or supplying alcohol to patrons younger than 18. The court determined that the owners had failed to apply due diligence to prevent the entry of underaged children at the establishment. The two will be sentenced tomorrow.
# The United Nations global coordination forum, the Inter-Agency Standing Committee, is calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and for Hamas to release all hostages immediately. On October 7 last year, Hamas infiltrated southern Israel, where they killed about one-thousand-200 people and took 253 others hostage. In response, Israel launched a military campaign in Gaza, in which 29-thousand-300 people have been killed. The UN forum is calling on Israel to fulfill its legal obligation, under international humanitarian and human rights law, to provide food and medical supplies.
# Soccer: Liverpool has moved four points clear at the top of the English Premier League after a second-half turnaround to beat Luton four-one at Anfield. Luton led at half-time through Chiedozie Ogbene’s header. In the second half, goals from Virgil van Dijk, Cody Gakpo, Luiz Diaz, and Harvey Elliott helped the Reds recover and secure the win. This is Luton’s third consecutive defeat and they remain in the relegation zone. Manager Jurgen Klopp says he is happy with the fighting spirit his team showed:
# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-92-cents and the euro at 20-rand-48-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-91-cents and Bitcoin trades at 51-thousand-564-dollars-88-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-27-dollars-2-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 83-dollars-16-cents a barrel.
Stay tuned for more news………….