News 08:00

BULLETIN 1 March 8 am 

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Cosatu establishes election war rooms to support the ANC ahead of the elections
# Saftu rejects the Multi-Party Charter’s notion that it can end load-shedding
# And, the Ekurhuleni council descends into chaos following an altercation between ANC and EFF

# Trade union federation Cosatu says it has established its election war rooms with affiliated unions, to mobilise its people to vote for the ANC in the upcoming general elections. The ruling party’s support is expected to dip below 50-percent for the first time since 1994. With a membership of about 1.6-million, Cosatu says whilst they are disappointed by mistakes made by the government, they appreciate the many decisive gains workers have won since 1994 and under the leadership of president Cyril Ramaphosa.

# The South African Federation of Trade Unions rejects the Multi-Party Charter for South Africa’s notion that it will end load-shedding and achieve energy security. The eleven political parties that are part of the charter have voiced a unified plan to end load-shedding once and for all, if only they could collectively oust the ANC in the upcoming elections. Saftu’s spokesperson, Trevor Shaku, says the charter is a stokvel of economic liberals who think the so-called free market will solve society’s problems:

# The Ekurhuleni council meeting had to be adjourned yesterday evening after a physical altercation between EFF and ANC councillors broke out. The meeting was set to debate ActionSA’s motion of no confidence in Ekurhuleni mayor Sivuyile Ngodwana of the African Independent Congress. He is accused of failing the residents of the metro and allowing the EFF to misuse the metro’s funds. ANC Gauteng secretary, TK Nciza, says he is disappointed with the behaviour of the EFF councillors:

# At least 43 people including women and children have been killed after a fire broke out in a seven-storey building in the Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka. About 40 people were injured and 75 rescued. The Bailey Road building houses mainly restaurants and several clothing and mobile phone shops. Health minister, Samanta Lal Sen, says an investigation into the cause of the fire is underway. Fires in residential and factory buildings are common in Bangladesh due to inadequate enforcement of safety regulations.

# Motorsport: Seven-time world champion, Lewis Hamilton, says he was taken by surprise after topping the timesheets in yesterday’s second practice session at the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix. The Mercedes’ driver was quicker than his teammate George Russell with Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso finishing the session third. Hamilton says he is cautiously optimistic:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 19-rand-14-cents and the euro at 20-rand-71-cents. One British pound costs 24-rand-19-cents and Bitcoin trades at 60-thousand-837-dollars-39-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-45-dollars-91-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 82-dollars-16-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….