News 14:00

BULLETIN 4 March 2 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Fuel prices are set to rise on Wednesday
# The GOOD party proceeds with a disciplinary hearing against Peter de Villiers
# And tennis: Alcaraz edges Nadal in a Vegas exhibition match 

# The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy has given an outlook for what motorists should expect to be paying for fuel from Wednesday.  The department’s Robert Maake says the fuel price hikes this month, will affect petrol, diesel, paraffin, and liquefied petroleum gas. He says the increases are linked to elevated oil prices, a depreciating rand against the US dollar, and unchanged slate levels at zero-cents-per-litre:

# The GOOD party says it is taking resolute action against Western Cape provincial legislature member Peter de Villiers, following allegations of sexual assault and harassment. Following a thorough internal investigation, De Villiers was suspended pending a formal disciplinary hearing, set to commence on Thursday. GOOD’s secretary-general, Brett Herron, says the party is committed to gender rights and its constitution, advocating for equal rights, and combating gender-based violence. Herron pledges to communicate the outcomes after the hearing:

# National Treasury says part of the reforms being introduced in the infrastructure space is to allow the private sector to invest more in infrastructure provision. Treasury is simplifying and reforming the public-private partnership framework to crowd in private investment. Treasury’s director-general, Duncan Pieterse, says challenges of the ongoing energy crisis, a deteriorating and unreliable logistics system, failing infrastructure, and climate risks require the technical and financial support of the private sector:

# UN human rights chief Volker Turk says the Gaza war between Israel and Hamas is a powder keg with the potential to spark broader conflict in the Middle East. In his global update to the United Nations Human Rights Council he says the war has already generated dangerous spillover in neighbouring countries, and he is deeply concerned that in this powder keg, any spark could lead to a much broader conflict. Turk says this would have implications for every country in the Middle East and many beyond it.

# Tennis: World number two Carlos Alcaraz just succeeded in beating his famous Spanish compatriot Rafael Nadal in their exhibition match in Las Vegas, America. Nadal won the first set and Alcaraz the second, with Alcaraz edging out Nadal 14-12 in the deciding tiebreaker. Both players used the game as preparation for the Indian Wells Masters, starting on Friday. A hip injury kept Nadal out of the game for a year before his comeback in Australia in January was cut short with a small muscle tear.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 19-rand-5-cents and the euro at 20-rand-67-cents. One British pound costs 24-rand-14-cents and Bitcoin trades at 65-thousand-93-dollars-60-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-and-82-dollars-98-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 83-dollars-39-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….