News 14:00

BULLETIN 5 March 2 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# South Africa’s economy grew by 0.1-percent in the fourth quarter of 2023
# The NSPCA is concerned as the second livestock ship heads towards Cape waters 
# And rugby: The Sharks are heavy favourites to confirm the return of Bok centre Esterhuizen

# South Africa’s economy grew by a marginal 0.1-percent in the fourth quarter of last year. Mining activity was up 2.4-percent and electricity, gas and water scored a second consecutive quarter of positive growth, expanding by 2.3-percent. On the downside, trade, agriculture, construction and government were weaker. Statistics South Africa says this takes the annual growth rate for 2023 to 0.6-percent compared to 1.9-percent for 2022. Agriculture recorded its first annual contraction since 2019, shrinking by 12.2-percent. This is the biggest annual fall in agriculture production since 1995.

# The National Council of SPCA has raised concerns about a second livestock ship set to make its way around the Cape of Good Hope. This follows the docking of the Al Kuwait livestock ship in Cape Town two weeks ago, where animals were found in horrible conditions, resulting in a terrible stench. NSPCA says many of these animals have already probably been on board for 40 days, and they are not even close to getting to their destination.

# The ministers of Water and Sanitation, Senzo Mchunu, and of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Barbara Creecy, announced that the spraying of glyphosate in the Vaal River has been suspended. The two ministers established a technical task team led by Rand Water management following public concerns relating to the use of glyphosate on water lettuce in the river. The department’s spokesperson, Wisane Mavasa, says in the medium term, compliance and enforcement interventions will be intensified against the sources of pollution which are driving this situation:

# Turkey says it had detained seven people, including a special detective, suspected of spying for Israel’s Mossad intelligence service. The operation by Turkey’s spy agency and Istanbul counter-terror police showed the suspects had passed on information to Mossad for money. The raids come after Turkish authorities rounded up 34 people in January suspected of planning abductions and spying for Mossad.

# Rugby: The Sharks and Stormers have both expressed an interest in Springbok centre André Esterhuizen, who will leave English club Harlequins at the end of the season. It is however widely rumored that the 29-year-old World Cup winner will return to Durban. Esterhuizen represented the Sharks for seven years, before heading to London in 2020 to play for Harlequins. He says it has been a privilege to represent Quins:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 19-rand-1-cent and the euro at 20-rand-63-cents. One British pound costs 24-rand-11-cents and Bitcoin trades at 66-thousand-993-dollars-93-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-126-dollars-44-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 82-dollars-79-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….