News 06:00

BULLETIN 8 March 6 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Israel accuses South Africa of being Hamas’s legal arm
# President Ramaphosa warns against disruptions during the elections
# And finally, today is International Women’s Day, a renewed call to achieve gender equality

# Israel has accused South Africa of exploiting the International Court of Justice to help Hamas. The two countries again faced off in the court in The Hague in the Netherlands where South Africa lodged an urgent application for the provisional measures ordered against Israel in January to be strengthened. Israel says South Africa continues to act as Hamas’s legal arm in an attempt to undermine Israel’s inherent right to defend itself and its citizens and to release all of its hostages.

# President Cyril Ramaphosa has issued a stern warning against potential disruptions during the upcoming general elections. Amid concerns raised by some political parties about potential civil unrest, if their names are not included on the ballot paper, Ramaphosa emphasised that such unruly behaviour would deny South Africans their right to vote. He has called for tough consequences against individuals engaging in such actions:

# Build One South Africa says the upcoming general election is truly make or break, as the outcome will shape the trajectory of the country for decades to come. The party has successfully secured a spot on all ballots for the 29 May elections, gathering over 140-thousand signatures of support. BOSA leader, Mmusi Maimane, says the ANC is barely clinging to power as they fight and steal. He says to change the fortunes of the country, passionate, skilled, and ethical leaders are needed in office. 

# The Gauteng Department of Health says several health facilities, including the Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital, Helen Joseph Hospital, Zola Community Health Centre, and Dr Yusuf Dadoo Hospital, are experiencing water interruptions due to challenges faced by water utilities. Joburg Water has dispatched water tankers, but the supply remains insufficient. The hospitals have implemented measures to manage the situation, including diverting emergency and critical patients to other facilities. The department’s spokesperson Motalatale Modiba has apologised for the inconvenience:

# Motorsport: Formula One team Red Bull’s parent company has suspended the woman who accused team principal Christian Horner of inappropriate behaviour. This follows after he was acquitted in a recent internal investigation. Horner maintained his innocence throughout. The woman was apparently suspended with full pay, while the company wasn’t prepared to divulge the official reason for the decision. Horner is currently in Saudi Arabia for the weekend’s second race of the season in Jeddah.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-68-cents and the euro at 20-rand-46-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-95-cents and Bitcoin trades at 67-thousand-and-1-dollar-71-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-158-dollars-49-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 83-dollars-25-cents a barrel.

# And finally: Today marks International Women’s Day, a day to renew the collective commitment to achieving gender equality. This year’s theme is Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress. The United Nations Women warns that if current trends continue, more than 342 million women and girls could be living in extreme poverty by 2030. UN Women executive director, Sima Bahous, says by investing in women, the transition towards a healthier, safer, and more equal world for all can be accelerated:

Stay tuned for more news………….