News 08:00

BULLETIN 19 March 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Minister Gordhan assures SAA employees their jobs are safe
# Business Leadership SA wants the government to ensure water services are effectively provided
# And at least 12 people are killed as Haiti remains paralysed by escalating gang violence

# Public Enterprises minister Pravin Gordhan has assured South Africa Airways staff members that their jobs are secure. This follows the collapse of the deal to sell 51-percent stake in the airline to Takatso Consortium. The minister met with around two-thousand SAA staff yesterday. The department’s spokesperson, Ellis Mnyandu, says Gordhan is confident the airline’s management would steer the national carrier to greater heights:

# Business Leadership South Africa says the development of skills in municipalities is needed to enable them to proactively manage and maintain water systems. Some areas of Gauteng are experiencing water supply challenges, with Rand Water warning that its system is on the verge of collapse. The Blue Drop Audit Report released last year highlights a serious skills shortage across the water system, with at least an additional 203 technical staff and 197 scientists needed. BLSA CEO Busi Mavuso says the government must do more to ensure that water services are effectively provided.

# City Power will launch an audit of solar geysers today, aiming to evaluate units installed in 2014 and install new ones in low-income households across service delivery centres. Spokesperson Isaac Mangena says the environmental benefits include preventing over 20-thousand tons of carbon dioxide emissions. Audits, starting in Lenasia and Midrand, involve house-to-house visits by appointed agents. He says that the visits are for geyser-related work, not power supply shutdowns:

# At least 12 people have been killed in the latest wave of violence in Haiti after armed gangs went on the rampage in two affluent areas of the capital Port-au-Prince. Gunmen looted homes in the communities of Laboule and Thomassin forcing residents to flee. The Caribbean nation remains paralysed by escalating gang violence and political instability. Gangs now control 80-percent of the capital. Unicef’s executive director, Catherine Russell, has called the situation in Haiti horrific:

Tennis: The big names are converging on Miami after the completion of the Indian Wells tournament, the first leg in the so-called Sunshine Double. Among them are the male and female winners of the tournament, Carlos Alcaraz of Spain and Iga Swiatek of Poland. Alcaraz, the world number two, is the top seed after Novak Djokovic of Serbia withdrew. Among the women, there will be huge interest in Romanian Simona Halep, who is playing in her first tournament since her doping ban was reduced.  

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-95-cents and the euro at 20-rand-61-cents. One British pound costs 24-rand-13-cents and Bitcoin trades at 65-thousand-404-dollars-15-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-161-dollars-45-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 86-dollars-74-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….