News 16:00

BULLETIN 27 March 4 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Interest rates remain unchanged

# The JSC invites comments on the nominees for Chief Justice and Deputy President of the Supreme Court of Appeal 
# And rugby: Scotland’s South African-born prop retires at 37 

# The Reserve Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee has decided to keep the repo rate unchanged at 8.25-percent. This keeps the prime lending rate at 11.75-percent.

# The Judicial Service Commission has invited comments on nominees for the positions of Chief Justice and Deputy President of the Supreme Court of Appeal. President Cyril Ramaphosa is considering appointing Deputy Chief Justice Mandisa Maya as Chief Justice, and Justice Dhaya Haroon Zondi as Deputy President of the SCA. Comments on their suitability or relevant information should be sent by May 2. Interviews will be open to the public after reviewing comments.

# Union federation Saftu calls for the nationalisation of EduCor institutions, including City Varsity, Lyceum, Damelin, and ICESA City Campus colleges, citing widespread violations of worker rights. The federation’s demand follows a Department of Higher Education and Training investigation into Educor’s failures, such as delayed audited financial submissions and labour abuses. Saftu spokesperson Trevor Shaku argues bringing these colleges into the public sector will expand educational capacity. He urges government to absorb affected workers and students into public institutions:

# The DA has criticised the Enoch Mgijima Municipality in the Eastern Cape for repurposing three 30-bed wards at Komani Psychiatric Hospital for office space due to a lack of municipal offices. Another 60-bed ward has been closed due to dilapidation. The DA’s provincial spokesperson on Health, Jane Cowley, says 150 patients have been left without adequate care. She calls for urgent action, highlighting the dire consequences of space shortages at the hospital:

# Rugby: Scotland’s veteran South African-born prop WP Nel has announced his retirement at the end of the season. The 37-year-old played 61 Tests for his adopted country, and represented Edinburgh in 200 games since moving there from the Cheetahs in 2012. Scotland’s head coach, Gregor Townsend, describes Nel as one of the best props to have played for the country, saying he was highly respected by coaches and players. Nel is expected to concentrate on his butchery in the Scottish capital after his retirement.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-92-cents and the euro at 20-rand-47-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-88-cents and Bitcoin trades at 70-thousand-230-dollars-52-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-187-dollars-4-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 85-dollars-8-cents a barrel.

# And finally: The TB Accountability Consortium’s report, ‘What About Mortality,’ highlights disparities in tuberculosis deaths between men and women. Men’s mortality rate is 1.7 times higher than women’s, attributed to higher smoking and drinking rates. Men also engage less in HIV-related activities, have lower TB testing rates, and exhibit poorer treatment adherence. The report also indicates that TB remains the top cause of death in people with HIV, with over 50-percent of TB deaths occurring in HIV-positive individuals due to compromised immune systems.

Stay tuned for more news………….