News 07:00

BULLETIN 15 April 7 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Minister Nzimande says the board of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme failed to carry out its responsibilities
# The IFP leader urges Gauteng residents to vote for a new government
# And golf: Scottie Scheffler wins the Masters for a second time

# Higher Education minister Blade Nzimande says the decision to dissolve the National Student Financial Aid Scheme board is based on its inability to carry out and implement some of its basic responsibilities. The minister dissolved the board and placed the embattled funding scheme under administration last Thursday. Nzimande says the decision to dissolve the board was not taken lightly, and he considered the possible implications, including the impact it might have on students and employees:

In the meantime, Nzimande says the administrator of the scheme will take over the governance, management, and administration of the scheme for 12 months. Former SA Institute of Chartered Accountants CEO, Freeman Nomvalo, has been appointed as the administrator after the board was dissolved and the scheme was placed under administration last week. Nzimande says the administrator will improve the functionality of the funding scheme:

# IFP leader Velenkosini Hlabisa has urged Gauteng residents to vote in next month’s elections, saying the greatest threat to democracy is people not voting. He launched the party’s provincial manifesto in Germiston, Ekurhuleni, yesterday. The provincial breakdown of the registered voters for the 29 May elections indicates that Gauteng remains the biggest voting block, with 6.5-million voters. Hlabisa says the province needs a new government as it is time to remove the thieves, the corrupt and the cadres out of power.

# DA Western Cape leader Tertuis Simmers alongside City of Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis will lead a protest outside the South African Social Security Agency offices in Gugulethu today. The party says the protest aims to draw attention to the rising cost of living in the country, particularly affecting the most vulnerable communities who rely on social grants. Simmers says as the cost of essential goods and services continues to escalate, the national government must address these concerns to ensure the welfare and well-being of all citizens.

# President Cyril Ramaphosa will undertake a working visit to Uganda today and tomorrow, where he will meet with president Yoweri Museveni. The Presidency says the leaders will discuss regional security and stability, including the situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Ramaphosa will then travel to South Sudan to strengthen the existing bilateral relations between the two countries. He will also receive a briefing from president Salva Kiir Mayardit on the status of the implementation of the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in Sudan.

# Golf: World number one Scottie Scheffler has won the Masters for a second time in three years at Augusta National. The 27-year-old American hit a four-under 68 in the final round to finish four clear on eleven under, becoming the fourth-youngest player to win the Masters multiple times. On his major debut, Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg shot 69 to finish runner-up. England’s Tommy Fleetwood finished in a share of third with Americans Max Homa and Collin Morikawa. Scheffler says this win is special:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-83-cents and the euro at 20-rand-6-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-47-cents and Bitcoin trades at 65-thousand-213-dollars-54-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-358-dollars-90-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 90-dollars-14-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….