News 18:00

BULLETIN 17 April 6 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The International Monetary Fund warns South Africa’s unemployment is set to worsen 
# The IFP leader believes the Multi-Party Charter is a solution for better governance 
# And rugby: Steven Kitshoff’s stint at Ulster may end sooner than planned after an injury 

# The International Monetary Fund forecasts that South Africa’s unemployment rate will worsen, reaching 33.5-percent this year and 33.9-percent by next year. This is despite government promises to prioritise job creation. News24 reports the unemployment rate is currently 32.1-percent, with 7.9-million people without jobs. The financial agency warns of widening divergence between low-income developing countries and the rest of the world. Annual consumer inflation is expected to average 4.9-percent this year, with lower gross domestic product forecasts compared to the National Treasury and the South African Reserve Bank.

# Inkatha Freedom Party leader Velenkosini Hlabisa says the Multi-Party Charter is poised to govern more effectively than the ANC. He anticipates a coalition government post-election, predicting the ruling party’s support will fall below 50-percent in next month’s polls. As part of the charter, the IFP aims to unseat the ANC for the first time since democracy. While he disagreed with the DA’s criticism of smaller parties campaigning in the Western Cape, Hlabisa believes the charter is well-prepared to govern:

# Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma is calling on law enforcement agencies to act on 15-thousand-343 recorded kidnapping cases in South Africa, as reported by Statistics South Africa. Women, children and the LGBTQ community are mostly targeted by being forcefully taken by armed groups and used for financial or tactical gains. The department’s spokesperson, Cassius Selala, says kidnapping is the unlawful seizing or taking away of another person against their will, also known as criminal abduction:

Meanwhile, Build One South Africa is demanding the public release of the sexual offenders register at all schools to ensure predators are not teaching children. BOSA leader Mmusi Maimane led a picket outside the Northern Cape Education Department in Kimberley, supporting parents demanding action against teachers and principals facing sexual assault allegations. According to the party, the department’s response remains inadequate, fuelling a child sexual abuse epidemic. Spokesperson Roger Solomons demands police clearance for all employees.

# Rugby: Springbok prop Steven Kitshoff’s stint at Ulster may end sooner than planned after he was injured during last weekend’s Champions Cup quarterfinal against Clermont. The knee injury will keep him on the sidelines for some time, meaning he may not be able to play again before the end of the season in June. Kitshoff will return to the Stormers then after being granted an early release from his three-year contract with the Irish team. He captained the Cape team to back-to-back URC finals earlier.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 19-rand-2-cents and the euro at 20-rand-24-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-70-cents and Bitcoin trades at 62-thousand-126-dollars-23-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-288-dollars-23-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 89-dollars-12-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….