News 14:00

BULLETIN 8 May 2 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The DA leads in digital advertising spending among South African political parties
# Cosatu says the national flag is a symbol of reconciliation
# And, tennis: Gauff says a medal in Paris would be the same as a Grand Slam title

# The DA currently leads in digital advertising spending among South African political parties. The party allocated an estimated 2.7-million-rand for ads on Instagram, Facebook, Google, and YouTube last month. On 2 May alone, the DA spent 116-thousand-rand on advertising for its official Meta account. Despite being a small portion of the DA’s overall campaign budget, the party’s substantial investment underscores its enhanced social media engagement compared to previous years. The DA’s deputy federal campaign manager, Ashor Sarupen, highlights the importance of digital presence for all political parties.

Meanwhile, Cosatu is appalled by what it calls the latest DA election stunt mimicking the burning of the national flag. The federation says it is a reminder of the DA’s insensitivity towards millions of South Africans who experienced the most horrific forms of abuse during apartheid. It says the national flag is a symbol of reconciliation. Cosatu’s Matthew Parks says the DA’s action undermines the nation’s collective efforts to overcome the still painful wounds of the past:

# The African Transformation Movement is gravely concerned about the circumstances surrounding the collapsed building in George and the lack of transparency regarding the company responsible for this construction project. The secrecy surrounding the contractor raises serious questions about accountability and adherence to safety standards. The ATM’s spokesperson, Zama Ntshona says it is troubling to observe a lack of scrutiny on companies, particularly those owned by white individuals, who often escape accountability for not adhering to safety regulations:

# The organisation SA Canegrowers has welcomed the ruling by the High Court in Durban confirming Tongaat Hulett’s obligation to pay outstanding levies to the sugar industry. Judge Rashid Vahed upheld the Sugar Industry Agreement during Tongaat’s business rescue, rejecting Tongaat’s appeal. The agreement ensures equitable distribution of proceeds from local sugar production. Despite possible further appeals, the organisation hopes the ruling brings resolution, safeguarding growers’ livelihoods amid overdue payments.

# Tennis: American Coco Gauff says winning a medal at the Olympic Games would be the same as clinching a Grand Slam title. The 20-year-old will make her Olympic debut in Paris after a positive Covid-19 test prevented her from participating in the Tokyo Games. Gauff will also compete in the French Open later this month where she aims for her second Grand Slam title after winning the American Open last year. The Games’ tennis competition will also be played at Roland Garros, from the 27th of July.

# And, the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-58-cents and the euro at 19-rand-98-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-21-cents and Bitcoin trades at 62-thousand-402-dollars-58-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-314-dollars-61-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 82-dollars-33-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….