News 15:00

BULLETIN 22 May 3 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Israel recalls its ambassadors after Ireland, Norway and Spain recognise Palestine 
# Home Affairs refiles work-permit changes to create a nomad visa
# And rugby: Three South Africans are on the shortlists for tonight’s Premiership awards 

# Israel has recalled its ambassadors to Ireland, Norway and Spain and also summoned its envoys in protest at the three governments’ recognition of a Palestinian state. Foreign minister Israel Katz accuses the three countries of rewarding the Palestinian militant group Hamas for its 7 October attack which sparked the Gaza war. Israel’s envoys are being recalled from Dublin, Oslo and Madrid for urgent consultations and threatened serious consequences. France says now is not the right time for it to recognise Palestine.

# Home Affairs has refiled and gazetted the long-awaited changes to its work-permit regime for the creation of nomad visas for remote workers. The visa permits remote workers earning at least one-million-rand annually to reside in the country, offering a short-term tax exemption. These changes, following presidential office recommendations, aim to address delays in work permits and support foreign-owned companies facing challenges in accessing skilled personnel due to the local education system’s shortcomings. This move seeks to boost the economy by attracting skilled remote workers.

# Gauteng Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC, Mzi Khumalo launched newly installed CCTV cameras on Small Street in Johannesburg CBD. Since April last year, over 150 cameras have been installed across Gauteng hotspot areas. The government has partnered with Vumacam, accessing over six-thousand cameras to enhance public safety and reduce crime. Khumalo says the initiative is part of Gauteng’s strategy to fight crime using technology:

# Rugby: Three South Africans are on the shortlists for England’s Premiership awards which will be announced in London tonight. Former Lions utility back Tyrone Green, playing for Harlequins, and Bristol Bears’ former Sharks and Cheetahs player, Benhard Janse van Rensburg, were both nominated for try of the season. Bath’s former Springbok and Bulls assistant coach, Johann van Graan, was shortlisted for the prize for director of rugby. The players nominated for player of the season are Courtney Lawes, Finn Russel, Henry Slade and Fin Smith.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-21-cents and the euro at 19-rand-72-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-16-cents and Bitcoin trades at 70-thousand-109-dollars-10-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-413-dollars-15-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 82-dollars-25-cents a barrel.

# And finally: BetterBond interim CEO, Bradd Bendall, says data from their latest Property Brief calls for cautious optimism, with slight improvements in home loan values and volumes. It is suggesting that the slowdown the country have seen in the property market over the past two years may well have bottomed out. Bendall says the national average home loan value is 1.2-percent higher than the 12 months to April last year, and home loan volumes this year have also increased by 20-percent:

Stay tuned for more news………….