News 15:00

BULLETIN 5 February 3 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# A United States senator accuses South Africa of alienating America over the Taiwan embassy dispute
# The EFF is dismayed by president Cyril Ramaphosa’s reckless interaction with Elon Musk over the Expropriation Act
# And cricket: Six uncapped players are included in the Proteas squad to face the Black Caps on Monday

# United States senator Ted Cruz has accused South Africa of deliberately straining relations with America over its decision to relocate Taiwan’s embassy outside Pretoria. News24 reports Cruz says this move weakens US security interests and suggests closer ties with China. The Taiwanese government claims South Africa has given them until the end of next month to relocate. This diplomatic fallout comes amid rising tensions, with president Donald Trump threatening to cut funding to South Africa over land reform concerns.

Meanwhile, the EFF says it is dismayed by president Cyril Ramaphosa decision to break diplomatic protocols by calling an unelected government official, Elon Musk, to explain himself about the Expropriation Act. It says this is a clear indication of how the sovereignty of the country is compromised to pander for US foreign aid. The EFF says the South African-born richest person in the world’s interference with US foreign policy is based on his interests as a businessman to introduce his satellite company Starlink in South Africa.
 

# The GOOD Party in Tshwane says it is encouraged by the improvements in the financial status of the metro. During a special council meeting, a report on the mid-year budget assessment as well as a report on the achievements of the metro’s mid-year performance targets was tabled. GOOD’s Sarah Mabotsa says in the 2023/’24 financial year, Tshwane’s debt to equity stood at more than 85-percent, now this has been reduced to less than 65-percent:

# Cricket: Proteas white-ball coach Rob Walter has named an initial squad of 12 players for a tri-nation one-day series against Pakistan and New Zealand, captained by Temba Bavuma. More names will be added after tonight’s SA20 eliminator between Sunrisers Eastern Cape and Joburg Super Kings. Marco Jansen, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, and Rassie van der Dussen, who will play in this month’s Champions Trophy, weren’t considered. Six uncapped players were included for Monday’s first match against the Black Caps in Lahore.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-61-cents and the euro at 19-rand-36-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-33-cents and Bitcoin trades at 98-thousand-121-dollars. Gold sells at two-thousand-866-dollars-30-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 75-dollars-40-cents a barrel.

# And finally: Miss SA Mia le Roux has launched the Mia le Roux Movement to empower people living with disabilities with opportunities for education and skills development. The movement aims to advocate for South Africa’s estimated four-million deaf people while raising awareness about the many forms of exclusion that persist in society. Le Roux says it has become her mission to break barriers for all who are excluded:

Stay tuned for more news………….