News 12:00

BULLETIN 17 February 12 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The ATM calls on minister Enoch Godongwana to provide a robust fiscal plan
# Disruptive rain is to continue in parts of the country until Thursday
# And SA Rugby’s president says the sponsorship deal with Monster Energy is much needed

# The African Transformation Movement says Finance minister Enoch Godongwana must transform the promises made by president Cyril Ramaphosa in his state of the nation address into actionable policies. The minister is set to deliver the budget speech on Wednesday. In the SONA, Ramaphosa outlined ambitious goals centred on infrastructure development, socio-economic growth, and effective governance. ATM’s spokesperson, Zama Ntshona, says Godongwana must provide a robust fiscal plan that prioritises public service efficiency and accountability:

# The South African Weather Service says disruptive rain will continue across the central and eastern regions of South Africa until Thursday. The rainfall accumulation is expected to be in the region of 20 to 50 millimetres in provinces including North West, Gauteng, the Free State and Mpumalanga. Forecaster Lehlohonolo Thobela says the transport of moist tropical air from a continental low over Botswana is the main source of the current cloudy and showery conditions:

# A new study by the National Research Foundation Centre of Excellence in Food Security has identified key proteins that enable sorghum to withstand drought and heat stress. Sorghum is a staple food for over 500-million people across more than 30 countries. The study found unique changes in protein expression when it was exposed to both drought and heat stress. Furthermore, responses varied between leaves and roots.

# SA Rugby’s president, Mark Alexander, says the new four-year sponsorship deal with Monster Energy will provide additional financial support. A bid from Seattle-based Ackerley Sports Group for a 20-percent stake in the Commercial Rights Company, an entity created by SA Rugby to grow the value of its commercial activities, was rejected by the provincial unions in December. Alexander says not having a reserve fund is a huge problem:

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-41-cents and the euro at 19-rand-29-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-18-cents and Bitcoin trades at 96-thousand-117-dollars. Gold sells at two-thousand-900-dollars-26-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 74-dollars-84-cents a barrel.

# And finally: South Africa’s West Coast is fast becoming a significant whale-watching destination, with year-round sightings of humpback, southern right, and Bryde’s whales. This resurgence follows the 1986 international whaling ban, leading to increased whale populations. Happywhale’s Southern Africa data manager, Alex Vogel, says in just one month a supergroup of humpback whales spotted on the West Coast included an astonishing 297 individuals. This phenomenon offers unique opportunities for researchers, conservationists, and tourists to engage with these majestic marine mammals.

Stay tuned for more news………….