News 07:00

BULLETIN 5 March 7 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The ANC says it is strengthening its organisational capacity
# The DA says the small growth in the GDP shows the economy is in crisis
# And, Canada is going to challenge the US tariffs at the World Trade Organisation

# The ANC says it dismisses any attempts to create a false narrative of divisions within the party by ascribing demotions and promotions where none exist. This comes as the party has reconfigured its national structures through the deployment of national executive committee members to provinces and subcommittees. Some of the changes include Justice minister Mmamoloko Kubayi being removed as chairperson of the economic transformation committee and Transport minister Barbara Creecy being appointed chairperson of the legislature and governance committee. The ANC says the reconfiguration reaffirms its commitment to strengthening organisational capacity.

# The DA says the weak 0.6-percent gross domestic product growth rate in the fourth quarter of 2024 is a warning sign that unless urgent action is taken, the country will continue to slide deeper into economic decline. Statistics South Africa attributed the growth to, among others, an increase of 17.2-percent in the agriculture, forestry, and fishing industries. The DA’s, Mark Burke, says the economy is clearly in crisis, growth is stagnant, and jobs remain scarce:

# Electricity and Energy minister, Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, has urged Africa to diversify its energy resources for security and growth. Speaking at the Africa Energy Indaba in Cape Town, he emphasised adding energy sources rather than phasing out fossil fuels. He highlighted Africa’s rising oil demand and also pushed for nuclear expansion, solar investments, and new financing models to boost Africa’s energy infrastructure:

# National police commissioner Fannie Masemola has commended the Western Cape anti-gang unit and crime intelligence officers for arresting two suspects and seizing 26 firearms, including 50-thousand Mandrax tablets in Bellville, in Cape Town, yesterday. The weapons included three AK47 rifles and 12 nine-millimetre pistols. The bust comes as security experts and Interpol meet in Pretoria to tackle transnational organised crime. Police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe says police also continue to confiscate over 100 illegal firearms weekly through Operation Shanela.

# Canadian prime minister, Justin Trudeau, says there is absolutely no justification or need whatsoever for the 25-percent tariffs imposed by the US on Canada, which went into effect on Tuesday. US president Donald Trump also imposed 25-percent tariffs on imports from Mexico and doubled the tariff on Chinese goods to 20-percent. Trudeau says he will challenge the US tariffs at the World Trade Organisation and through the free trade agreement covering the two countries:

# Tennis: Two former world number ones, Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic of Serbia, could meet in the quarterfinal of the Indian Wells Masters in the US. Alcaraz is seeded second behind Alexander Zverev of Germany in the absence of suspended world number one, Jannik Sinner of Italy. Djokovic is the sixth seed. The tournament is nick-named the Fifth Grand Slam owing to it being the best-attended tournament outside the four Grand Slam tournaments.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-48-cents and the euro at 19-rand-61-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-62-cents and Bitcoin trades at 87-thousand-294-dollar-10-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-909-dollars-13-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 70-dollars-91-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….