News 16:00

BULLETIN 6 March 4 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# President Cyril Ramaphosa warns of governance failures and infrastructure challenges in Gauteng
# Lesotho feels insulted by President Trump’s mocking remarks on the country
# And rugby: Rassie Erasmus says Siya Kolisi will still be the Springbok captain as long as he’s good enough

# President Cyril Ramaphosa has warned that governance failures and poor infrastructure in Gauteng threaten progress in the province. Addressing provincial leaders in Johannesburg, he highlighted financial mismanagement, unreliable service delivery, and rising crime. Ramaphosa urged government leaders to work together more effectively to tackle these challenges, boost economic growth, and create jobs, as the province’s success is vital for South Africa’s economy:

# The South African Maritime Safety Authority has launched a nationwide fishing vessel safety audit at Gqeberha harbour. The four-month campaign aims to enhance safety in the commercial fishing sector. It will assess compliance with maritime regulations, identify risks related to vessel age and maintenance, and evaluate emergency preparedness. Vessels involved in past incidents or registered before 1998 will also be audited. The authority will also develop a safety improvement plan to minimise future risks.

 # Western Cape MEC for Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, Anton Bredell, congratulated Drakenstein Municipality Law Enforcement officials who apprehended the arsonist behind last year’s Paarl Mountain wildfire. He says this conviction sends a strong message that arson is a serious crime and there are consequences when found guilty. Bredell says not only are wildfires an environmental threat, but it also holds enormous risks for human life as well as potential infrastructure damages:

# Lesotho’s Foreign minister, Lejone Mpotjoane, has expressed shock after US president Donald Trump referred to the country as one nobody has ever heard of. During a speech to Congress, Trump criticised foreign spending, including 146-million-rand for LGBTQI+ initiatives in Lesotho. Mpotjoane says the remarks were a mockery and has invited Trump to visit Lesotho, emphasising the nation’s significance. He acknowledges the impact of US aid cuts but stressed Lesotho’s commitment to becoming more self-sufficient.

# Rugby: Springbok head coach Rassie Erasmus says Siya Kolisi will captain the team as long as he’s good enough to be the first choice in his playing position. He says he realises Kolisi will be 36 when the next World Cup takes place in 2027. Erasmus says other players such as Eben Etzebeth, Salmaan Moerat, Bongi Ngobeni and Pieter-Steph du Toit all led the team at times, but for now he will stick to Kolisi as long as he is fit enough and good enough.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-31-cents and the euro at 19-rand-77-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-60-cents and Bitcoin trades at 90-thousand-806-dollars. Gold sells at two-thousand-900-dollars-98-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 69-dollars-60-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….