News 11:00

BULLETIN 15 March 11 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# South Africa committed to building a mutually beneficial relationship with the US following expulsion of Ambassador Rasool
# Minister Motshekga says Denel will continue to increase investment in defense infrastructure
# And cycling: The gruelling Cape Epic starts this weekend

# The Presidency has noted the regrettable expulsion of South Africa’s ambassador to the United States of America, Ebrahim Rasool. The administration of president Donald Trump has declared Rasool a persona non grata in the United States. US secretary of State, Marco Rubio, posted on social media that Rasool is a race-baiting politician who hates America and hates president Trump. Presidential spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya says the South African government will engage through diplomatic channels:

# Defence and Military Veterans minister, Angie Motshekga says Denel will continue to contribute to the local economy through increased investment in defense infrastructure, technology, and skills development. Ministry Spokesperson, Onicca Kwakwa says Motshekga met with Denel’s board of directors and top management to discuss the strategic migration of the state-owned aerospace and defence manufacturer’s operations to the Department of Defence:

# Operation Hunger has rejected the 0.5-percent VAT increase. The organisation’s CEO Sandy Bukula warns that the increase will disproportionately impact the poor, making basic goods more expensive. Bukula told Newzroom Afrika that the organisation remains concerned about the financial strain on vulnerable communities. She called on the government and policymakers to reconsider the decision:

# Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev said yesterday that Ukrainian troops remaining in the Kursk region of Russia will be ruthlessly destroyed if they continue to fight. Russian president Vladimir Putin earlier responded to US president Donald Trump’s request to spare the lives of Ukrainian soldiers in Kursk, saying that Russia would guarantee their safety if they surrendered. Medvedev posted on social media this was a humane gesture but the flipside for Ukraine was that “if they refuse to lay down their arms, they will all be mercilessly destroyed”.

# And cycling: America’s Keegan Swenson is regarded as the likely winner of the gruelling mountain bike race, starting tomorrow in the Cape Winelands.  Keegan has competed in the race before, but it’s been a few years since his last effort, and this year he’ll be teaming up with Matt Beers, who has also won the race in the past. The riders compete as two-person teams.  This year’s Cape Epic will have the 600 teams racing a total of 603 kilometers over eight days.

Stay tuned for more news………….