News 06:00

BULLETIN 24 February 6 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# President Ramaphosa says the SANDF’s deployment to three provinces is essential
# The DA warns against hidden tax increases ahead of Budget 2026
# And, the Special Investigation Unit uncovers a massive identity fraud scheme

# President Cyril Ramaphosa has defended his decision to deploy the South African National Defence Force to the Western Cape, Gauteng, and Eastern Cape, saying the surge in violent organised crime has necessitated this. In his weekly newsletter, he states that, given the country’s history, the Defence Force should not be deployed within the country to deal with domestic threats without good reason. Ramaphosa says the army will be deployed in support of the police, operating under police command, with clear rules of engagement and for specific time-limited objectives.

# The DA says this year’s budget should not introduce new taxes and must adjust tax brackets in line with inflation to avoid putting more pressure on households. The party also wants the government to control debt, stop bailouts to struggling state-owned companies, and cut wasteful spending. The DA’s Mark Burke says the budget should support small businesses, encourage savings and strengthen efforts to combat illegal trade, while demonstrating a clear commitment to responsible financial management.

# The Special Investigating Unit, in collaboration with Interpol, has uncovered a major identity fraud scheme involving foreign nationals exploiting South African passports and refugee applications. Acting SIU head Leonard Lekgetho says officials colluded to substitute photos while using citizens’ fingerprints. Lekgetho says the investigation also revealed DNA manipulation for permanent residency permits. He recommends stricter biometric enforcement, tighter office access, and interagency cooperation to prevent such fraudulent practices:

# The municipal union, Samwu, vows to keep defending workers against unfair and flawed disciplinary actions. This follows three Labour Court rulings in favour of Samwu members who were dismissed by the City of Cape Town. The court found that several municipal employees had been unfairly dismissed, rejecting arbitrary and inconsistent disciplinary measures. The union’s regional secretary, Hlalanathi Gagayi, says the judgments send a clear message that unlawful actions against workers will not withstand legal scrutiny:

# US president Donald Trump says any country that chooses to ‘play games’ with America, after the Supreme Court ruling, will be forced to pay higher tariffs. On Friday, the court ruled that Trump had overstepped his powers by using the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to enact sweeping global tariffs last April. He responded to the ruling by announcing a new tariff rate of 15-percent on imports of goods from all countries. Trump says countries that have ripped off America for decades will be met with a much higher tariff.

# Tennis: Twenty-three-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams’ former coach believes the American plans to return to the sport. The 44-year-old retired in 2022 after winning her last Grand Slam title in 2017. She can officially enter tournaments after rejoining the sport’s anti-doping testing pool last year. Former coach Rick Macci believes Williams is preparing for a comeback, saying she’s training with lots of professional players. He believes she won’t come back if she didn’t think she could compete with the best and win matches.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 15-rand-96-cents and the euro at 18-rand-83-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-55-cents and Bitcoin trades at 64-thousand-821-dollars. Gold sells at five-thousand-225-dollars-66-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 70-dollars-97-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….