News 13:00

BULLETIN 7 March 1 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Defend Our Democracy calls for more state capture arrests
# Tax Justice SA welcomes trade unions’ call for production monitoring in cigarette factories
# And motorsport: George Russell takes pole position for Australian Grand Prix

# Defend Our Democracy is calling on the National Prosecuting Authority to prioritise more arrests for the people who were implicated in state Capture. The advocacy group was responding to the prosecution of a former Member of Parliament, Vincent Smith, who was sentenced to seven years in prison this week for his role in the Bosasa’s corruption scandal linked to state capture. Spokesperson Andries Sibanyoni says for too long, people implicated in state capture have evaded accountability, undermining public trust in governance:

# Tax Justice South Africa has welcomed the trade unions’ call for mandatory production monitoring in cigarette factories. The advocacy group’s leader, Yusuf Abramje,e says this calls the bluff of cigarette manufacturers who claim the introduction of surveillance cameras would be an invasion of privacy:

# AfriForum says parts of the City of Ekurhuleni could face power cuts if the city does not address its 3.4-billion-rand debt to Eskom. The organisation warns poor financial management threatens the electricity supply to Alberton, Boksburg North, Germiston South, and Kempton Park. AfriForum’s Nadia Olckers is demanding a repayment plan, protection for paying residents, and measures to prevent further debt, threatening legal action if the crisis is not resolved:

# The University of the Western Cape says poverty, long travel distances to clinics, low literacy levels among parents, and the spread of misinformation on social media are standing in the way of childhood vaccination. According to a university-led study, many children remain unprotected against preventable diseases such as measles and polio. Researcher Bridgette Lockett says this as well as dangerous pneumococcal infections that can cause life-threatening illnesses like meningitis.

# European Union members that join the U.S. and ​Israel’s attacks on Iran would ‌become “legitimate targets” for Iran. The country’s deputy foreign minister, Majid Takht-Ravanchi, warned in an interview ​with the TV station France 24 that any ​country that joins America and ​Israel in the aggression against ​Iran would definitely become legitimate targets for retaliation. Some ​EU countries, such as France, Greece, and Italy, have ​sent warships to the Middle East, but most ‌EU ⁠top officials have condemned Iranian strikes in the region and called ⁠for a diplomatic solution.

# And motorsport: George Russell powered to pole position for the season-opening Australian Grand Prix ahead of his Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli, but Max Verstappen crashed out. Verstappen’s Red Bull partner Isack Hadjar came third in a chaotic qualifying race as the pecking order became clearer after the biggest regulation shake-up the sport has seen in years. The crash left four-time world champion Verstappen 20th on the grid. Defending F1 champion, Lando Norris, qualified in 6th place.

Stay tuned for more news………….