News 06:00

BULLETIN 9 March 6 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Minister Motsoaledi assures the public that sanitary pads remain safe to use
# The EFF requests an urgent portfolio committee meeting about the recall of Volkswagen Polo vehicles
# And golf: England’s Dan Bradbury wins the Joburg Open for a second time

# Minister of Health Aaron Motsoaledi has moved to assure South Africans that it remains safe to use sanitary pads and panty liners. This comes after a recent study by the University of the Free State found that certain sanitary pads and panty liners may contain harmful endocrine-disrupting chemicals. Briefing the media yesterday, Motsoaledi said the low levels of endocrine-disrupting chemicals found in sanitary pads and panty lines are not a new concern and are not harmful:

# The EFF has written to the Parliament Portfolio Committee on Trade, Industry and Competition chairperson, Mzwandile Masina, requesting an urgent special meeting of the Committee. The EFF’s Muzi Khoza says this to address the recall of approximately 25-thousand Volkswagen Polo vehicles sold in South Africa between February 2025 and February 2026 due to brake-related technical faults. He says the persistence of this defect over such a prolonged period raises serious concerns about regulatory oversight, product quality assurance, and whether motorists may have unknowingly driven vehicles with dangerous mechanical defects.

# The Freedom Front Plus in Gauteng says the governing ANC’s infighting prevented the Sedibeng District Municipality from tabling the prescribed adjustment budget to the Council on time. The party says problems arose when the ANC removed its speaker, Moipone Modikeng, and the mayoral committee member for Economic Development and Tourism, Lulama Gamede, from their positions. The FF Plus says a new speaker has not yet been appointed; consequently, council meetings cannot lawfully proceed.

# Norwegian police say the explosion at the US embassy in Oslo early Sunday morning may have been an act of terrorism, but investigations are continuing. The blast caused minor damage to the building, with no injuries or fatalities reported. This incident comes amid heightened security at US embassies and consulates around the world, as the US-Israeli deadly strikes on Iran continue to escalate. Norway’s police joint investigation and intelligence unit head, Frode Larsen, says they are open to the possibility that there may be other causes behind this incident.

# Golf: England’s Dan Bradbury won his second Joburg Open title by one shot and claimed a third DP World Tour title at the Houghton Golf Club. The 26-year-old came from five shots behind to claim the title on 17 under with a closing 65. South Africa’s Casey Jarvis, who was looking to join an elite group of players with three consecutive DP World Tour event wins, finished tied-second with England’s Brandon Robinson-Thompson. Bradbury admitted he was not expecting to win:

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-75-cents and the euro at 19-rand-32-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-30-cents and Bitcoin trades at 66-thousand-343-dollars. Gold sells at five-thousand-130-dollars-30-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 90-dollars-86-cents a barrel.

 # And finally, the Congress of the People announced that two memorial services will be held for the late COPE leader Mosiuoa Lekota this week. The one will take place in Johannesburg on Tuesday and the other one in Bloemfontein on Thursday. Meanwhile, former COPE deputy secretary Deidre Carter says under Lekota’s leadership, COPE opposed the expropriation of land without compensation and advanced the right of ordinary South Africans to stand as independent candidates, thereby strengthening South Africa’s democracy and protecting citizens’ rights:

Stay tuned for more news………….