News 15:00

BULLETIN 11 March 3 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The Special Investigating Unit targets border corruption
# The EFF accuses the DA of privatising Home Affairs’ services through banks
# And soccer: Infantino says Trump gave the assurance Iran’s team would be welcome for the World Cup

# The Special Investigating Unit says an anti-corruption forum at the Maseru border post in the Free State aims to intensify the fight against immigration corruption at South Africa’s ports of entry. The forum, chaired by the SIU, brings together several law-enforcement agencies, including the Border Management Authority, to highlight the consequences of corruption. SIU acting head Leonard Lekgetho says they have made progress in identifying immigration syndicates:

# North West University Business School economist Raymond Parsons says South Africa’s economy grew by 1.1-percent last year, indicating a slow and uneven recovery. Household spending and infrastructure investment supported growth, while manufacturing remained weak. Parsons warns the economy still struggles to meet government’s 3.5-percent growth target for 2030 and faces risks from global uncertainties, including the US–Israeli and Iranian conflict. He states accelerated structural reforms are needed to strengthen resilience and support sustained, job-creating growth.

Meanwhile, union federation Saftu says the latest gross domestic product figures once again confirm the claims that South Africa has turned the corner economically are completely divorced from reality. Saftu’s Asive Dyani says instead of developing domestic productive capacity, the country has increasingly become a wholesale market for imported manufactured goods:

# The EFF says it is deeply concerned that the DA, through its control of the Home Affairs Department, is choosing to hand over core state responsibilities to private financial institutions instead of rebuilding the capacity of the state itself. The department has launched a digital partnership model with banks, allowing people to apply for smart ID cards at participating bank branches directly. The EFF says this approach entrenches inequality because it assumes that access to citizenship should be mediated through the private banking system.

# Soccer: World governing body FIFA’s president, Gianni Infantino, says US president Donald Trump has assured him Iran’s team would be welcome in the country during the World Cup, co-hosted with Canada and Mexico. Iran wasn’t present during last week’s planning session for the tournament in Atlanta following the US and Israel’s attacks on the country. Infantino says everyone needs an event like the World Cup to bring people together, now more than ever. The tournament kicks off on the 11th of June.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-32-cents and the euro at 18-rand-94-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-95-cents and Bitcoin trades at 69-thousand-614-dollars. Gold sells at five-thousand-182-dollars-39-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 87-dollars-90-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….