News 11:00

BULLETIN 12 March 11 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Ramaphosa will answer questions on the Madlanga Commission, the water crisis and crime in Parliament today
# The UN Security Council approves a resolution condemning Iran’s attacks on its Gulf neighbours
# And rugby: France’s Oscar Jegou is banned for four games for eye-gouging Scotland’s Ewan Ashman 

# President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to respond to questions in the National Assembly in Cape Town this afternoon, including on the work and interim report of the Madlanga commission. He will also provide an update on the establishment of the National Water Crisis Committee to address water challenges. The Presidency says Ramaphosa will also report on progress towards the targets set out in the National Development Plan and the Medium Term Development Plan, and security interventions aimed at addressing illegal mining and gang violence.

# Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, says while South Africa’s policies possess specific features to address historical injustice, they are aligned with international investment practices. US president Donald Trump’s administration has requested government to reconsider the Expropriation Act and broad-based black economic empowerment policies. Lamola says the Expropriation Act is not intended to undermine property rights:

# The Motor Industry Staff Association says continued monitoring of sanitary products is essential, and women must have access to safe and affordable menstrual products. This follows government’s assurances that locally-produced pads are safe, despite a University of the Free State study detecting small amounts of hormone-disrupting chemicals in 16 brands. The association’s Phakamile Hlubi-Majola calls for clearer labelling, stronger regulations, and ongoing research to protect women’s health:

Moving abroad:

# The United Nations Security Council has voted unanimously to approve a resolution demanding an end to Iran’s attacks on its Gulf neighbours. The resolution condemns recent Iranian missile and drone strikes against Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan. Bahrain’s UN ambassador, Jamal Alrowaiei, says the international community is resolute in rejecting the Iranian attacks against sovereign countries in a region of strategic importance to the global economy:

# Rugby: French flanker Oscar Jegou has been handed a four-game ban and will miss Les Bleus’ final Six Nations clash against England on Saturday. An independent disciplinary committee found the 22-year-old guilty of making reckless contact with the eyes of Scotland’s replacement hooker, Ewan Ashman, during last weekend’s 50-40 defeat in Edinburgh. The committee handed Jegou a six-match ban, but shaved off two games because of his good disciplinary record and the fact that he didn’t cause any lasting injury to Ashman.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-54-cents and the euro at 19-rand-10-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-14-cents and Bitcoin trades at 69-thousand-444-dollars. Gold sells at five-thousand-166-dollars-83-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 94-dollars-62-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….