News 06:00

BULLETIN 19 March 6 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The government welcomes a further easing of consumer inflation
# Eskom tables a new wage offer of 6.5-percent
# And, Iran’s Intelligence minister is killed in an Israeli strike

# The government has welcomed the further easing of consumer inflation, which fell to three-percent in February, down from 3.5-percent in January. The consumer price index rose by 0.4-percent for the month. Deputy government spokesperson William Baloyi says lower fuel prices were a key factor, while food inflation also slowed for the first time in four months, bringing some relief to households. Baloyi added that the government will continue to monitor prices and support economic stability:

# KwaZulu-Natal Police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi says he received an eight-page letter from a former inmate, Jermaine Prim, who shared a cell with businessman Vusimuzi Matlala, containing allegations against senior officials. Mkhwanazi says most claims are based on conversations with Matlala and have not yet been verified. He has shared the information with investigators, warning it requires further probing, amid concerns about possible misconduct within super maximum correctional facilities:

# Eskom has tabled a new wage offer of 6.5-percent in the fourth round of negotiations with unions, after its offer of a six-percent raise was rejected last month. The three-year deal includes a basic salary increase of 6.5-percent in July, another 6.5-percent next year and six-percent in 2028. However, the National Union of Mineworkers is demanding a 12-percent wage increase. The current wage agreement of seven-percent reached in 2023 is set to expire in June.

# The DA in Tshwane is calling for the removal of the mayoral committee member for Finance and deputy mayor Eugene Modise following allegations linked to a water tanker contract. The party has criticised mayor Nasiphi Moya for failing to act, despite reports that senior officials benefited from the deal. The DA’s Cilliers Brink is demanding Modise’s dismissal, a special council meeting, and greater transparency on an ongoing investigation into tanker spending:

# Iran has confirmed that its Intelligence minister, Esmail Khatib, has been killed in an Israeli strike in Tehran. This follows the killing of Iran’s security chief, Ali Larijani. Khatib was sanctioned by the US Treasury in 2022 for engaging in cyber-enabled activities against America and its allies. Israeli Defence minister Israel Katz says he has authorised the defence force to neutralise any senior Iranian official, once an operational and intelligence opportunity arises. without the need for additional approval.

# Golf: The captain of South Africa’s Southern Guards GC team, Louis Oosthuizen, says bringing a LIV Golf Tournament to the country is more important than winning. The first LIV event in Africa starts at Steyn City in Johannesburg today. Thirteen teams comprising of four players each, as well as five wildcards, will vie for the first prize of 66-million-rand, while the winning team will earn another 50-million-rand. Oosthuizen hopes he and teammates Charl Schwartzel, Branden Grace and Dean Burmester will just have a great time. 

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-95-cents and the euro at 19-rand-36-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-46-cents and Bitcoin trades at 71-thousand-98-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-832-dollars-73-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 107-dollars-14-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….