News 06:00

BULLETIN 25 March 6 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Parliament finds Nobuhle Nkabane guilty of an ethics breach
# An economist warns the fuel hikes could reignite the remote work debate
# And, the Philippines declares a state of national energy emergency

# Parliament’s Joint Committee on Ethics and Members’ Interests has found Nobuhle Nkabane guilty of breaching the Code of Ethical Conduct over the Sector Education and Training Authority board appointments. The committee ruled she misled Parliament by claiming the panel selecting the 21 SETA board chairpersons was independent. She has been ordered to apologise after findings led to her removal as minister of Higher Education. She is now the ANC deputy chief whip in Parliament.

Meanwhile, the DA says it is clear that the SETAs are nothing more than a corrupt and looting cash cow for ANC cadres. The DA’s Karabo Khakhau says Nkabane’s failure to exercise due care means that she oversaw senior ANC cadres taking up high-paying jobs:

# Independent economist John Loos says rising domestic fuel prices, driven by the Middle East conflict, could reignite debates over remote work and housing affordability in South Africa. Petrol costs are expected to increase by up to five-rand a litre early next month, putting pressure on daily commuters. Higher transport costs may push workers to seek housing closer to economic hubs. Loos warns that these discussions on flexible work arrangements and city housing are likely to intensify if fuel prices stay high.

# Tshwane Metro Police deputy chief Revo Spies has told the Madlanga Commission that deployment of guards linked to water and sanitation pump stations was largely assigned to one company, Gubis 85 Solutions. Spies described the concentration of contracts as illogical, suggesting possible favoritism compared to the other 21 available firms. The company has been implicated in possible tender irregularities in Tshwane. He emphasised that tenders should be distributed fairly:

# Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Junior has declared a state of national energy emergency in the country due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. The executive order further cites the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical energy corridor for global oil shipments, as disrupting the flow of petroleum products to international markets and constraining global fuel supply. The Philippines imports 98-percent of its oil from the Gulf. Marcos says this move will ensure energy stability and protect the broader economy.

# Golf: The Sunshine Ladies Tour’s latest homegrown champion, 21-year-old Gabrielle Venter, is excited for this week’s ABSA Ladies Invitational at Royal Johannesburg. She says she comes armed with the experience of playing the course regularly as an amateur. Venter is joined in the field by Danielle du Toit and France’s Lois Lau, both recent winners on the Sunshine Ladies Tour, as well as defending champion Thalia Martin from England. Winners on this year’s Sunshine Ladies Tour will receive exemptions to compete with the Sunshine Tour professionals in the Waterfall City Tournament of Champions.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-91-cents and the euro at 19-rand-64-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-68-cents and Bitcoin trades at 70-thousand-273-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-481-dollars-99-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 96-dollars-4-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….