News 08:00
BULLETIN 29 March 8 am
Good morning. I am……..
In this bulletin:
# Ramaphosa warns the Middle East conflict will have a huge impact on global economy and South Africa
# Eskom says South Africa’s power grid continues to demonstrate a sustained period of stability
# And rugby, SA franchises in URC were on a winning streak in weekend home matches
# ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa has warned that the escalating conflict in the Middle East is driving up global oil prices and will have a significant negative impact on the South African economy, with steep fuel hikes expected next month. Ramaphosa was speaking at the ANC Mpumalanga provincial elective conference in Mbombela. He says the conflict threatens to derail South Africa’s economic recovery, and will lead to increase transport and food costs, and place further strain on households:
At the conference, Ramaphosa said corruption is still a major problem in South Africa, but government is making significant progress in the fight against corruption in the country. He added that revelations emerging from the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry and the Parliament Ad-Hoc Committee are proving that the tide was turning against criminal networks. He emphasised an urgent need to address corruption and “rot” within South Africa’s criminal justice system:
# Eskom says South Africa’s power grid continues to demonstrate a sustained period of stability, with its generation fleet delivering consistent improvements and strong operational performance. The power utility spokesperson Daphne Mokwena says this progress, driven by the generation recovery plan, has resulted in a 10.80-percent improvement in the energy availability factor:
# Kenya’s National Police Service says weeks of heavy rains and flooding have now killed 108 people in Kenya. Flash floods, which began on the evening of March 6, have caused widespread destruction in the East African nation, sweeping away dozens of vehicles in the capital Nairobi , disrupting air travel, and damaging power infrastructure. While the intensity of rainfall has eased in some areas, police cautioned that the risk of flooding persists due to overflowing drainage systems and waterlogged ground.
# Rugby: The Stormers secured a dominant 33–14 bonus-point victory over Edinburgh in their United Rugby Championships encounter in Cape Town last night. The Lions climbed into the top four after a 42–26 win against the Dragons in Johannesburg. In a Pretoria thriller, the Bulls narrowly defeated Munster 34–31. The Stormers move to second on the log, the Lions solidify their fourth place, and the Bulls jump to seventh. The Sharks still has an outside chance to reach the Top Eight after their 21-15 victory over Cardiff in Durban.
# And finally, deputy minister for Transport, Mkhuleko Hlengwa has strengthened collaboration with the South African Council of Churches to intensify road safety interventions ahead of the high-risk Easter travel period. Spokesperson Collen Msibi says Hlengwa and the SACC agreed on a number of priority actions to support the Easter Road Safety Campaign, including nationwide road safety advocacy through churches, promotion of a safe Easter journey pledge and community activation and heightened visibility. He says faith leaders will publicly endorse intensified law enforcement operations.
Stay tuned for more news………….