News 12:00

BULLETIN 2 April 12 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Minister Steenhuisen emphasises vigilance and shared responsibility against foot-and-mouth disease
# The N3 Toll Concession says managing risks is the key to road safety this Easter weekend  
# And motorsport: The F1 Academy is replacing the Saudi round with extra races in Montreal and Austin

# Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen calls on the agricultural sector to unite in the fight against foot-and-mouth disease, emphasising that biosecurity is everyone’s responsibility. He stresses that protecting livestock safeguards livelihoods and national food security. Steenhuisen urges farmers and stakeholders to remain vigilant this Easter, leading with care and shared responsibility to protect the sector and secure the nation’s agricultural future:

Meanwhile, Steenhuisen has welcomed the release of 20-thousand doses of locally produced foot-and-mouth disease vaccines by the Agricultural Research Council. This is to support ongoing vaccination efforts and strengthen animal health. Steenhuisen says over time, the council will progressively reduce reliance on imports and ensure the sustainability of vaccine supply in line with the national disease management strategy. He adds government is doing everything to ensure there is enough vaccine to reach the 80-percent vaccination target by year-end.

# The N3 Toll Concession is encouraging motorists to adopt a risk management approach to road safety, as the Easter long weekend approaches and traffic conditions on the N3 Toll Route become busier. High traffic volumes between Gauteng, the Free State and KwaZulu-Natal are expected to increase from midday. Chief operating official Thania Dhoogra advises road users to plan their journeys carefully and be prepared for any eventuality, especially under peak conditions:

Moving abroad:

# One person has been killed after a 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck Indonesia’s Ternate island today, triggering small tsunami waves. The victim, identified as a 70-year-old woman, died after being crushed by building debris in North Sulawesi. At least two aftershocks, with magnitudes 5.5 and 5.2, followed the major quake, with authorities warning of more to come. Tsunami warnings were issued for Japan, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines and Taiwan, but have since been lifted.

# Motorsport: The all-female F1 Academy has compensated for the cancellation of the Saudi Arabian racing round by adding events in Montreal, Canada, and Austin, Texas. The revised schedule ensures that the series maintains a total of 14 races across six rounds spanning five countries. Formula One cancelled this month’s races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. The F1 Academy is also shaking up its race weekend structure with the introduction of a brand-new three-race format, Opening Race at select rounds.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-96-cents and the euro at 19-rand-54-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-39-cents and Bitcoin trades at 66-thousand-606-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-636-dollars-39-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 106-dollars-20-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….