News 14:00

BULLETIN 5 May 2 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Santaco confirms taxi fare hikes amid rising fuel prices
# An education activist calls for stability after NS-FAS was placed under administration
# And cricket: Lungi Ngidi could return for Delhi Capitals today after a neck injury

# The South African National Taxi Council says taxi fare increases are unavoidable following a sharp rise in fuel prices. Commuters across South Africa are now paying more as operators adjust fares to cover rising costs. Spokesperson Rebecca Phala says increases vary between associations, with local hikes ranging from two-rand to six-rand. She says operators must balance affordability with sustainability, warning that further increases later in the year remain possible due to ongoing global fuel price uncertainty.

# Education activist Hendrick Makaneta has called for stability following minister of Higher Education and Training, Buti Manamela’s decision to place the National Student Financial Aid Scheme under adminstration. This follows ongoing governance and operational challenges. Makaneta hopes there will be stability and minimal disruption to students’ academic programmes:

# The Department of Water and Sanitation is urging all water users across the country to register or update their water use information. This is part of a nationwide effort to strengthen the management and protection of South Africa’s water resources. The department’s spokesperson, Wisane Mavasa, says unregistered users create critical data gaps that undermine planning and decision-making, disrupt fair distribution, and place additional strain on already limited water supplies:

# Pick n Pay has launched a Section 189 process to overhaul employee conditions for 22-thousand store workers. CEO Sean Summers says 12 years of concessions have left the chain store overstaffed on weekdays, while relying on part-timers in the evenings and over weekends. The group wants to cut costs by reducing Sunday pay and implementing new rosters requiring more full-time staff to work weekends. Negotiations on the new employment conditions have started with Saccawu, that would effect aspects of the company’s existing three-year wage agreement expiring in March next year.

# Cricket: Protea fast bowler Lungi Ngidi has recovered from a neck injury and concussion and is raring to go for Delhi Capitals in this afternoon’s Indian Premier League clash with Chennai Super Kings. He was injured while fielding against Punjab Kings on April 25. Chennai is still without their inspiring former captain, MS Dhoni, who is still recovering from a calf injury. They are currently sixth on the log and Delhi seventh after disappointing seasons so far, but both are still in the running for a play-off place.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-75-cents against the rand and the euro at 19-rand-59-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-69-cents and Bitcoin trades at 80-thousand-720-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-553-dollars-19-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 111-dollars-3-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….