News 15:00

BULLETIN 13 May 3 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Ramaphosa says BlackRock’s commitment signals confidence in African infrastructure
# Hundreds of vehicles are stuck around Worcester due to flooding
# And rugby: Rassie Erasmus names a purpose-driven squad for the second Bok alignment camp

# President Cyril Ramaphosa says Africa is emerging as a leading destination for global infrastructure investment, with institutional investors increasingly seeking stable, long-term opportunities. He was speaking at the SA Infrastructure Investment Summit. Ramaphosa highlighted the country’s large, diversified economy, strong financial sector, and growing urban population as key advantages. He referenced a nine-billion-rand commitment by BlackRock to African infrastructure through the African Infrastructure Fund, targeting energy, logistics, and transport projects:

Meanwhile, French president Emmanuel Macron has announced 444-billion-rand of investment during the Africa Forward summit in Kenya. He says Africa and France have a partnership of equals with common objectives. Macron announced 230-billion-rand of investments in private and public funds from French companies, and 148-billion-rand from African ones, on energy transition, agriculture and artificial intelligence. The summit is seen as an attempt by France to strengthen its ties with English-speaking African countries amid waning ties with its former colonies on the continent.

# About 250 trucks are still stuck on the N1 outside Worcester in the Boland due to flooding, while over 20 buses are parked at a filling station where resources have been depleted. Jo-Anne Otto of the Cape Winelands District Municipality says although clean-up operations are underway, it will take several hours to clear the backlog once access is restored. She says the Hugenot Tunnel as well as Du Toitkloof Pass remain closed, while the overflowing Breede, Berg, and Kleinberg Rivers are currently causing the most concern.

# ActionSA welcomes a ruling by the Constitutional Court of South Africa affirming that rejected asylum seekers cannot remain in South Africa indefinitely through repeated legal applications. The party’s Lerato Ngobeni says the judgment reinforces existing immigration laws and highlights failures in enforcement and administration. Ngobeni called on the Department of Home Affairs to urgently implement reforms, clear asylum backlogs, strengthen deportation systems, and improve coordination across state entities:

# Rugby: Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus says he named a purpose and goal-driven 40-man squad for next week’s second alignment camp in Cape Town. The group of 25 forwards and 15 backs features two newcomers – Lions’ loose forward Sibabalwe Mahashe and the Sharks’ versatile back, Zekhethelo Siyaya – and ten uncapped players. With several experienced Boks sidelined due to injury, Erasmus says the purpose of the camp is to expose these players to the team’s structures and systems with an eye on the next two seasons, and beyond.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-45-cents and the euro at 19-rand-27-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-22-cents and Bitcoin trades at 80-thousand-652-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-700-dollars-36-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 105-dollars-62-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….