News 15:00
BULLETIN 14 March 3 pm
Good afternoon. I am……..
In this bulletin:
# The 350-rand social relief grant increases by 20-rand from next month
# Cabinet supports the termination of SAA’s deal with Takatso Consortium
# And, tennis: Top seed Swiatek faces former world number one Wozniacki in California
# Finance minister Enoch Godongwana says the 350-rand social relief of distress grant will increase by 20-rand from the first of next month. This follows president Cyril Ramaphosa’s commitment to extend and improve the grant, since its introduction in May 2020 to support the poorest during the Covid-19 pandemic. It now assists about nine-million people at a cost of 33.6-billion-rand. Other social grants will also increase, including the old age grant, child support grant, and disability grant.
# Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, says Cabinet supports the termination of the South African Airways’ partnership with Takatso Consortium. This comes after almost three years of negotiations with Takatso as a private equity partner for SAA. Briefing the media on the outcomes of the Cabinet meeting, Ntshavheni says with a public asset, government had to prioritise serving fair value and the public interest:
# The Financial Sector Conduct Authority has expressed concern over the predominant focus on initial access to retirement funds, urging the financial sector to provide comprehensive information to members. Speaking at the FSCA’s industry conference, commissioner Unathi Kamlana emphasised the responsibility to inform members about withdrawal impacts, enabling informed decisions. Kamlana urged that accessing funds should only occur in cases of necessity, as retirement funds are intended for retirement purposes:
# Tennis: World number one Iga Swiatek will face former number one Caroline Wozniacki from Denmark in the quarterfinals at Indian Wells tonight. Their only previous meeting was in 2019. The 33-year-old Wozniacki retired in January 2020 but returned last August after giving birth to her two children. Poland’s 22-year-old Swiatek says she is preparing for a big match:
# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-61-cents and the euro at 20-rand-37-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-85-cents and Bitcoin trades at 72-thousand-798-dollars-41-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-170-dollars-12-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 84-dollars-56-cents a barrel.
# And, rats that managed to get into an evidence room at a decaying police headquarters building in New Orleans have been eating confiscated marijuana. According to police superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick, the ageing offices are so dilapidated and vermin-infested that the animals managed to get into the evidence lock-up room. She told city council members the rats are eating the marijuana and are all high. Many people experience a sense of relaxation and euphoria from the drug and the rats are most likely feeling the same.
Stay tuned for more news………….