News 15:00
BULLETIN 19 March 3 pm
Good afternoon. I am……..
In this bulletin:
# The IEC argues the ANC missed the deadline to challenge the MK party’s registration
# South Africa seeks a 4.8-trillion-rand investment for infrastructure goals by 2030
# And cricket: Captain Hardik Pandya is fit to bowl for the Mumbai Indians in the IPL
# The Independent Electoral Commission argues the ANC failed to challenge the registration of the uMkhonto we Sizwe Party on time. The ANC has taken the IEC to the Electoral Court in Bloemfontein, seeking to invalidate the MK Party’s registration. The ANC argues it was unlawful for the MK Party to be registered based on a supplemented application. The IEC’s legal representative, Terry Motau, warns against a ruling that could encourage negligence, advising the court to avoid opening the floodgates for such practices:
Meanwhile, South African businesses are increasingly eyeing Canada for expansion, amidst uncertainty over the upcoming general elections. Canadian immigration consultant Nicholas Avramis says there has been a 31-percent increase in Canadian work permit applications processed for South Africans in 2023. He says many South Africans are exploring opportunities abroad amidst concerns over ongoing economic challenges and potential political uncertainties at home. He highlights Canada’s Start-up Visa programme as a popular avenue for innovative entrepreneurs seeking to establish ventures overseas.
# South Africa aims to secure 1.6-trillion-rand from the public sector and 3.2-trillion-rand in private sector investment by 2030 to meet infrastructure needs. President Cyril Ramaphosa told delegates at the Sustainable Infrastructure Development Symposium in Cape Town these bold initiatives are underway targeting health and education infrastructure programmes. He says it includes reforms to encourage private investment through the Division of Revenue Act and Public Private Partnership regulations amendments:
# Cricket: Mumbai Indians’ captain, Hardik Pandya, says he is fit to bowl in this year’s Indian Premier League. He injured his ankle during the one-day World Cup in October and couldn’t play since. The 30-year-old takes over Mumbai’s captaincy from Rohit Sharma, who will lead India in the T20 World Cup starting in June. He says being given the leadership won’t affect the relationship between him and Sharma. The IPL starts on Friday when defending champions Chennai Super Kings hosts Royal Challengers Bangalore.
# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-98-cents and the euro at 20-rand-59-cents. One British pound costs 24-rand-9-cents and Bitcoin trades at 62-thousand-887-dollars-80-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-154-dollars-47-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 86-dollars-85-cents a barrel.
# And finally: The Department of Basic Education and the South African Depression and Anxiety Group, SADAG, are collaborating to create a teen suicide prevention toolkit for schools, set for distribution in September. The move follows a surge in youth suicides. The department’s spokesperson, Elijah Mhlanga, says the toolkit is important for empowering school staff to identify and support learners at risk. SADAG’s Cassey Chambers says the toolkit’s role is to promote mental wellness and resilience.
Stay tuned for more news………….