News 17:00

BULLETIN 13 May 5 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Ramaphosa reiterates the call for justice, humanity, and peace efforts in the Israel-Palestine conflict
# The DA critiques the National Treasury’s figures as the ANC’s mismanagement 
# And rugby: The new Wallabies coach says the Springboks will pose a massive challenge

# ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa has called for full support for justice, humanity, and peace in the Israel-Palestine conflict, echoing sentiments shared by many countries. During a media briefing, Muslim scholars and clerics expressed gratitude to South Africa for its stance on Gaza, including efforts to take Israel to the International Court of Justice. Ramaphosa has called for peace and a ceasefire, backed by Muslim and Christian organisations:

# DA national spokesperson for Finance, Dion George, criticises the recent National Treasury figures indicating a primary fiscal surplus, dismissing it as an achievement by the government. George highlights ongoing economic mismanagement by the ANC, citing underfunding in crucial sectors like healthcare and education. He emphasises the need for the DA’s economic policy, focused on job creation and restoring economic stability ahead of the elections:

# Sugar industry groups have cautioned that despite increased local purchasing by food companies, the Health Promotion Levy persists as a burden on the 20-billion-rand industry. The Sugar Value Chain Master Plan, aiming to bolster local demand, has made progress since its 2020 inception, yet challenges persist. Job losses and mill closures are attributed to the tax. Sales of local sugar have surged, meeting phase one targets, but concerns linger regarding the tax’s impact on industry sustainability.

# Chinese journalist Zhang Zhan, jailed for four years for reporting on the Covid-19 outbreak in Wuhan, is set to be released today. The former lawyer documented an unfiltered view of Wuhan’s lockdown, providing rare insights despite government censorship. She was arrested in May 2020 and sentenced for picking quarrels and creating trouble, a charge often used against activists. She has been held in Shanghai women’s prison ever since. Zhang, who turned 40 in September, has engaged in periodic hunger strikes to protest against her conviction and treatment.

# Rugby: New Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt is preparing for his first Tests in charge. The former coach of Ireland succeeded Eddie Jones, who won just two from nine Tests and failed to steer Australia into the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time. The Aussies will host Wales and Georgia in July before turning their attention to the Rugby Championship, with two home games against South Africa. Schmidt says the Springboks will be a massive challenge:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-31-cents and the euro at 19-rand-78-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-99-cents and Bitcoin trades at 62-thousand-800-dollars-84-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-348-dollars-18-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 83-dollars-17-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….