News 18:00
BULLETIN 26 March 6 pm
Good afternoon. I am……..
In this bulletin:
# President Cyril Ramaphosa welcomes the UN Security Council’s resolution for a Gaza ceasefire
# Political parties’ compliance with information laws are under scrutiny
# And rugby: The Stormers change their leadership structure after the Red Disa take-over
# President Cyril Ramaphosa has welcomed the adoption of Resolution 2728 by the United Nations Security Council, which demands an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip during the holy month of Ramadan. Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, says the resolution is a significant step towards creating a firm foundation for a permanent ceasefire and the resumption of negotiations:
# Political parties’ compliance with information laws is under scrutiny by the Information Regulator. The regulator assessed 13 parties represented in Parliament and one non-represented party at national level. Briefing the media on high-profile investigations, the regulator’s chairperson, Pansy Tlakula, revealed approximately 54-percent of parties in Parliament were generally non-compliant with information laws, while 46-percent showed some level of compliance but needed improvement. Tlakula says continuous monitoring and enforcement actions would be taken to improve compliance across the board:
# Six fishermen have been found safe and sound after being missing off Cape Town since this weekend. The NSRI says the crew of the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment’s patrol vessel, Ellen Khuzwayo, located them near Cape Point after a huge search over 80 nautical miles. They are reportedly in good health and not injured. A NSRI rescue craft had been launched from Simon’s Town to escort the men to the harbour. The fishermen went out on their inflatable boat on Saturday.
# Rugby: The Stormers have changed their leadership structure, with coach John Dobson appointed as director of rugby, and Johan le Roux as CEO. The follows after the Red Disa Consortium recently secured the controlling stake in Western Province Rugby. Le Roux is a major roleplayer in the consortium. He will be assisted by experienced administrator Rob Wagner, who will help with operational aspects of the business for an interim period. Le Roux says the Stormers have the potential to be a global powerhouse.
# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-95-cents and the euro at 20-rand-55-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-93-cents and Bitcoin trades at 69-thousand-903-dollars-94-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-182-dollars-44-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 85-dollars-72-cents a barrel.
# And finally: The South African Reserve Bank’s decision to hold the repo rate steady has left consumers grappling with nearly 40-percent higher loan costs compared to 2020. With no rate cuts expected until the third quarter, Sanlam’s Ayanda Ndimande advised consumers to consider the repo rate’s impact on debt affordability. In the last four years loan premiums have surged to unexpected levels, urging the need for thorough budgeting. Ndimande also advises the consideration of deposits to manage debt effectively. Economists anticipate a gradual easing of the repo rate later this year.
Stay tuned for more news………….